What is a Botanical Active?

To geek or not to geek?

Well, duh!  Trigger Warning: Science coming up!  I will follow KISS rules *wink*.

So what is a botanical active and what type of education do you need to understand it?  A botanical active is any substance coming from a plant that has a stimulant or depressive effect on living organisms.  Whew... science done...ish!

I hear you yelling into the void... The most common botanical actives are Sugar and Caffeine. OMG! Those are the big bads that everyone has been told to avoid!  Neither of these these compound are inherently bad.  Both are fantastic when used therapeutically.  Think when your gran gave you that syrup sweet cuppa when you had a bit of an upset.  Why?  Sugar can be quickly converted by our bodies to help combat the effects of shock. AND wait for it caffeine isn't just for cramming students or crazy project deadlines.  Caffeine is also pretty effective when used for pain treatment. 

How about caffeine on the skin? Yes, in a few applications it is used by major cosmetic houses for eye creams and more.  Why, because it is a diuretic (it takes water out of a system - sort of).  So while botanical actives are like the plant version of exercise there are other botanical compounds that are the plant version of sleep.  Both necessary for a healthy body and both having a very different effect.

(https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/does-caffeine-treat-or-trigger-headaches#:~:text=Caffeine%20can%20provide%20relief%20for%20a%20headache.&text=Caffeine%20has%20vasoconstrictive%20properties%2C%20meaning,flow%2C%20thereby%20alleviating%20the%20pain.)

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