Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has been a cornerstone of Ayurvedic medicine for over 3,000 years, revered as a rasayana, a rejuvenating tonic meant to restore vitality and extend a healthy life. Its Sanskrit name translates loosely to “smell of horse,” a reference both to its distinctive earthy aroma and the legendary strength it was believed to impart. In traditional Indian households, ashwagandha root was often prepared with warm milk and honey as a nightly tonic, a practice that mirrors what modern herbalists still recommend today for stress relief and restorative sleep.
For women in particular, ashwagandha holds a special place in the herbal apothecary. Across generations of Ayurvedic practice, it has been used to support the female reproductive system, ease the physical toll of chronic stress, and help the body adapt to hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause and menopause. Women dealing with fatigue rooted in adrenal dysregulation, thyroid sluggishness, or the relentless pace of modern life have long turned to this root as a gentle but powerful ally. Unlike stimulating herbs that provide a short burst of energy followed by a crash, ashwagandha works by modulating the stress response at its source.
Brewing ashwagandha as a tea rather than taking it in capsule form offers a more intentional, ritual-based experience. The warmth of the cup itself is part of the medicine, inviting a few quiet minutes into a busy day. The flavor is earthy, slightly bitter, and faintly milky, qualities that pair beautifully with warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. Whether you are managing a demanding career, navigating perimenopause, or simply seeking a steadier baseline of calm, ashwagandha tea is a time-honored place to start.
2
cups
Ingredients
- 2 tspashwagandha root powder or finely cut dried root
- 480 mlwater (95°C / 203°F)
- 0.5 tspground cinnamon
- 2 podsgreen cardamom, lightly crushed
- —raw honey or maple syrup to taste (optional)
- —splash of warm oat milk or coconut milk (optional)
How to Brew
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- Bring 480 ml of filtered water to 95°C (203°F). If you do not have a variable-temperature kettle, bring water to a full boil and let it rest for 30 seconds.
- Add 2 teaspoons of ashwagandha root powder (or finely cut dried root), the crushed cardamom pods, and ground cinnamon directly to a small saucepan. Pour the hot water over the herbs.
- Simmer on the lowest possible heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not let the mixture boil vigorously, as excessive heat can degrade some volatile compounds. If using root pieces rather than powder, a gentle simmer closer to 15 minutes extracts more effectively.
- Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into your mug, pressing the solids gently to extract remaining liquid.
- Stir in honey or maple syrup if desired, and add a splash of warm oat milk or coconut milk for a creamier, more traditional Ayurvedic preparation. Serve immediately and sip slowly.
- Measure 2 teaspoons of ashwagandha root powder into a clean glass jar. Add 480 ml of room-temperature filtered water and stir vigorously for 30 seconds to ensure the powder is fully dispersed and not clumping at the bottom.
- Add the crushed cardamom pods and cinnamon directly to the jar. Stir once more, then loosely cover the jar with a lid or a small plate.
- Allow the jar to sit at room temperature for 2 hours to begin extraction, then transfer to the refrigerator for the remaining 10 to 12 hours (overnight is ideal).
- The following morning, stir the jar well before straining, as ashwagandha powder settles. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a glass, pressing firmly to extract all liquid.
- Add honey and a pour of cold coconut milk or oat milk if desired. Serve over ice or chilled. This brew keeps in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours – shake or stir well before each serving.
- Combine 240 ml of whole milk or full-fat coconut milk with 240 ml of filtered water in a small saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of ashwagandha root powder, the crushed cardamom pods, and ground cinnamon.
- Warm the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to prevent the milk from scorching. Bring the mixture to a very gentle simmer at approximately 85 to 90°C (185 to 194°F). Do not allow it to boil, as milk scorches easily and high heat diminishes the herb’s more delicate compounds.
- Maintain the gentle simmer, stirring frequently, for 20 to 25 minutes. The liquid will reduce slightly and deepen in color to a warm golden-brown. The aroma will become richer and more complex as the spices meld with the root.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer or muslin cloth into a wide mug, pressing the solids to extract all liquid.
- Sweeten with raw honey (added after cooling slightly, below 60°C, to preserve its enzymes) or a small amount of jaggery in the traditional manner. Drink warm, ideally 30 minutes before bed to leverage ashwagandha’s sleep-supportive properties.
Health Benefits
Clinical trials have found that ashwagandha supplementation significantly reduces cortisol levels, which in turn supports the broader hormonal cascade that governs estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid function. A 2021 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that ashwagandha root extract improved sexual function, arousal, and overall hormonal wellbeing in women.
Multiple randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have demonstrated that ashwagandha root extract significantly lowers perceived stress scores and serum cortisol compared to placebo. Its withanolides interact with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to dampen the body’s overactive stress response without causing sedation during the day.
