Donum ∞ Dei

💪 Medicinal Plants for Energy / Fatigue

Where exhaustion is concerned, the market promises a great deal. Little of it holds up: adaptogens such as ginseng and rhodiola have been studied, with mixed results. Bitters and iron-rich wild greens belong to the classic spring course. Lasting tiredness often has a findable cause — thyroid, blood count, sleep — and only an examination reveals it.

40 plants from our database are traditionally associated with Energy / Fatigue – each with a profile, active compounds, safety notes and sources. Poisonous and legally controlled species are deliberately left out of this list; they remain reachable through the search and the plant index.

These plants are traditionally used for the listed conditions. Not medical advice — consult a doctor or pharmacist for persistent symptoms.

Photo of Sea buckthorn
Sea buckthorn
Hippophae rhamnoides

Fresh berries and pressed juice as an exceptionally vitamin-C-rich food source — traditional immune support in Northern/Central Europe and Central…

Photo of Rosemary
Rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis

Classical Mediterranean culinary herb for lamb, chicken, potatoes and marinades.

Photo of Oat
Oat
Avena sativa

Oat bran and rolled oats as functional food with EFSA-recognised beta-glucan evidence for normal blood cholesterol and blunting of post-prandial bl…

Panax ginseng (Asian ginseng) with leaves and red berries
Asian ginseng
Panax ginseng

Traditionally used as a tonic for fatigue, stress and reduced performance; marketed as an adaptogen in the West.

Photo of Carpinus betulus
Carpinus betulus
Carpinus betulus

The nut-like seeds of the hornbeam (small nutlets in the winged fruit husks) are edible and were used as a food source in times of scarcity.

Leafy branch of eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) with palmate compound leaves, photographed at the Chelsea Physic Garden
Eleuthero
Eleutherococcus senticosus

Main use with EMA-recognised 'traditional use' evidence: for the relief of symptoms of asthenia (abnormal loss of strength and energy) such as tire…

Photo of Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi
Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes

Kohlrabi is exceptionally rich in vitamin C: the swollen stem contains approx.

Orange-red, club-shaped fruiting bodies of Cordyceps militaris
Scarlet caterpillarclub
Cordyceps militaris

Traditionally used in Chinese medicine as a tonic for fatigue and cough and to support lung and kidney function.

Photo of Ocimum tenuiflorum
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Ocimum tenuiflorum

Fresh Tulsi leaves are consumed daily in India as a puja offering and as a functional food (chewed in the morning on an empty stomach).

Photo of Parsnip
Parsnip
Pastinaca sativa

The parsnip root is one of Europe's oldest root vegetables and was a central staple food before the introduction of the potato (16th century).

Photo of Prunus spinosa
Prunus spinosa
Prunus spinosa

Sloes eaten raw after the first frost or processed as jam and juice.

Photo of Rosa canina
Rosa canina
Rosa canina

Traditionally used rose-hip tea as a vitamin-C-rich preparation for the supportive treatment and prevention of colds, flu-like infections and gener…

Photo of Rubus fruticosus
Rubus fruticosus
Rubus fruticosus

Fresh blackberries as food are rich in cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (> 90% of anthocyanins), ellagic acid, quercetin and vitamin C.

Photo of Potato
Potato
Solanum tuberosum

The potato is one of the world's most important staple foods.

Photo of Vanilla planifolia
Vanilla planifolia
Vanilla planifolia

The fermented vanilla pods (capsules) are one of the world's most important flavour spices.

Photo of Maize
Maize
Zea mays

Maize is the most widely cultivated grain worldwide after wheat and rice, and an important staple food.

Photo of Betula pendula
Betula pendula
Betula pendula

Fresh spring leaves as wild salad green and historical folk-medicine practice ('blood-cleansing') — folk custom without modern evidence.

