How to Eat Bacopa Monnieri

Bacopa monnieri is a bitter, edible herb grown in India used throughout history in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. Its main uses are as a nerve tonic to improve memory and treat many disorders, particularly involving the intellect.

A study suggests that Bacopa monnieri has a significant property that may reduce the amount of information lost from memory, which helps people better retain new information. There is also evidence of an antioxidant effect in the hippocampus that suggests that the extract of Bacopa monnieri may provoke an antioxidant action within the hippocampus.

Whether you prefer taking Bacopa monnieri as a medicine or as food, there’s always a way to enjoy the benefits of this herb. Some people like to eat Bacopa monnieri by adding it into their salads, and others use it as a nootropic. Whichever form you decide to consume, it will have the same cognitive benefits and make a significant positive difference in your memory abilities.

Key Takeaways

• Bacopa monnieri, an edible herb used in Ayurvedic medicine, is known for its cognitive benefits. It may improve memory, reduce information loss from memory, and potentially have antioxidant effects in the hippocampus. ]
• Bacopa monnieri can be distinguished from its relatives by its appearance, having one vein and small white flowers with four or five petals. It grows around fresh and brackish waters, typically in sunny damp spots. The leaves are succulent and thick, with an opposite oblanceolate shape.
• There are various ways to enjoy the benefits of Bacopa monnieri. It can be consumed as a tea by boiling dried whole herb in water, used as a seasoning in salads or meals, applied as a hair care treatment for growth and scalp health, taken in capsule form, or used as a liquid herbal extract for mental focus and nervousness support.

Plant Profile

Bacopa monnieri has many relatives, like Bacopa innominata, Bacopa repens, and Bacopa caroliniana. People might get them confused, but you can easily tell them apart because of their appearance. The Bacopa monnieri herb has one vein, and its flowers are small and white with four or five petals. Other elatives have three to five veins or even seven to nine.

Bacopa monnieri grows every time of the year, mostly around fresh and brackish waters, usually sunny damp spots. The leaves are succulent and thick, ⅛ inch wide and ⅝ inch long. The leaf shape is the opposite oblanceolate, which means one side is skinny and the other is fat. 

How to Take Bacopa Monnieri 

As a food, you can eat Bacopa monnieri raw, but it is really bitter when fresh. That is why we have gathered some of the numerous forms in which you can enjoy the full benefits of Bacopa monnieri more deliciously.

Tea

In India, it is very popular to collect the herb and let it dry to use it to make tea. To properly enjoy this organic tea, use two to five teaspoons of dried whole herb and boil them in five ounces of water.

Seasoning

You can collect your plant and steam it for a cooked vegetable. Add it to your salads, everydays meals, or special dishes. Some people even like to eat the flowers. 

Hair Care

With organic Bacopa monnieri powder, you provide your hair with growth and regenerative properties, helping your hair follicles repair as well as strengthening your scalp tissue to encourage healthy hair growth.

This treatment creates a natural protective layer around the hair follicles, keeping the fibers healthy and reducing the possibility of split ends. Besides, it induces enough moisture to take care of any moisture-related issue and removes dry skin from the surface.

Capsules

Bacopa monnieri capsules are organic, additive, gluten, wheat, corn, soy, and dairy-free, with no artificial fillers, binders, or excipients. They are made from whole-plant powder and whole plant extract instead of just the simple crushed powder you may find in other supplements. Each caplet is equivalent to 3,375 mg of powder.

Take one caplet once daily before food and consult a healthcare practitioner if you will use it beyond 16 weeks.

Herbal Extract

The liquid herbal extract might be the effortless, quickest, and better way to take Bacopa monnieri, as it promotes mental focus and attention, plus soothing support for occasional nervousness and excitability. Adults should take between 40-60 drops of extract in a small amount of water 3-4 times daily between meals.