Why I'm so picky about my ingredients: Echinacea Edition

Friends,

When I started building EMTeas, I spent a lot of time researching ingredients. Not just what works, but what works well--and what is actually safe for daily use.

This is part two of the series where I pull back the curtain on why I choose what I do. Today: Echinacea.

If you've ever bought "echinacea" at a grocery store or grabbed one of those immune support shots at a gas station, chances are you have no idea what you actually got. And if you're the type of person who trusts their health to gas station echinacea, go ahead and grab the sushi while you're there. Same energy.

Here's the issue:

There are multiple species of echinacea: Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida. They're not the same plant. They don't have the same compounds. They don't work the same way.

Most cheap echinacea products don't tell you which species you're getting. These people just want your dollar! They just say "echinacea" and hope you don't ask questions.

Some products mix species

Some mislabel them entirely.

Some don't even use echinacea

Peer-reviewed studies have tested commercial echinacea supplements and found mislabeling and adulteration rates between 20–50%

.

And then there's the part of the plant. The root is different from the aerial parts (leaves and flowers). The root has higher levels of alkylamides (the compounds that give you that tingle on your tongue). Aerial parts have more polysaccharides and flavonoids. Both have immune-supporting properties, but they work differently.

Cheap products use whatever's easiest to harvest or cheapest to source. They don't care which part of the plant you're getting.

The fix:

Echinacea purpurea herb

Organic. US-grown. Sourced from reputable suppliers like Mountain Rose Herbs.

Why E. purpurea specifically? It's the most researched species for immune support. The science backs it up. I'm not guessing--I'm using what's been studied.

And why aerial parts instead of root? Well there's a few reasons for me:

1. Extraction efficiency. The beneficial compounds in echinacea aerial parts—polysaccharides, flavonoids, caffeic acid derivatives—are water-soluble. They extract well when you steep them in hot water.

The main active compounds in Echinacea root (alkylamides) are alcohol-soluble, not water-soluble. They extract better in tinctures. You can steep root in hot water, but you're leaving most of the beneficial compounds behind.

I'm making tea, not tincture. So I'm using the part of the plant that actually works for the delivery method.

The Root, the root, the root is for tincture. It don't need no water, let the oil do the work

2. Flavor. Echinacea root is strong, bitter, and overpowering. It would dominate the blend and make HealthShield undrinkable. The aerial parts are milder, letting the elderberries, hibiscus, and strawberries actually taste good while still delivering immune support.

3. Sourcing integrity. I source from Mountain Rose Herbs--certified organic, US-grown, quality-controlled. I know exactly what I'm getting. More Importantly--I know exactly what I'm giving! No guessing. No adulteration. No mixing random species or plant parts to cut costs.

What I use in HealthShield

Echinacea purpurea aerial parts. Every single batch. Because I'm not cutting corners on ingredients that go into your body every day.

Bottom line:

If your echinacea label just says "echinacea" without any way to verify the species or sourcing, you're rolling the dice. Look for brands that are transparent about what they're using—whether that's on the label, their website, or by contacting them directly.

Don't roll the dice with the gas station Sushi or the gas station wellness promise. I'm using Echinacea purpurea aerial parts because the science supports it, the extraction method matches the delivery, the flavor works, and the sourcing is traceable.

Quality matters when you're showing up for your health every day.

Shop HealthShield: https://www.emteasllc.com/products/healthshield-immune-support-tea-blend

—Ben