Photo of Capsicum chinense
Capsicum chinense
Capsicum chinense

Capsicum chinense provides the world's hottest cultivated edible fruits — Habanero (100,000–350,000 SHU), Scotch Bonnet (100,000–350,000 SHU), Bhut…

Historic botanical plate of roseroot (Rhodiola rosea) from the Atlas der Alpenflora (1882)
Roseroot (Golden root, Arctic root)
Rhodiola rosea

The standardised root/rhizome extract is used traditionally for the temporary relief of stress symptoms such as fatigue and a sensation of weakness.

Photo of Onion
Onion
Allium cepa

Raw onion as spring tonic and digestive stimulant: promotes salivary and gastric secretion, mildly supports blood pressure regulation, traditionall…

Photo of flowering chives with purple blossoms
Chives
Allium schoenoprasum

Chives are a classic culinary herb of European and Asian cooking, cultivated since the Middle Ages.

Photo of Chard
Chard
Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris var. cicla

Chard leaves are among the most nutrient-dense vegetables in Central Europe.

Photo of Beetroot
Beetroot
Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris var. conditiva

Raw grated beetroot (e.g.

Photo of Cauliflower
Cauliflower
Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

Raw cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C (approx.

Photo of Capsicum annuum
Capsicum annuum
Capsicum annuum

Fresh bell pepper (green, yellow, orange, red) contains exceptionally high vitamin C — red fruits up to 200 mg/100 g, about three times more than o…

Photo of Carrot
Carrot
Daucus carota subsp. sativus

Raw carrots are one of the richest plant sources of provitamin A (beta-carotene).

Photo of Eruca sativa
Eruca sativa
Eruca sativa

Rocket leaves are among the most nutrient-dense leafy vegetables in Europe: 100 g supplies approx.

Photo of Fagus sylvatica
Fagus sylvatica
Fagus sylvatica

Beechnuts have been used as food since antiquity (40% oil, 23% protein, 22% starch).

Photo of Galium aparine
Galium aparine
Galium aparine

Young shoots can be cooked as a leaf vegetable in spring, if harvested before the fruits harden.

Photo of Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea
Gentiana lutea

Bitter component in traditional liqueurs (Suze, amara bitters, Enzianschnaps) and herbal teas — EU-approved flavouring; only cultivated material pe…

Photo of Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo biloba

Edible seeds (ginkgo nuts) — cooked only, max.

Photo of Glechoma hederacea
Glechoma hederacea
Glechoma hederacea

Digestive complaints, weak stomach, loss of appetite, diarrhea (traditional)

Photo of Houttuynia cordata
Houttuynia cordata
Houttuynia cordata

Fresh leaves and rhizomes are eaten in Southeast Asian and southwestern Chinese cuisines as a salad herb, condiment, and side dish (Vietnam: rau di…

Photo of Lettuce
Lettuce
Lactuca sativa var. capitata

Lettuce is the world's most widely consumed raw vegetable.

Photo of Lettuce
Lettuce
Lactuca sativa var. crispa

Looseleaf or cutting lettuce is a cultivar group of Lactuca sativa that, unlike head lettuce, does not form a closed head but rather a loose rosett…

Photo of Lovage
Lovage
Levisticum officinale

Lovage leaf as a culinary herb ('Maggi herb') — intensely aromatic spice for soups, stews and salads with a celery-like flavour.

White labiate flowers and grey-green leaves of white horehound
White Horehound
Marrubium vulgare

Culinary use of young horehound leaves as intense bitter flavouring in digestifs, herbal liqueurs and traditional horehound candy (Anglo-Saxon folk…

Photo of Menyanthes
Menyanthes
Menyanthes trifoliata

Loss of appetite and dyspeptic complaints (bloating, flatulence, weak digestion) - bitter tonic taken before meals

Photo of Basil
Basil
Ocimum basilicum

Fresh leaves are used as a primary culinary herb in southern European – especially Italian – cuisine.

Photo of Pelargonium graveolens
Pelargonium graveolens
Pelargonium graveolens

Culinary herb: the rose-scented leaves flavour jellies, jams (especially quince and apple jelly — EU Directive 2001/113/EC permits pelargonium leav…

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