Enormous variability exists when it comes to the quality of cultivated ashwagandha supplied across the market today. Vitafoods Insights explores the most compelling arguments for choosing organic-certified ashwagandha, both from an environmental and health perspective.
Sponsored by KSM-66: Ashwagandha
From ancient agricultural practices through to modern concerns surrounding health and sustainability, the organic movement continues to evolve as the market for a vast spectrum of organically produced ingredients and goods expands at a pace worldwide.
Where ingredients are specifically cultivated for their health and wellness supporting attributes, the emphasis on purity, non-GMO, and pesticide-free production – for obvious reasons – is particularly paramount for a growing army of consumers.
A much-revered herb in Ayurvedic medicine, the ashwagandha root has garnered global renown for its myriad adaptogenic traits – from supporting stress reduction, to boosting energy levels, and enhancing overall wellbeing by bringing body and mind into balance.
Yet, it is apparent that not all ashwagandha is created equal, with a vast chasm existing in the market today when it comes to levels of purity, efficacy, and ultimately safety.
Across numerous important markers for quality, it is widely understood that organic-certified ashwagandha is superior. Aside from the obvious sustainability benefits that such cultivation offers in terms of minimising the environmental impacts of farming the herb, organically produced ashwagandha also benefits from a higher level of potency and purity.
In this article, we explore the most compelling arguments for choosing organic-certified ashwagandha, both from an environmental and health perspective.
Assurances of safety and purity are front of mind for consumers when seeking out supplements – and this aspect is of particular significance to active natural ingredients like ashwagandha that are typically consumed daily over an extended period. Organic certification ensures the ashwagandha is cultivated without the application of harmful chemicals, pesticides, or synthetic fertilisers to the crop. Widely used in conventional farming to promote higher yields, such chemicals are essentially contaminants that can leave toxic residues in the final product. It follows that organic-certified ashwagandha is deemed the safe option for long-term consumption, as it serves to minimise the risk of what are often acutely toxic chemical compounds building up in the body.
A different approach to farming is required to help combat climate change, increase biodiversity, and ensure the resilience of supply chains, as well as meeting the demands of consumers more keenly aware than ever before of the environmental impact of their purchasing decisions. In contrast to conventional farming techniques, organic ashwagandha cultivation places a strong emphasis on sustainable methodologies including crop rotation, natural composting, and the application of organic fertilisers. Such techniques restore soil health, alongside reducing levels of air, water and land pollution, to foster a more sustainable and regenerative farming environment. By opting for organic-certified ashwagandha, formulators and consumers are thus supporting a farming process that promotes nature and helps preserve ecosystems.
Organic ashwagandha is typically cultivated in nutrient-rich, uncontaminated soil, which serves to boost both the herb’s potency and its nutritional value. Studies suggest that organically grown botanicals tend to have higher levels of most active compounds, such as the withanolides found in ashwagandha. These compounds play a crucial role in delivering the ashwagandha root’s myriad adaptogenic and health-promoting properties. Resultantly, organic ashwagandha root extracts are likely to provide the consumer with greater potency and hence more pronounced support when it comes to stress reduction, energy promotion, and cognitive functioning.
Strictly free from GMOs (genetically modified organisms), certified-organic ashwagandha is in alignment with the ever-expanding demand from consumers across the globe for clean and naturally-sourced ingredients. In tandem with such priorities, consumers are also increasingly focused on the provenance of ingredients from a social standpoint – they wish to understand who produced these raw materials, and under what conditions. In alignment with these wider sustainability considerations around ethical sourcing, organic ashwagandha is commonly cultivated in accordance with fair-trade standards that respect the labour or farmers and compensate them accordingly – incentivisation that undoubtedly serves to help prioritise sustainable land use goals. Such actions have a strong cascade effect in terms of positively impacting local communities and safeguarding responsible farming, thus creating a win-win for people and planet.
Throughout the cultivation process, organic-certified ashwagandha undergoes a series of rigorous tests conducted by accredited bodies to ensure it meets specific standards. Undoubtedly, such transparency goes a long way to building consumer trust, reassuring shoppers on the validity of what they see printed on the product label, and confirming that the product meets (or exceeds) strict quality control stipulations. More broadly speaking, by removing the concern of hidden contaminants or false claims, organic certification offers consumers peace of mind that the product chimes with their health and wellness values.
Finally, by minimising environmental stress on the plant, organic cultivation enables ashwagandha to achieve its full potential as a remarkable adaptogen. Ashwagandha’s adaptogenic traits extend beyond stress reduction to offer interlinked benefits such as combating anxiety and reducing fatigue, amongst a host of other health and wellbeing supporting attributes. However, releasing these natural benefits to the fullest fundamentally requires the herb to first be cultivated in a natural, unaltered environment. Only through removing the use of synthetic substances like pesticides and fertilisers – which risk diminishing ashwagandha’s extraordinary efficacy – can the maximum benefits of this health-imbuing herb be truly unlocked.
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