Buying ashwagandha in a shop or online: what to look for

Short answer: Whether you buy ashwagandha in a shop or online, you check the same six things: KSM-66 extract or ground root, how many mg are in a daily dose, organic or not, which additives it contains, what it costs per day and which warnings are on the label. Where you buy it matters less than what is in the pot. If you first want to know what ashwagandha is, read our explainer.

Last updated: 5 November 2026 · Written by Florian Fermin

In the Netherlands and Belgium many people search for "ashwagandha Kruidvat", often together with KSM-66. Kruidvat is a large drugstore chain there. We sell ashwagandha ourselves, so feel free to read this article critically. We don't compare brands here. You get the checklist we use ourselves when we look at a label, and it works just as well in a shop as online.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), also called Indian ginseng, is a shrub from the nightshade family. Supplements almost always contain the root, as ground powder or as an extract.

Buying ashwagandha in a shop or online: what is the difference?

The difference is mainly convenience and choice, not the plant. In a shop you take it home straight away and read the label on the shelf. Online you have more choice and can put labels side by side at your own pace. GOYU ashwagandha is not sold at Kruidvat: you order it online.

• In a shop: pick up the pot and read the back, not just the front. The front often shows the biggest number, the back shows what is in a daily dose.
• Online: look for a photo or text of the full label, with the ingredients list, daily dose and warnings. If it isn't there, ask before you order.

KSM-66 or regular ashwagandha: what is the difference?

KSM-66 is a brand name for an extract made only from the root of ashwagandha and standardised to withanolides, a group of plant compounds from ashwagandha. "Regular" ashwagandha is usually ground, dried root. That is not an extract: you take the whole root, without a fixed content.

Check the plant part too. The root is the part used traditionally and the part most research is about. If the label only says "ashwagandha extract" without a plant part, you don't know what you are buying. For capsules, tablets, powder and gummies side by side, read ashwagandha capsules, tablets or powder.

How many mg of ashwagandha are in a daily dose?

Look at the mg per daily dose, not per capsule. Two capsules of 250 mg equal one of 500 mg. In the three studies below, adults took 240 to 600 mg of extract a day for 8 weeks or 60 days.

• 60 adults with high perceived stress took 240 mg of extract or a placebo for 60 days. The researchers measured anxiety and stress scores and cortisol (Lopresti et al., 2019).
• 60 adults took 250 mg, 600 mg or a placebo a day for 8 weeks (Salve et al., 2019).
• 64 adults took 300 mg of root extract twice a day or a placebo for 60 days (Chandrasekhar et al., 2012).

A review of 5 sleep studies with 400 participants in total covered extracts of 120 to 600 mg a day, for 6 to 12 weeks. The researchers themselves add that there is too little data on safety with long-term use (Cheah et al., 2021). All these studies used extracts. You can't compare mg of an extract one to one with mg of ground root. More is not better either: stick to the daily dose on the label.

Organic ashwagandha: how do you recognise it?

You recognise organic by the green EU logo with the code of the control body and the origin of the raw material next to it, for example "non-EU agriculture". Just the word "bio" on the front is not enough. All our ashwagandha is organic: the powder, the capsules and the KSM-66 capsules.

Which additives and fillers does it contain?

You can read that in the ingredients list. Many capsules contain fillers such as microcrystalline cellulose or maltodextrin next to the ashwagandha, and anti-caking agents such as magnesium stearate or silicon dioxide. These are permitted substances, but they take up space in the capsule. The more additives, the less room for the ashwagandha itself. Want to know what these substances and E numbers are? Read what E numbers are.

Our capsules contain two ingredients: ashwagandha and the plant-based capsule shell (HPMC). Our powder is one ingredient: ground ashwagandha root. No fillers.

What does ashwagandha cost per day?

You work out the price per day by dividing the price of the pack by the number of daily doses in it. A cheap pot can be more expensive per day if you need more capsules a day.

1. Find the daily dose on the label, for example "1 capsule a day" or "1 scoop (1 gram) a day".
2. Check how many capsules or grams are in the pack.
3. Divide the contents by the daily dose. That is the number of days it lasts.
4. Divide the price by that number of days.
5. Then also compare the mg of extract or root per day, or you are comparing apples with oranges.

Example with round numbers: a €15 pot with 60 capsules, 1 a day, lasts 60 days. That is €0.25 a day. If you need to take 2 a day, it lasts 30 days and you pay €0.50 a day. Our capsules (60 per pot, 1 a day) and our powder (60 grams, 1 gram a day) both last 60 days.

Which warnings belong on the label?

Check whether the label says something about pregnancy and breastfeeding, about medication and about the liver. In France five warnings are mandatory: not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, under 18, with hormonal disorders (especially of the thyroid), with liver or heart problems, and no driving after use or combining with substances that depress the nervous system (Compl'Alim).