A 2019 study in PLOS ONE found that adults taking ashwagandha root extract experienced significant improvements in sleep onset, sleep quality, and morning alertness compared to a placebo group. The alkaloid withanine and the amino acid triethylene glycol present in the root are believed to be primary contributors to this sleep-supportive activity.
As an adaptogen, ashwagandha helps regulate mitochondrial function and reduce oxidative stress, leading to more sustainable energy levels rather than stimulant-style spikes. A clinical study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found significant improvements in energy levels, endurance, and recovery in participants taking ashwagandha extract over 8 weeks.
A 2021 randomized controlled trial in the journal Menopause found that women taking ashwagandha root extract reported significant reductions in hot flashes, night sweats, mood disturbance, and anxiety compared to placebo, suggesting the root’s adaptogenic and phytoandrogenic properties help ease the hormonal turbulence of perimenopause.
🧪 Key Bioactive Compounds
The Science Behind Ashwagandha
The therapeutic power of ashwagandha tea is rooted primarily in its withanolides, a class of naturally occurring steroidal lactones unique to the Withania somnifera plant. Of these, Withaferin A and Withanolide D have received the most scientific attention. Withaferin A has been shown in multiple studies to downregulate heat shock proteins and inhibit NF-kB pathways, producing meaningful anti-inflammatory and cortisol-modulating effects. Crucially for women, cortisol dysregulation is a gateway to broader hormonal imbalance: when cortisol is chronically elevated, the body diverts resources away from reproductive hormone production, contributing to irregular cycles, low libido, and perimenopausal symptom severity. By helping to normalize cortisol levels, ashwagandha creates a more favorable hormonal environment across the board.
The glycowithanolides, particularly Sitoindosides VII and VIII, operate along a different but complementary pathway. These compounds have demonstrated the ability to modulate GABAergic neurotransmission, which helps explain ashwagandha’s well-documented anxiolytic and sleep-promoting effects. GABA is the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, and its dysregulation is closely linked to anxiety, insomnia, and mood disorders, all of which disproportionately affect women during hormonal transitions. Additionally, the alkaloid withanine exhibits mild cholinergic activity, meaning it can support acetylcholine signaling, which plays a role in memory consolidation and contributes to the improved cognitive clarity many women report after consistent use.
From a bioavailability perspective, the traditional Ayurvedic practice of preparing ashwagandha in warm milk has genuine scientific merit. Withanolides are steroidal in structure, meaning they are fat-soluble and absorb more efficiently in the presence of dietary fat. A water-only decoction still delivers meaningful amounts of these compounds, particularly the more water-soluble glycowithanolides and alkaloids, but combining ashwagandha with full-fat coconut milk or whole milk as in the Ksheerapaka method meaningfully enhances the absorption of Withaferin A and Withanolide D. This is one of those instances where traditional wisdom and modern pharmacokinetics are in complete agreement.
Brewing Tips
- Always use ashwagandha root powder or cut-and-sifted root rather than leaf material for tea. The root contains the highest concentration of withanolides, while the leaves have a markedly different and less studied phytochemical profile.
- Consistency matters more than dose with adaptogens. Drinking one cup daily for four to eight weeks produces far more pronounced benefits than drinking it sporadically. Think of ashwagandha tea as a daily tonic rather than an acute remedy.
- To reduce the characteristic bitter edge, add a small pinch of black pepper to your brew. Piperine in black pepper enhances the absorption of many phytonutrients and subtly rounds out the flavor, much as it does when paired with turmeric.
This is really timely for me since my last quarterly labs showed some improvement in my cortisol markers after I started being more intentional about adaptogens. I’m curious about the sourcing here though, especially for ashwagandha, since potency can vary so much depending on growing conditions and extraction methods. My functional medicine doc mentioned that some commercial ashwagandha has pretty low withanolide content, which is where the actual adaptogenic benefit comes from. Are you working with suppliers who test for withanolide percentages? I’ve been experimenting with a similar tea blend but want to make sure I’m actually getting therapeutic doses rather than just the taste of something that sounds beneficial.
Thanks so much for bringing up the withanolide testing, Gabby. It really does make a difference when you can actually verify what’s in the product rather than just trusting the label. My doc was pretty clear about this too, and honestly it changed how I source everything now. I’ve started asking suppliers directly about their third-party testing results and withanolide percentages, and the variation is honestly shocking once you start digging into it. Would love to know if the ashwagandha in this tea blend comes with that kind of transparency, since that’s really the benchmark for whether it’s actually delivering the adaptogenic support versus just being a nice tasting herbal ritual (which don’t get me wrong
Love that you’re tracking your cortisol markers, Fred – that’s such a concrete way to see what’s actually working for your body! Totally agree on sourcing being huge, ashwagandha potency is all over the place depending on where it comes from. I’ve noticed similar variability with herbs and how they affect my blood sugar stability, so I’m always digging into third party testing and origin. Have you found a brand that’s been consistent for you, or are you still experimenting?