Herb
Skullcap
A traditional calming nervine herb, used for occasional anxiousness and to help ease into sleep.
⤢📊 How it ranks (our editor score) — 55/100Tap to see the breakdown
🌱 What it is
Skullcap is a small flowering plant in the mint family, named for the shape of its blossom, which resembles a tiny helmet. Its leaves have long been brewed as a calming tea or made into extracts, valued as a gentle nervine — but sourcing matters a great deal, since skullcap products have a history of being mixed with a harmful look-alike plant.
✨ Why it's good for you
- Traditionally used to support calm during occasional anxiousness
- Traditionally used to support the transition into restful sleep
- Traditionally used to support a relaxed mind after a stressful day
- Traditionally used to support gentle nervous-system calm
🥗 Nutrition
Per 1 cup brewed tea (240ml) · about 2 calories
- Baicalin (flavonoid)
- Antioxidants
- Negligible macronutrients
Source: Nutrition estimate (per typical serving)
🥄 How to use it
Taken as a teaA warm drink made by steeping herbs in hot water. How to make a tea → or standardized extract from a reputable source, generally in the evening.
How much: Follow the product label; as a teaA warm drink made by steeping herbs in hot water. How to make a tea →, steep 1–2 teaspoons of dried herbA plant, or part of one, used for flavor, food, or gentle health support. More → in hot water for 10 minutes, once or twice in the evening.
Show full details & how to prepare it
Skullcap has a long folk-medicine history as a gentle nerve-calming herbA plant, or part of one, used for flavor, food, or gentle health support. More →, but the herbal supply chain for it has a documented, recurring problem: some products are adulterated with germander, a genuinely liver-toxic plant that looks similar in processed form. This means the safety of skullcap depends heavily on sourcing from a reputable, third-party-tested supplier — it is not simply 'a gentle herb' in the way chamomile or lemon balm are, and it deserves that extra caution.
Ways to prepare it
⚠️ Cautions
- Skullcap products have repeatedly been found adulterated with germander, a related plant linked to serious liver damage — sourcing from a well-tested, reputable brand matters a great deal here.
- Can add to drowsiness from alcohol or sedative medicines; avoid in pregnancy, breastfeeding, and with any liver condition, and stop right away if signs of liver trouble appear (dark urine, yellowing, right-upper-belly pain).
📚 Learn more
🌿 Deeper natural detail
Curated links coming for this one.
🩺 The conventional view
💬 Ask Remy about Skullcap
📚 Resource confidence
Based on mentions in health references
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