Mushrooms & adaptogens
He Shou Wu Powder.
Prepared fo-ti root, steamed with black bean liquid until near-black, then milled to a powder that smells of molasses and dried fig. Linked to rare liver injury: use only with your doctor's advice.
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About this product
A near-black powder, faintly reddish in strong light, with an earthy, slightly sweet smell somewhere between molasses and dried fig. He shou wu is the root of Polygonum multiflorum, also called fo-ti, which grows thick and knotted underground and sometimes twists into a shape almost like a small figure; old herb collectors prized the strangest roots above all others.
Its name carries a legend. A Tang-dynasty man named He, weak and gray before his years, is said to have found a twisting vine-root in the mountains and eaten it daily, and the root took its name from him: roughly, Mr. He's black hair. It remains one of the most storied roots in Chinese herbalism.
Raw he shou wu is traditionally prepared before use, steamed repeatedly with black bean liquid over several days until the interior darkens from tan to near-black. This preparation, zhi he shou wu, mellows the root and is considered gentler for regular use. Only the prepared root is offered here, never raw, and each lot is tested for heavy metals.
How to use
Stir half a teaspoon into warm water, tea or a morning smoothie. He shou wu has been linked to rare liver injury, so use it only with your doctor's advice.
An old root with a long story, for a shelf kept over many years.
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He Shou Wu Powder
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