Best Adaptogenic Drinks

Want to incorporate the benefits of adaptogens into your daily routine? Adaptogenic drinks provide a burst of harmonizing effects to your system in a natural, taste-bud pleasing way. Check out the best adaptogenic drinks available today, and what makes them so good.

Adaptogens are generally a worthy investment – I know this from experience. The term ‘adaptogen’ covers a range of unique herbs and fungi known for their ability to help the body adapt to stress and promote balance. They are something that I’ve always taken quite seriously – I have struggled with stress and anxiety, as have countless others, and found them to work incredibly well.

With this in mind, I want to talk a little bit about them. In particular, I want to cover a lovely little corner of the supplement market – adaptogenic drinks. They are drinks that include common adaptogens, whose potential benefits range from reducing anxiety and boosting energy, to improving immune function and supporting cognitive performance.

What are adaptogenic drinks?

Adaptogenic drinks are pretty straightforward. As you might expect, they are drinks that include plenty of adaptogens. They are growing in popularity pretty fast, with more and more coming to the market on a regular basis.

Adaptogens are natural substances derived from herbs or plants that are thought to help your body with a range of benefits, most notably focused around overcoming symptoms of stress and anxiety. Some well-known adaptogens include ginseng, ashwagandha, rhodiola, and holy basil.

Adaptogens’ efficacy in regulating the body’s stress response system makes them ideal for reducing the negative impacts of stress and promoting a sense of calmness and relaxation. These herbs and fungi work in large part by modulating the body’s cortisol response and overall levels, and supporting the adrenal glands. This should all, in turn, help you to feel more grounded and better equipped to handle daily stressors.

Chronic stress can overstimulate the adrenal glands, leading to adrenal fatigue and a weakened immune system. I’ve suffered from this myself – chronic anxiety giving over to lethargy and a sense of being almost constantly run down.

Adaptogens have something of a harmonizing effect on this system – they help to reduce the overstimulation effect, which can in turn lead to a boost in immunity. Studies have shown that adaptogens may also have mood-enhancing effects – they may be able to help in stimulating serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine hormone production, all of which contribute to overall wellbeing and happiness.

Again, I’ve experienced this before – an overall mood lift when regularly taking adaptogens. It’s really quite a lovely experience, especially for those who need it the most.

These natural remedies – herbs and mushrooms, and in some instances, CBD – work well together for a range of benefits above and beyond stress reduction and promotion of improved wellbeing. They can also support cognitive functions such as memory, concentration, and focus. Indeed, you’ll often see many of them – ginseng, ashwagandha, rhodiola, holy basil, and the like – in common, top-quality nootropic supplements.

Adaptogens are also highly rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. These can help in protecting the body from oxidative stress and inflammation, which have been linked to many chronic diseases – the likes of arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and many forms of cancer, as well as the aging process itself, to name just a few.

You may also experience benefits to energy and focus from regular adaptogen use. Adaptogens are thought to enhance energy levels, improve mental clarity, and promote better concentration – again, we see those nootropic benefits coming into play. They may help to better regulate and, to put it crudely, balance those neurotransmitters in the brain – such as dopamine and serotonin – that are involved in mood and cognitive functions.

By supporting a healthy balance of these neurotransmitters, adaptogens may enhance cognitive performance and increase overall productivity.

In addition to – and in large because of – their stress-relieving properties, adaptogenic drinks also offer potential benefits for immune health. They are thought to strengthen the body’s natural defenses, thus helping to protect against illnesses and infections.

Again, I have felt this first-hand – chronic stress opening me to every common cold going, adaptogens and other stress-coping mechanisms keeping me safe from them. By promoting a balanced immune response, adaptogens support optimal immune function, making you far less susceptible to common illnesses.

Adaptogenic drinks can also assist in balancing out your hormones. You will typically see ashwagandha used by plenty of natural testosterone boosters, for instance. My testosterone booster of choice, Prime Male, uses it to great effect. Ashwagandha works very well for hormone balance in women, too.

