Whole Herb Vs Extract
While the best herbal companies try to match the blueprint of Mother Nature, this is a tough task. Generally, nature only puts a small amount of the so-called "most active" chemical in a plant, along with a cast of supportive constituents. This creates something quite different than the western approach of standardizing herbal extracts based on one active chemical.
Traditional medicinal systems like Ayurveda mix herbs, plants, and spices in specific combinations to naturally boost the effectiveness of an herb or herbal formula. For example, when whole turmeric root is mixed with black pepper: studies have showy that this simple, natural and traditional blend increases the absorption of turmeric by 2000%.
Though the extract of turmeric may be one of the herbal extracts that are considered safe, traditional dishes like Indian curry combine turmeric with other spices in such a way that its efficacy matches—and even out-performs—some of the western world's most potent turmeric extracts.
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