How to Identify a Pure Herbal Powder

Read the label first

A single-ingredient powder should name one ingredient — for example "Shikakai (Acacia concinna) pods" — and nothing else. Words such as "herbal blend", "with natural fragrance" or a long ingredient list mean it is not a single-ingredient powder, whatever the front of the pack says.

Check the botanical name and plant part

A careful label names the plant by its botanical name and says which part was ground. The part matters: moringa leaf and moringa seed are different products, as are neem leaf and neem bark. For example:

• Moringa: Moringa oleifera — leaf.
• Shikakai: Acacia concinna — pod.
• Amla: Phyllanthus emblica — fruit.
• Hibiscus: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis — flower.
• Neem: Azadirachta indica — leaf.
• Avarampoo: Senna auriculata — flower.

Know the natural colour

Each plant has its own colour once dried and ground:

• Moringa and neem: green — moringa brighter, neem more olive.
• Amla: light brown to beige.
• Shikakai: light to mid brown.
• Reetha: pale brown.
• Hibiscus: deep red to maroon.
• Rose petal: dusky pink to brown.

What colour can and cannot tell you

Colour shows freshness better than purity. A powder that has faded to a dull brown has usually been stored too long or in the light. But colour alone cannot prove a powder is pure — a dye or a filler can match it, and the natural colour of a plant varies with season, drying and how fine it is ground. Use colour together with the smell, texture and label.

Trust your nose

A pure powder smells of its plant: bitter for neem, leafy for moringa, sour-fruity for amla, earthy for shikakai. A perfumed smell means fragrance has been added. No smell at all usually means old stock.

Check the texture

Rub a pinch between your fingers. It should feel even and powdery. Grit or sand, hard lumps, or a slightly sticky feel are all reasons to doubt it.

Be wary of

These are the usual signs that a powder is not what it claims:

• An unusually bright or uniform colour for that plant.
• A sweet taste or smell in a powder that should be bitter or sour.
• Perfume or "fresh" scent.
• Very low prices for powders that need a lot of raw material.

Questions to ask the seller

A seller of single-ingredient powders should be able to answer:

• Which plant, and which part of it, is in the pack?
• Is anything added — fillers, fragrance, colour or anti-caking agents?
• When was it packed, and what is the best-before date?
• Is it sold for food, or for external use only?

Signs of moisture damage or spoilage

Throw a powder out if you see any of these:

• Hard lumps that do not crumble between your fingers.
• A musty, sour or damp smell instead of the plant’s own.
• White, grey or green fuzz, or fine webbing.
• Insects, or patches that have darkened.

Storing powders in humid weather

Once a pack is open, moisture is the biggest risk — especially in coastal and monsoon humidity. Our article on storing powders in humid weather covers it in detail; the essentials:

• An airtight glass or steel jar, filled close to the top.
• A small jar for daily use, refilled from the main one, so the main stock is opened less.
• A dry spoon every time.
• Away from the bathroom, the stove and direct sunlight.