Hormonal imbalances can lead to a range of symptoms, including fatigue, mood swings, and irregular menstrual cycles. Adaptogens are thought to promote hormone balance by supporting the endocrine system and aiding in the regulation of hormone production. By creating a healthy hormonal environment, adaptogens may alleviate symptoms associated with hormonal imbalances and contribute to overall wellbeing.

Some adaptogenic herbs – or happiness herbs, as they’re often referred to – found in common adaptogenic drinks may also aid in exercise recovery. By reducing inflammation and promoting muscle repair, adaptogens can help the body recover faster after intense physical activity.

Adaptogens such as rhodiola are thought to enhance endurance, while others like ashwagandha may aid in muscle recovery and reduce exercise-induced stress.

It’s all pretty good. Improbably so, perhaps, though I assure you it’s all fairly legitimate. Not fully – do note that while adaptogenic drinks have a long history of use in traditional medicine, scientific research on their specific benefits is often pretty limited.

The mechanisms of action and potential effects of adaptogens are still being studied and explored. However, tentative data support a lot of the theory and, honestly, I’ve used plenty of supplements like these to great effect myself over the years.

I wouldn’t be without adaptogens.

Also, please do note that, good as they are, adaptogenic supplements are not magic. Nor are they medicine. They are supplements, intended to supplement a healthy diet and lifestyle, or indeed any relevant medical regimen.

If you’re struggling with any concerns mentioned above – or, indeed, any negative symptoms – make sure that you contact your healthcare provider as a first port of call.

Our top adaptogenic drinks

I had the pleasure (and sometimes, curse) of researching and sampling a number of adaptogenic drinks on the market at the moment. Here are the best adaptogenic drinks I discovered, including their makeup and what they taste like.

Drink Your Meditation

I particularly like Drink Your Meditation. It gives you a bit of everything, with plenty of high-quality herbs and mushrooms, with plenty of L-theanine and ashwagandha.

With all of this, Drink Your Meditation gives you everything you want from a decent adaptogenic drink. Those wellness benefits are there – stress reduction, boosted immune health, and so on.

It’s also a delightful drink, which cannot be overlooked. Otherwise, go and buy some pills, throw them back, get on with your day. But no, we’re here to talk about pleasant beverages to drink almost daily.

Drink Your Meditation nails it. It’s got everything you want. It also doesn’t have anything you don’t want it to have – it’s mercifully free from caffeine, added sugar, preservatives and alcohol, giving you a balanced, truly healthy drink. (Though I should note that this kind of quality isn’t unique on this list – far from it).

At the core of this adaptogen drink are ancient adaptogens like L-theanine and ashwagandha, both common ingredients in higher-end nootropics and the like.

Ashwagandha, a well-known adaptogen, is believed to reduce stress and anxiety while promoting overall relaxation and a sense of calm. L-theanine, another adaptogen found in green tea, is known for its ability to enhance focus and cognitive function. Together, both ingredients work synergistically to provide a holistic approach to wellness, supporting both mental and physical health.

Drink Your Meditation also uses real fruits combined with botanicals that boost your immunity, such as ginger, jasmine, rooibos, and ceylon cinnamon, providing both flavor and nutrition and offering a range of benefits for those seeking a healthier lifestyle, including plenty of antioxidants.

This should also help with another element of adaptogenic use – gut health. By promoting gut health, adaptogenics can help to strengthen the immune system and improve overall vitality. This is amplified by the use of real fruit.

I also like Drink Your Meditation as a brand (or Drink Moment, who makes it), which is commonly a factor (at least for me) in choosing between several often quite similar products – all of the drinks on this list achieve broadly the same kind of thing.

Drink Moment seems truly committed to creating products that prioritize health and wellness. They understand the importance of avoiding unnecessary additives, and focus on using high-quality, natural ingredients. With a mission to provide a truly beneficial and enjoyable beverage, they strive to enhance the daily rituals of their customers and empower them to live a healthier lifestyle.

