Skip to main content

What are Adaptogens and Why You Might Want to Give Them a Try

Tonic

It may be because we grew up as children of the ‘90s, but when we first heard the word “adaptogen,” our minds immediately went to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Mutagen ooze that turned the TMNT into the superheroes we know and love.

No? Only us? Moving on then.

Recommended Videos

Adaptogens, according to Steve Izen, are “superplants that have learned to adapt to stressful environments and can teach your body to do the same.” They work like a thermostat, he says, to “read when your adrenal response is too high or too low, and work with your body to balance stress levels.”

Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s safe to say that Izen knows a thing or two about adaptogens because he is the founder of Elements, a company which has recently released a line of tonics (no, not that kind of tonic) which contain clinical levels of the stuff to help with a variety of issues.

“When you experience ongoing stress (like most people today), your body is flooded with cortisol (the stress hormone), which can cause fatigue, distraction, restlessness, and occasional stress,” Izen says.

Elements have produced four tonics — Vitality, Focus, Calm, and Rest – each of which is formulated to be taken whenever you need a boost to, well, exactly what they say.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

As far as how long adaptogens have been around, well, it’s probably longer than you think. According to Izen, “Adaptogens have been used for centuries but have had a lot of recent buzz. I think people outside the wellness space are starting to take notice and are curious about the powerful benefits of these superplants.”

The superplants that Elements uses are:

  • Ginseng and rhodiola (Vitality)
  • Blueberry and schisandra (Focus)
  • Holy basil and wild green oat (Calm)
  • Ashwagandha and passionflower (Rest)

The Elements line is not the first time Izen has been in the wellness sphere. His first brand, Lokai, was started six years ago and sells bracelets that contain water from Mt. Everest and mud from the Dead Sea to “remind the wearer to stay humble when they’re on top of the world and hopeful when they’ve hit a low.”

Since creating balance is a journey, Izen says he recognized that, occasionally, people will need more than a bracelet to set them on their path. That is where the adaptogens come in. “Ensuring the tonics were formulated with science in mind, I enlisted one of the foremost food innovation agencies, a licensed Ethnobotanist, and a scientist to source ingredients and master blends that deliver on function.”

By following this process, he says, it took two years to perfect the final product you’re able to use today.

Oops! We couldn't load this video player

To use the adaptogen tonics, the company recommends adding three full droppers into a glass of water, once or twice a day as desired.

Each tonic is 2 fluid ounces and yields 20 servings (they’re also all vegan, caffeine free, gluten free and non-GMO). You can make a one-time purchase for $40 per tonic, or start a subscription for tonics for $36 per month per tonic. You can purchase Elements adaptogen tonics here.

Sam Slaughter
Sam Slaughter was the Food and Drink Editor for The Manual. Born and raised in New Jersey, he’s called the South home for…
Serve up a healthier Super Bowl with these grass-fed beef recipes
Mini taco cups and bite-sized crispy steak and potatoes? Guaranteed crowd-pleasers.
Verde Farms taco cups.

Throwing a big Super Bowl party? Looking for easy yet crowd-pleasing recipes? From nachos to tacos to bowls of chili, many Super Bowl recipes feature beef. While beef is delicious and readily available, for this Super Bowl, why not upgrade (both in flavor and health) to grass-fed beef? Verde Farms, a brand that sells 100% grass-fed organic beef, reached out to us with some great Super Bowl recipes.

If you're one of those meat lovers still hesitant about grass-fed beef — don't be. The grass-fed at Verde Farms is lean but remains juicy, with a distinct grassy flavor that's present but not overwhelming. In fact, we sampled Verde Farms and found it to be a perfect replacement for grain-fed beef, the meat most common in grocery stores.
Mini Taco Cups
Verde Farms mini taco cups. Verde Farms
Ingredients:

Read more
Kick off your celebrations with these game day-themed cocktails
A drink for whichever team you're cheering for
game day themed cocktails french blonde

We love any excuse for a themed cocktail here, and Game Day is no exception! From Nola's beloved local drink, the Hurricane, to Taylor Swift's own favorite, the French Blonde, there's fun to be had by picking a drink that's on point for the occasion. If you're hosting some buddies for the big game tomorrow, then this selection of recipes has something for everyone, covering drinks with rum, whiskey, gin, and vodka.
Bacardí Fourth Quarter Classic

Ingredients:

Read more
New Orleans-based Big Easy Whiskey Company launches just in time for the Big Game
Big Easy Whiskey is launching just in time for the Big Game
Big Easy Whiskey

If you didn’t already know, the NFL championship game between the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles is being played in New Orleans on Sunday. It only made sense that the Big Easy Whiskey company, which is based in the southern city, would launch just in time for the “Big Game.” What's better than a flavorful whiskey during a heated football game?
Big Easy Whiskey

Big Easy Whiskey isn’t your average whiskey. This flavored whiskey begins with a mash bill of 81% corn, 15% rye, and 4% barley. It’s matured for five years in used bourbon barrels. It’s then infused with twenty-four herbs, spices, and fruits hand-selected by Master Blender Kieran Walsh.

Read more