Reports of its use in herbalism go as far back as 600 BC in Assyrian herbal accounts and can also be traced to Greek writings from Dioscorides. In Ayurvedic herbalism, Turmeric has a rich tradition of both internal and topical use and is one of the most widely referenced botanicals in classical Ayurvedic texts.

In Western herbalism, Turmeric is classified as an aromatic bitter and has a well-documented history of use in European and American herbal traditions.

Gaia Herbs® has a deep relationship with our Tumeric sourcing partner in Nicaragua. It is organically grown in an agroforestry setting under a tree canopy, which provides shade from the hot midday sun and nutrients to the soil. Using regenerative agriculture practices, our sourcing partner helps to add diversity to the landscape and sequester carbon to the soil.​

Our farmers in Nicaragua are diversifying to turmeric as climate change impacts their coffee crop​. Gaia Herbs® supported this transition through a grant to produce training in best regenerative growing practices​. This partner is a Fair for Life Fair Trade Certified supplier for Turmeric Root, ensuring a premium goes back into the community.

The English herbalist, Nicholas Culpeper (1650) documented his observations on Milk Thistle in his renowned herbal compendium.

At the turn of the 20th century, eclectic physicians also incorporated this herb into their botanical practices.

Much of the modern-day research surrounding Milk Thistle (Silybum Marianum) has been conducted in Germany where it is an approved herb in The Complete German Commission E Monographs.

We believe healthy ingredients begin with healthy soil. At the Gaia Herbs® Farm, we steward the land through regenerative farming practices that support mineral-rich soil and the growth of potent plants for our herbal supplements. Our primary source of Chinese Skullcap is our Regenerative Organic Certified® (Silver Level) Farm in Brevard, North Carolina.

Each herb is tested for potency in the field, carefully harvested, and brought to our onsite production facility to be extracted and crafted into our herbal formulas. From seed to soil to supplement, we oversee every step to create the highest-quality herbal supplements.

At Gaia Herbs®, we oversee every step from seed to soil to supplement to create the highest-quality herbal supplements. In keeping with this view, in 2025, our Schisandra supplier successfully registered northern schisandra berry as the world’s first FairWild Certified source in the pristine forest region of Jilin Province, China.

Supplier representatives visited the wild collection site in August 2025, confirming the implementation of sustainable harvesting and management practices. The certification covers 250 acres managed under FairWild standards within a larger 7,500-acre forest ecosystem.

The operation is supported by 10 full-time employees and 20 seasonal collectors, all of whom are trained through the rigorous FairWild standards program to ensure responsible wild collection, biodiversity conservation, and long-term resource sustainability.

Looking ahead to 2026, the supplier plans to expand its collector workforce to increase annual yield and pursue organic certification for the wild forest area. In addition to supporting sustainable sourcing, a portion of every purchase is returned directly to the local community where the raw materials are harvested.