5 Peruvian Herbs People Use for Better Circulation

July 6, 2026

Circulation is one of those words that gets tossed around in wellness circles without much definition. Ask five people what they mean by it and you’ll get five answers: cold hands, tired legs after standing all day, that pins-and-needles feeling, or just wanting to feel a bit more awake. Peruvian herbal tradition has its own short list of plants people reach for, some with a little research behind them and some resting mostly on generations of habit. Here are five that turn up again and again in Lima markets and Andean kitchens, with an honest note on what we actually know and where the evidence runs thin.

1. Rosemary (Romero)

Romero is probably the most common circulation herb you’ll find in a Peruvian pantry. It grows in gardens all over the highlands, and older folks will tell you a cup of rosemary tea “moves the blood.” There’s a kernel of science under the folklore. Rosemary is rich in rosmarinic acid and carnosic acid, plant compounds studied for their antioxidant effects. A small 2009 study in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice found that people taking rosemary showed modest short-term changes in blood pressure. That’s a long way from a proven treatment, and the studies are small, but it explains why the plant earned its reputation. Most people just steep a teaspoon of the dried leaves for five to ten minutes and drink it after a meal.

2. Ginger (Jengibre)

Ginger is the warming one. That heat you feel in your chest after a strong cup isn’t imagination; ginger’s gingerols are mildly vasoactive, meaning they can relax blood vessels a little. A handful of small trials have looked at ginger and blood flow, with mixed but generally mild-positive results. In Peru, jengibre gets grated into hot water with lime and honey, especially in the cold season. If your hands and feet run cold, a ginger drink is an easy, low-risk thing to try. We sell it as a ground ginger powder that stirs straight into hot water.

3. Maca

Maca grows above 13,000 feet, where oxygen is thin, and Andean farmers have fed it to people and livestock for centuries to keep energy up at altitude. Most of the maca research focuses on energy, mood, and libido rather than circulation directly, so we won’t overstate it. But people who take it often describe feeling warmer and more energetic, which is why it lands on circulation lists. If you try it, give it a few weeks; maca isn’t a same-day effect. Our maca comes as both powder and capsules.

4. Cat’s Claw (Uña de Gato)

Cat’s claw is better known as an immune and joint herb, but it belongs here for one reason: inflammation and circulation are linked. The Asháninka people of the Amazon have used the bark for generations, and modern lab work has looked at its anti-inflammatory compounds. The circulation angle is indirect and the human research is limited, so treat this as tradition plus a hunch rather than settled science. Even so, plenty of people fold cat’s claw tea into a daily routine for general wellness.

5. Purple Corn (Maíz Morado)

The deep purple color in Peruvian maize comes from anthocyanins, the same pigments found in blueberries and blackberries. Anthocyanins are among the more studied plant compounds for heart and vessel health, and a few small studies on purple corn extract have looked at blood pressure and cholesterol markers with early, cautiously positive signals. It’s the base of chicha morada, the ruby-colored drink you’ll see at every Peruvian family table. As a purple corn powder, it’s an easy way to get those pigments without boiling whole cobs.

How Peruvians actually use them

One thing worth saying: in Peru these plants aren’t taken as isolated “circulation supplements.” They’re woven into everyday food and drink. Rosemary flavors a roast, ginger goes in the winter emoliente, purple corn becomes a dessert or a pitcher of chicha. That daily, low-dose, food-first habit is probably closer to how any real benefit would show up than swallowing a mega-dose once and expecting a change overnight. You can browse the full energy and vitality collection if you want to see what else fits that rhythm.

A note on what this is and isn’t

None of these herbs is a substitute for real cardiovascular care. If you have high blood pressure, a clotting disorder, or heart trouble, herbs are a side note, not the plan. A few specific cautions: rosemary and ginger in large amounts can interact with blood thinners like warfarin, and ginger may add to the effect of blood-pressure medication. If you’re pregnant, skip concentrated rosemary and go easy on strong ginger. And if you’re on any prescription, run it past your doctor or pharmacist first. We’re a herbal shop, not a doctor’s office.