Get to Know Gotu Kola, Asia’s Miracle Ingredient

Located off the southern coast of India, Sri Lanka is a pear-shaped nation renowned for its rich history, culinary traditions, and friendly people. The gentle winds drifting in from the warm Indian ocean have afforded Sri Lanka a hospitable tropical climate, accentuated with white sand beaches, crystal-blue waters, and an abundance of incredible plants and wildlife.

Gotu kola, indigenous to this part of the world, has been a popular ingredient in Sri Lankan cuisine and medicine for centuries. Yet this leafy green plant, which grows low to the ground and resembles extra-large cilantro, is achieving newfound popularity across the world in a variety of applications — including in our signature Super Green Latte.

So what exactly is this plant, and how can it be used today?

History and Origin of Gotu Kola

A member of the plant family Apiaceae — which is commonly referred to as the carrot, celery, or parsley family — Gotu kola dates back to the 6th century BC. The plant’s ubiquitous nature, bittersweet taste, and mildly grassy aroma have made it a staple of the Sri Lankan pantry. Mallung, a Sri Lankan dish composed of lightly cooked or sautéed greens and dressed with fresh coconut and a variety of spices, is just one example of Gotu kola’s culinary versatility.

Gotu kola also has a long and valuable history as an essential part of the medicine cabinet. For more than a thousand years, people in South Asia have been drying and pulverizing Gotu kola into powders, pressing its oils for use in tinctures, and grinding it into topical pastes.

The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Gotu Kola

Also referred to as the “herb of longevity,” Gotu kola has been shown to aid in cognitive function, anxiety reduction, and improved circulation. And humans aren’t the only ones who’ve noticed the plant’s ability to heal and restore. According to legend, injured tigers roll around in Gotu kola to help heal their wounds, lending the herb another common name: “tiger grass.”

Studies have demonstrated Gotu kola’s ability to stimulate collagen production and protect skin from both ultraviolet rays and free radicals.  Known skincare uses for Gotu kola include the treatment of eczema, varicose veins, scars, stretchmarks, and more. It’s no wonder then that many cosmetic and wellness companies have caught on and have begun to add this miraculous ingredient to their skincare products.

How Kola Goodies Uses Gotu Kola

Sri Lankan-owned Kola Goodies has been built on the ideas of paying farmers fairly, making our products with fresh-AF ingredients, and giving back equitably to the communities where we source our ingredients.

Gotu kola, this ancient powerhouse, is an exciting ingredient we source from Matale, Sri Lanka, where it's grown by 10 farming families. Gotu kola is a primary component of our creamy and herbaceous Super Green Latte, which we’ve formulated to provide sustained focus, mental invigoration, and digestive health.