He Shou Wu Powder

Mushrooms & adaptogens

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.

At a glance A near-black powder, faintly reddish in strong light, with an earthy, slightly sweet… He shou wu is the root of Polygonum multiflorum, also called fo-ti, which grows thick… Its name carries a legend. A Tang-dynasty man named He, weak and gray before his years, is said to have found a…

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.