Drink Your Meditation offers a refreshing and nourishing option for those looking to prioritize their wellbeing. This functional beverage provides a healthy alternative to sugary drinks. With its blend of ancient adaptogens like L-theanine and ashwagandha, it enhances focus, reduces stress, and supports a restful sleep.

Plus, it tastes delicious in a variety of flavors. I’m a big, big fan.

Tranquini Adaptogen Drink

Then there is Tranquini Adaptogen Drink, whose variety pack represents an exceptional choice for anybody looking for a healthy and invigorating beverage that helps to fight stress whilst going a long way towards improving focus.

You get a really broad, good, well-blended and unique selection of natural herbal adaptogens with Tranquini. This includes green tea (a good source of L-theanine), lemon balm and chamomile.

I’d love to see a touch of ashwagandha there, too – it’s one of my personal favorites, after all – but it’s still a robust group. These ingredients will all work very well synergistically to enhance concentration and productivity, providing a much-needed boost whilst also keeping you calm and healthy.

Each flavor in this variety pack is crisp, refreshing, and lightly sparkling, making it a real delight – one of the nicest straightforward drinks on this list, in fact.

Sometimes running a taste test on supplements and health and wellbeing products can be a little challenging. Not so, here. It was a joy – I was genuinely impressed by the exceptional flavor profiles and the drinks’ overall… well, drinkability, if that’s a thing. Each flavor offered a unique and enjoyable taste, while also delivering that calming and refreshing effect that we’re all after from this kind of supplement.

The combination of green tea, lemon balm and chamomile is a good one. It makes Tranquini a wonderful choice for anyone seeking relaxation and focus. In particular, I’ve always found that these ingredients have individually and collectively helped me to maintain a composed and attentive mindset during demanding work hours – this certainly seemed to be the case with Tranquini’s blend.

It’s also a good ‘free-from’ choice – it’s is caffeine-free, gluten-free, low in calories, non-GMO, paleo and keto-friendly, and contains no added sugar. It’s good for all-comers, basically, as far as I can make out.

I wholeheartedly recommend the Tranquini Adaptogen Drink Variety Pack for anyone putting taste foremost. It’s a vibrant selection of great flavors that also happens to give you a real health kick, with all the benefits you would expect from some of the best adaptogenic ingredients on the market.

Elements of Balance Adaptogen Drink – Focus

I want to zero in a bit on the nootropic side of things – an adaptogen drink that sets out from the first to bolster your cognitive function. One of my favorites comes courtesy of Elements of Balance and their Focus Adaptogen Drinks.

I recently discovered Elements of Balance and I am thrilled with their adaptogenic products. Their commitment to holistic wellness really resonates with me. I love how their products restore balance and harmony to my body and mind. The high-quality ingredients and sustainable practices make me feel good about supporting this brand. Overall, Elements of Balance has truly empowered me on my wellness journey.

These drinks taste refreshing and are packed with effective, clinically viable adaptogens that work to sharpen our minds. I love the lemon and blueberry flavors – though perhaps a little herby, they are nonetheless crisp and light, making them an invigorating choice in taste as well as function.

However, before we can talk about flavoring, we need to talk about adaptogens. Otherwise, you could drink any old nice-tasting soda and be done with it. And the adaptogens included in Focus are really rather good.

They have been carefully selected and formulated to provide tangible benefits that users can really feel. When consumed, they help rebalance stress levels and promote clarity and concentration, making them ideal for times when you need a fair amount of mental acuity to be at play.

The adaptogens in the blend, including rhodiola, schisandra, holy basil, and ashwagandha, have been used for thousands of years in ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. We have seen them and will see them in plenty of adaptogenic drink formulas – all with very good reason.

You also get some specifically nootropic additions, with citicoline and lion’s mane. These should take that nootropic element to the next level.

