The Beginner’s Guide to Botanicals
The COVID-19 pandemic brought shaken confidence in healthcare systems and facilities. This has led to a greater shift towards self-care, reflected in the explosion of the botanical ingredients market.
Botanicals are natural products that can help address a variety of health needs. They are a safe alternative to traditional medicines, and you can buy them locally or online.
If you are new to botanicals, don’t worry: the information below provides a brief introduction to them. It will give you an idea of the many and varied health benefits they can bring. It also contains some valuable information on how to go about finding the best products out there.
What Are Botanicals?
Botanicals are any plant or plant part that has medicinal or therapeutic uses. Herbs, for instance, are a subset of botanicals.
Botanicals are a “dietary supplement.” But many people use them in place of conventional medicines to treat disease symptoms. For example, an increasingly popular practice is to use turmeric to curb inflammation in the body.
The second big reason people are turning to botanicals is to prevent disease. For instance, echinacea, a group of flowering plants found in North America, is a formidable immune booster. Many botanicals, like green tea and grape seed, contain high amounts of antioxidants, which can help ward off cancer and slow the aging process.
How to Find a Botanical Retailer
The federal government regulates the sale of botanical supplements, but that does not mean all products are created equal. To identify good manufacturing practices and the highest quality ingredients, you will have to dig a little deeper.
Manufacturers cannot make claims about what a product can cure or prevent. So it can become difficult to know what products are best for your own particular health needs.
One easy first step is to ensure that the company is certified on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Organic Integrity Database. The next best thing you can do is to read online reviews to see what others are saying about the company.
You also can ask direct questions to providers about their products and practices. A reputable botanicals business will be forthcoming about the supplements they provide. For instance, companies like Cali Botanicals only offer 100 percent organic supplements that are harvested conscientiously directly from their farms.
How to Use Botanical Supplements
You can consume botanicals in several different ways. Infusing them into boiling water to make tea is a common one. Those soaked in alcohol and water form a concentrated solution that can be used as a tincture.
Botanicals also are a primary component of aromatherapy, great for treating physical and emotional stresses. Lavender, for instance, is one of the best aromatherapy ingredients for relaxation and sleep.
The most common form in which you will find botanicals is an extract. There are benefits to taking raw extracts, but botanicals in capsule or tablet form make daily consumption less of a hassle.
Find Quality Botanicals
Now that you have an idea of the many health benefits of botanicals, you can explore the innumerable products available to you. They are a great alternative to traditional medicines and can be a valuable preventative supplement as well.
We hope this information was helpful to you. Be sure to check out some of our other health and lifestyle posts. We cover everything from diet and exercise to travel and personal finance.
