What Is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha is a shrub of the evergreen variant that grows in the Middle East, India, and parts of Africa. The fruit and roots of the shrub have both been utilized for centuries for multiple medicinal purposes. As of the current day, ashwagandha is marketed and sold in the United States as a herbal health supplement. Ashwagandha is not regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration and does not have to meet the same standards as food producers or pharmaceutical companies. While the health benefits and healing properties of ashwagandha have been studied to an extent, the herb is not well known in the general population. Those who are aware of ashwagandha may refer to it as Indian ginseng. Ashwagandha has also been referred to as winter cherry, but this name can become confusing because it also describes a different plant called Physalis alkekengi.