In the rapidly growing world of herbal supplements, brand matters and research is key. These are among the tips that Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council and self dubbed “herb cowboy,” shared with the Los Angeles Times last week.

According to Blumenthal, “self-medication requires self-education.” He suggests that people who are interested in using herbs first learn as much as possible about the plants before taking them. “It behooves you to learn as much as you can about that ingredient and company and to what extent it has been tested — or not. The more research you do before you make a purchase, the better,” he explains.

Among the websites Blumenthal recommends for herb research are Consumer Lab and the American Botanical Council’s HerbClip database.

When sizing up supplements, Blumenthal suggests finding those that bear the stamp of approval from one of these organizations:

- Consumer Lab

- National Nutritional Foods Association TruLabel program

- NSF International Certification Program

- United States Pharmacopeia Dietary Supplement Verification Program .

[via Los Angeles Times]

Image: American Botanical Council