In March 2024 the Dutch institute for public health RIVM advised, as a precaution, not to use herbal preparations with ashwagandha, especially not during pregnancy. Doctors had reported harmful effects on the liver and on thyroid hormones and cortisol (RIVM, 2024). That is part of an honest story. What it means for you, and what other countries advise, you can read in how to use ashwagandha powder: how much, how and what to watch out for.

Our product pages say: do not use during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or if you have or have had a liver disorder. On the new label of our powder we also name people under 18 and people with thyroid problems. Do you take medication, such as thyroid medication? Then talk to your GP or pharmacist first.

Where do you buy GOYU ashwagandha?

You buy GOYU ashwagandha online in our web shop, not at Kruidvat. We have three forms: ashwagandha KSM-66 capsules if you want a standardised extract, capsules with ground root, and ashwagandha powder if you want to stir it into a drink. All three organic and without fillers. You will also find them in our supplements for stress and sleep collection, together with valerian and rhodiola.

Summary in 3 points

• In a shop or online: check the form (KSM-66 or root powder), the mg per daily dose, organic and the ingredients list.
• Work out the price per day: price divided by the number of daily doses in the pack.
• Read the warnings. The Dutch RIVM advises against ashwagandha as a precaution and France requires five warnings.

Frequently asked questions

Is ashwagandha from the drugstore any good?

That depends on the product, not the shop. Check the form, the mg per daily dose, the additives and the warnings on the label. With the checklist in this article you compare every product the same way.

Is GOYU ashwagandha sold at Kruidvat?

No. You order our ashwagandha online. You'll find KSM-66 capsules, capsules with ground root and powder, all organic.

Which is better: KSM-66 or ashwagandha powder?

That depends on what you are looking for. KSM-66 is an extract with a fixed withanolide content in a capsule. Powder is the ground root you stir into a drink. They are not interchangeable gram for gram, so follow the label of the product you use.

Is ashwagandha allowed to be sold in the Netherlands?

Yes. In the EU catalogue ashwagandha is listed as not novel in food supplements. The RIVM does advise against using it as a precaution. In Denmark ashwagandha has not been allowed in food supplements since 2023.

How long does a pot of ashwagandha last?

That depends on the contents and the daily dose. Our pots with 60 capsules and our 60 gram bag of powder last 60 days at the dose on the label.

Sources

1. Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Malvi H, Kodgule R. Randomised, placebo-controlled study with 240 mg ashwagandha extract a day in 60 adults with perceived stress, 60 days. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(37):e17186. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000017186. PubMed 31517876
2. Salve J, Pate S, Debnath K, Langade D. Randomised, placebo-controlled study with 250 and 600 mg ashwagandha root extract a day in 60 adults, 8 weeks. Cureus. 2019;11(12):e6466. doi:10.7759/cureus.6466. PubMed 32021735
3. Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. Randomised, placebo-controlled study with 300 mg ashwagandha root extract twice a day in 64 adults, 60 days. Indian J Psychol Med. 2012;34(3):255-262. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.106022. PubMed 23439798
4. Cheah KL, Norhayati MN, Husniati Yaacob L, Abdul Rahman R. Systematic review and meta-analysis of 5 studies (400 participants) on ashwagandha extract and sleep. PLoS One. 2021;16(9):e0257843. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0257843. PubMed 34559859
5. RIVM. Risk assessment of herbal preparations containing Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha). Report 2024-0029, 5 March 2024. doi:10.21945/rivm-2024-0029. rivm.nl
6. Compl'Alim (French government), ingredient sheet Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal: mandatory label warnings, accessed 5 November 2026. compl-alim.beta.gouv.fr
7. European Commission, Novel Food Status Catalogue, entry Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal: "not novel in food supplements", accessed 5 November 2026. food.ec.europa.eu
8. Patwardhan B, Chaturvedi S, Tillu G, Deshpande S, Hegde BM. Editorial on the Danish ban on ashwagandha in food supplements (written by proponents of ashwagandha). J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2024;15(4):101028. doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2024.101028. PubMed 38969606
9. NutraIngredients (trade journal). Timeline: will authorities de-throne the king of herbs? Overview of decisions on ashwagandha, including the Danish ban (2023) and the DTU risk assessment (2020), 6 July 2026. nutraingredients.com
10. GOYU, labels and product pages Ashwagandha KSM-66 Capsules 500 mg Organic, Ashwagandha Capsules 500 mg Organic and Ashwagandha Powder Organic, accessed 5 November 2026.

You'll find all forms of our ashwagandha on the page buy ashwagandha.

This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If in doubt, pregnant or taking medication, talk to your GP or pharmacist.