Are herbs really good for focus?
Some people think of herbs as nothing more than flavorful ingredients. This is far from the truth. Many herbs have properties beyond mere savoriness.
All over the globe, from the forests of the Americas to the jungles of Southeast Asia, people have been using herbs in a variety of forms to help boost cognition, get sharper focus, and increase memory. In this article, we’ll break down six of the best herbs to improve your focus.
So move over coffee. We’ve got leaves, teas, powders and barks that all offer some benefits to keep your brain ticking away at max performance.
The top 6 herbs for focus
- Bacopa Monnieri
- Kratom
- Matcha
- Ashwagandha
- Ginkgo
- Pine Bark
Bacopa Monnieri
Known by many names, such as Water Hyssop, Brahmi, Indian Pennywort, and Herb of Grace, Bacopa Monnieri is a herbal plant that is native across the globe, from Australia to Europe to the Americas.
Used by the Ayurveda peoples as a traditional medicine, Bacopa Monnieri has a long history of being known to improve focus and sharpen concentration, learning and memory, making it popular to treat ADHD. Nowadays, its beneficial properties are also being explored to help people suffering from Alzheimer disease, though it is not yet fully accepted for this purpose. One of the downsides of taking Bacopa Monnieri is that it can cause upset stomach issues.
Kratom
Kratom comes in many strains and colors, with the younger white leaves suited for energy and the more mature red ones for energy. Perhaps green Kratom is the perfect herbal choice for heightened focus.
Green Maeng Da, as sold by many reputable online kratom vendors like Mount Kratom, is a leading strain of kratom that can be taken to help get through long arduous days, yet sparing you the restlessness of caffeine. Another advantage to kratom for focus is that it can simultaneously reduce stress and induce relaxation, making it a well-balanced substance.
Matcha
Matcha comes from special Chinese green tea leaves that are ground into a fine powder and consumed as a frothy tea. In Chinese and Japanese cultures, it’s been used as an energizer due to its high amounts of caffeine.
Matcha offers a slew of benefits that go beyond focus and mental clarity, for example, it is helpful with cholesterol, weight loss, blood pressure and bone health. When it comes to brain function enhancement, it has been known to aid in memory and attention, although this may be more applicable to senior citizens than young healthy people.
Ashwagandha
Withania somnifera, aka Ashwagandha, hails from the lands of the MIddle East, Africa and South-Central Asia. Traditional Indian medicine has been leveraging its immune-boosting benefits for a long time.
There are an increasing number of studies that aim to demonstrate Ashwagandha’s focus and memory-improving qualities. However, consuming too much of this special evergreen shrub can lead to some negative side effects, such as insomnia, vertigo and nausea, so take it with caution. What’s more, Ashwagandha could be especially baleful when taken with prescription drugs, so it is best to consult a physician before trying it.
Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba is often taken as an extract from seed-producing plants in East Asia. The ancient tree it comes from is said to have existed on this planet for nearly 200 million years.
When it comes to concentration and memory, Ginkgo enjoys a very well-known and positive reputation, possibly more so than many other herbs on this list. For a long time it’s been dubbed the “brain herb,” and has shown particularly encouraging results with older people suffering from age-related dementia. Like Matcha, however, its efficacy is slightly less pronounced with younger, healthier minds.
Pine Bark
Last but not least is Pycnogenol, or more familiarly known as Pine Bark. This is a pretty powerful pine tree extract that combines many naturally-occurring complex compounds like organic acids, flavonoids and procyanidins.
Perhaps one of Pine Bark’s most common use cases when it comes to cognitive abilities is that it is used to treat ADHD. It achieves this by boosting brain enzymes, although results are not one hundred percent consistent. Pine Bark is also said to improve blood flow, which itself is a crucial factor for better brain health. One warning, it is not advisable for pregnant or breastfeeding women to consume it.
Think, learn, focus and remember better with herbs
In conclusion, these 6 herbs all offer some similar benefits for focus, but with slight differences. For example, while Bacopa Monnieri and Matcha may show the best results on the elderly, kratom—with all its varieties and strains—seems more effective with adults of all ages. Likewise with Pine Bark, Ginkgo and Ashwagandha: They have their uses but should not be taken irresponsibly.
So, if your mind tends to wander, if you are forgetting simple things, or if your brain can’t seem to handle complex and demanding thoughts and ideas, why not try one of these herbs as a cleaner, more natural way to bring clarity and focus into your day-to-day life.