Now, some of you may find the flavor of these drinks to be an acquired taste. As above, they have a bit of a herbal undertone. I like it. Others may not. While the lemon and blueberry flavors are present, the underlying herbal notes might be off-putting. But please, try it, and do so with an open mind. The benefits can be great.

Elements of Balance prioritizes the use of good, clean ingredients in their products. You get the usual free-froms – no sugar, no artificial ingredients, and so on.

All in all, then, you get something a little bit special, here. It’s the one I would urge anyone to try for a more nootropic set of benefits. The taste can be off-putting – I liked it, but know many who don’t. And it’s not purely an adaptogenic drink – though it does hit the adaptogens hard. It’s no everyman. But it does what it does very well indeed.

Inner Elevate Mushroom Chai

Right, let’s rip up the playbook now and go with something different, something altogether more fungal – though it’s far nicer than I’m making it sound, obviously! We have Inner Elevate Mushroom Chai, a fantastic alternative to coffee, offering a natural and clean source of energy without the associated jitters or crashes.

This unique drink combines a full five superfood mushrooms with authentic Indian Masala Chai and organic spices to provide powerful immune support, to elevate overall wellbeing, and to make your coffee break something else entirely.

The blend of mushrooms that it contains sets Inner Elevate apart. The medicinal mushrooms used in this drink have been used for thousands of years in various traditional forms of Asian medicine. This unique mix includes lion’s mane, reishi, and chaga mushrooms.

All are potent adaptogens, hence their inclusion here. All bring a great many benefits.

Lion’s mane mushroom, often known as the ‘smart mushroom’ and commonly used in nootropic supplements, has traditionally been used to support cognitive function and promote mental clarity. It is believed to help improve focus, memory, and overall brain health. I’ve used it myself over the years and yes, found that it does indeed help with all of the above.

Meanwhile, reishi mushroom, often referred to as the ‘mushroom of immortality’, is known for its potential immune-boosting properties. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to support the body’s natural defense system, enhance vitality, and reduce stress and fatigue.

Finally, chaga mushroom is well-regarded for its antioxidant properties. It’s an incredibly rich source of them and, as a result, is thought to help support the immune system, reduce inflammation, and promote overall wellbeing.

By combining these powerful mushrooms, Inner Elevate Mushroom Chai gives you everything that a good adaptogenic drink should – it gives you a nourishing and flavorful beverage that supports immune function, mental clarity, and overall vitality.

The taste is surprisingly nice, too. Surprising, because a lot of mushroom-infused drinks have a prominent ‘shroomy’ taste that might be off-putting to many. I certainly find it off-putting, and I regularly chug greens and their like.

However, Inner Elevate Mushroom Chai has a delicious flavor profile, coupled with aromatic spices, for something that’s really very enjoyable.

It’s a perfect example of a mushroom drink and an adaptogenic drink, done incredibly well. Good for them.

Verdict

Drink Your Meditation by Moment truly stands out. I love its name – really, really good for them. But, of course, that’s just the icing on a lovely cake.

Drink Your Meditation not only offers high-quality, organic ingredients, but also implements sustainable farming practices, making it a great choice for those, like me, who prioritize both their health and the environment.

With its convenient can packaging and a delightful blend of lavender and chamomile flavor, Drink Your Meditation can be a really enjoyable daily ritual, a refreshing treat, and a great way to keep on top of your health and your stress levels. It offers a calming and soothing experience, making it perfect for meditation and mindfulness practice.

Its inclusion of L-theanine and ashwagandha in significant doses within each can does the job. It’s simple and very, very effective. I wouldn’t want to substitute them for anything – they are two of my favorite adaptogens by quite some way. They are both noted for their potential to promote stress reduction and relaxation, with a fair amount of hormonal and nootropic gain to be made, too.

Drink Your Meditation is a delightful blend of taste and functionality. Whether you’re after a drink to enhance your meditation practice or simply looking to add a touch of tranquility to your day, this adaptogenic drink is a fantastic choice.