Don't take the Guarana ... or Ginseng!

A few weeks back, but just parked at the pub, and here runs this dude across the parking-lot and goes: "Don't take any Guarana". I'm thinking, sweetie, I was taking Guarana when you were still in your nappies.
And then he says, "Don't take any Ginseng either! I'm a paramedic, and don't take it!"
Off he goes and never saw him again.
I'm thinking, wow, whatever they put in this stuff these days really puts a spring in your step.

But I've heard more bad reports lately.
A bro says (from Australia) if he takes Ginseng his hands shake.

This never used to happen, or did it?

Are the herbs stronger these days, or they mixing other stuff with it at factory level?

a reply to: halfoldman

Ive been in the industry coming on 30 years, acquisition, sales, farming, clinical and product development.

Guarana is a powerful stimulant, more so than coffee...so devils in the dose

whole herbs arent getting stronger, but there are numerous standardized extracts that are single compound extracts, at insane ratios that could indeed have less than desirable effects in the wrong hands.

Ginseng actually attaches to the endocanaboid receptors and it does the opposite of cannabis. It has nootropic properties and it can actually make your hands shake if you do too much of it. It could actually make pain worse if you are hurting since it triggers the receptor oppositely. If a person has parkinson's they wouldn't want to be using Ginger.

Green tea actually clears the receptors and primes our cells for endocannibinoids for pain relief. I do not know how that would combine with Ginger or even cannabis, it could actually make both more potent.

There are other food chemistry that effect receptors that way too, and of course, the chemistries that dumb us down are considered good these days, Ginger would not be considered good.

I like ginseng in Hot Totties, it helps our bodies fight disease. Other than a gingerale once in a while I stay away from it.

I never really studied Guarana at all, so I do not know what that stimulates.

I'm glad I'm retired, for guarana years ago got me through my day: one rounded tablespoon of guarana powder and coffee or coke as a chaser.

originally posted by: Lazarus Short
I'm glad I'm retired, for guarana years ago got me through my day: one rounded tablespoon of guarana powder and coffee or coke as a chaser.

good lord, thats gotta be quite a jolt

originally posted by: BlueJacket

originally posted by: Lazarus Short
I'm glad I'm retired, for guarana years ago got me through my day: one rounded tablespoon of guarana powder and coffee or coke as a chaser.

good lord, thats gotta be quite a jolt

Remember "Jolt" Cola?

originally posted by: Lazarus Short

originally posted by: BlueJacket

originally posted by: Lazarus Short
I'm glad I'm retired, for guarana years ago got me through my day: one rounded tablespoon of guarana powder and coffee or coke as a chaser.

good lord, thats gotta be quite a jolt

Remember "Jolt" Cola?

Yeah.... Jolt was the original Red Bull.

a reply to: Lazarus Short
hehe, totally forgot about that stuff

a reply to: BlueJacket

devils in the dose

...and sadly, no one polices the doses. Apparently no one cares how much of anything goes into our foods and drinks anymore. It takes a few thousand people to die and sue all at once before the company quietly sweeps it under the rug while making a few modifications. It'll take more deaths than that! before the EPA, government or even the news pick up on it.

Yep... That's pretty messed up.

So I shouldn't plant any woods grown ginseng?

It takes 5 to 10 years to harvest, maybe the market will drop out in ten years. I want to plant a half dozen plots, two now then another every year, so after 5 years I can harvest a plot every season with one plot left to get 10 or more years old.

I wish I could find the ones I planted 20 years ago, but I lost track of them after a few seasons. Being woods grown, I think something ate them just about the time they barely reached maturity.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

Plant it! Its a very strong market, particularly East of the Mississippi. Whole herbs, especially 10+ year old will always have a market in East Asia/ China.

Ive helped put in dozens of acres of ginseng, black cohosh and goldenseal. Goldenseal has dropped off due to being endangered, but theres no stopping the 1000s years ginseng market while still available sustainably.

originally posted by: MichiganSwampBuck
So I shouldn't plant any woods grown ginseng?

It takes 5 to 10 years to harvest, maybe the market will drop out in ten years. I want to plant a half dozen plots, two now then another every year, so after 5 years I can harvest a plot every season with one plot left to get 10 or more years old.

I wish I could find the ones I planted 20 years ago, but I lost track of them after a few seasons. Being woods grown, I think something ate them just about the time they barely reached maturity.

It's more than possible that a wildcrafter got them...

originally posted by: MichiganSwampBuck
So I shouldn't plant any woods grown ginseng?

It takes 5 to 10 years to harvest, maybe the market will drop out in ten years. I want to plant a half dozen plots, two now then another every year, so after 5 years I can harvest a plot every season with one plot left to get 10 or more years old.

There is a huge, and I mean HUGE market for ginseng... Like the entire population of Asia huge.

Just a word of advice. If you plan on planting make sure you are following your states laws. Where I live it is a big o' hassle so I decided not to grow any.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

JAGStorm, you got a point. I know in Michigan it is illegal to harvest wild ginseng, but never looked into laws on cultivation. Not being a banned narcotic type product or otherwise controlled, I figured it's OK to grow privately. However, there may be laws about growing to sell it.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck
Do you go out yearly and harvest any in the woods in your area? I have found some over the years here in western massachusetts mountains, also the Catskill mountains in New York. I've been considering going and picking some this coming year and try to sell it, I do some mushroom hunting every year and find the occasional ginseng patch. I'm just not sure where to go to sell it. Any suggestions for starting that?

a reply to: BerkshireEntity

Sorry, no sugestion other than check the state and federal laws. I'm pretty new to the idea and learning myself. I go out for morels in the spring. There is a wild plant locally called Ramps, I guess it's like garlic or onion, and it comes out about the same time as morels. I've been keeping an eye out for those and ginseng, except ginseng is easier to identify in the fall when it has little red berries. Not finding either of those yet, got to look harder I guess.

All stuff to look for when out in the woods, lots of interesting plants and wildlife. I like finding old bottles and junk piles, they're like time capsules. Fossils, other rocks and native artifacts are cool too.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

www.legislature.mi.gov...

Michigan Ginseng act. Make sure you understand it before you grow it even as a hobby.

a reply to: halfoldman

I am actually allergic to guarana. I used to drink a Rockstar daily, sometimes 2 per day. I started getting pretty heinous stomach cramps and that ended up with gastro intestinal bleeding (very bad GI bleeding). It's not a fun experience.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

Ramps, I guess it's like garlic or onion

I freaking love ramps, and luckily I seem to have millions of them in my back yard. Zero morels last season though.
I think someone got them young and wiped them out.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

www.legislature.mi.gov...

Michigan Ginseng act. Make sure you understand it before you grow it even as a hobby.

Thanks JAGStorm, excellent info.
Oh yeah, looks like they like to over-regulate the ginseng, I'll have to get certified to grow it apparently. Ah well, I wonder what it will cost in fees, licenses and certificates just to grow it? I guess I shouldn't mention the Burly and Virginia tobacco I've been growing lately then.