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Ashwagandha tea is just starting to make its way into the mainstream western world. The Ashwagandha root that is used to make the tea is often called Indian Ginseng and has been widely used for its health properties for centuries. I hadn’t tried it until recently. I would say it is an interesting tea and it got me thinking, about how would I describe its taste.
What Does Ashwagandha Root Tea Taste Like? Ashwagandha Tea has a very earthy taste associated with it. It has been described as tasting a little like dirt. It is also a fairly bitter tea even when steeped properly. It is often mixed with other teas and honey to improve the taste.
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The Taste Of Ashwagandha Tea
While not as complex as many other teas, the flavor profile of Ashwagandha tea is still a pretty interesting one. I think this is going to fall into the “it’s alright” category for most people. There doesn’t seem to be much middle ground on this one.
Sure some will hate it and some will love it. But I think it is pretty good. Not great, not terrible. A good cup of tea for just about anytime. Dunno if I would give up my morning cup of Sencha, check out my favorites, for it though.
Ashwagandha Tea Is A Bit Bitter
Bitter is probably the most pronounced flavor you are going to detect when you drink this tea. It is quite bitter. I don’t mean this in a negative way. I like bitterness in many instances. And it does work well here. But there is little you can do to get rid of the bitterness if that is not your thing.
For example, in green tea, check out some of our favorites, you can adjust the steep time and temperature to reduce most of the bitterness in the tea. That is just not possible with Ashwagandha tea as far as I can tell. It is going to have a bitter edge to it no matter what you do.
And Earthy
Ah. My old nemesis the earthy flavor. I have struggled time and time again to describe this generalization. It seems like it gets applied to just about any flavor sometimes.
I would not call it bland but it is not sweet or spicy. The earthiness of Ashwagandha tea is probably the exact definition of earthy. For once it actually fits the term. It tastes a little bit like earth.
Even when you are cooking with ashwagandha root it can be earthy and bitter to many people, but there are ways to mitigate that in many dishes(source).
It Tastes A Little Bit Like Dirt
This might sound a bit harsh, but it does taste a little bit like dirt. In the same way, a potato tastes a little bit like dirt. A raw one anyway. It is certainly not an overwhelming taste in the tea. In fact, I would say it is a secondary or tertiary flavor in the overall taste experience. But it is still noticeable and can put some people off if they are not expecting it. Especially new drinkers.
A Little Added Honey
I could not detect any natural sweetness in the cups that I drank. It just wasn’t there for me. That explains why Ashwagandha tea and honey are such a big hit together. Most people will want to add a little sweetener to this tea. I am not a fan of adding them to any tea. But if it makes your cup more palatable then go for it.
Great Tea To Mix With Other Teas
Ashwagandha Tea is a prime candidate for blending another tea with it. Because it is naturally bitter and has no sweetness people love to mix it with other teas. Adding a slice of the root into your boiling kettle can infuse the water with all the benefits of Ashwagandha and limit the taste of it in the tea itself.
One of the best ashwagandha blends is this little number from the fine folks at Art Of Tea, Chaga Chai Mushroom Tea With Ashwagandha, give it a try if you are so inclined.
Quick Flavor Recap
- It is a naturally Bitter tea.
- Earthy is the best way to describe this tea.
- Pungent but not overly so.
- Tastes A Little Bit Like Dirt.
The Aroma Of Ashwagandha Tea
The aroma of the ashwagandha tea is right in line with its taste of it. There is no mystery here, you get what you smell when you make it into tea.
It has a pretty pungent smell to it. The roots have a very earthy aroma and the tea smells much the same. I wouldn’t say it smells bad though. Not nearly as potent as ginger root but still very aromatic in its own right.
Steep Instructions For Ashwagandha Tea
Proper steeping is paramount for any tea. Get this part wrong and it can change the entire flavor profile for that entire cup or kettle.
But these are just the suggested instructions. Find your sweet spot for Ashwagandha Tea and make your cup your own.
- A water temperature of 205°F is a great place to start.
- A 4-6 Minute Steep makes for a great cup of tea. I like to keep it around the upper limit of 6 minutes. Feel free to go longer if you like how that tastes.
- 2 Teaspoons of ashwagandha are about right. I like about 2 thin slices of the root for 8oz to 10oz of water.
Related Questions
Is Ashwagandha Tea Naturally Sweet? There is very little natural sweetness in this tea. I could not detect any when I drank it. You will need to add some sweetener to it if you are looking for a sweet tea.
#2 Can You Mask The Taste Of Ashwagandha Tea? You absolutely can mask the taste of this tea. Many people mix it with other teas, like black tea or chamomile tea to blend the flavors and make it more palatable.
#3 Does Ashwagandha Make You Sleepy? It tends to be associated with increased energy and alertness, even though it is caffeine-free. It might have a sleep effect on some people, be sure to check with your doctor to find out how it might affect you.
#4 Can Ashwagandha Be Taken With Honey? Honey is one of the most popular things to add to this tea. The natural bitterness of Ashwagandha is more than many people can take and thus they like to add a nice sweetener to it to make it more palatable. There are many other flavors you add to it when drinking this tea.
The Finish
I hope I haven’t come across as too harsh on Ashwagandha tea. Everyone has different tastes and many of you are going to love this very interesting tea.
I think it is ok. As I mentioned at the top. It is good, not great. The bitterness and slight dirt taste are a little bit off-putting for me. And since I really don’t like to add any sweeteners to my teas I just have to drink it as is.
I enjoy dropping a slice or two of ginger into my water for green tea. I think a couple of slices of Ashwagandha root might be great for the same type of thing.
Particularly with a nice English breakfast or similar black tea. Check out some great black tea flavor combos here. With that said, however, I did not mix it with any other teas for this article. I just wanted to get the flavor picture without any interference. So I think I might enjoy adding this to my boiling water before making a cup of tea.
Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day.