With all the negative news going around right now, I wanted to share a different topic with folks. Today we are going to talk about tinctures, what they are and how to make them. Simply put, a tincture is a liquid extract made from herbs. The herbal extract is used for medicinal purposes. In one of my previous posts, I mentioned that one benefit of plant extracts is that you can receive the medicinal properties of a plant without needing to keep the plant itself. Tinctures can also be preserved for a longer time than a harvested plant would stay alive. Depending on the type of tincture you use, here are some of the benefits you can experience:
Tincture Benefits
- Managing anxiety
- Healing wounds
- Reducing inflammation
- Reduce nausea
- Ease depression symptoms
- Boost immune system
- Ease gastrointestinal symptoms
- Nighttime sleep aid
One reason I really like tinctures is because of how simple they are to make. It doesn't take that many ingredients and the results are amazing. So let's get started.
What you'll need:
- 1oz or 28 grams of dried herb of choice (ex. lemon balm, lavender, peppermint leaf, etc)
- 4oz or 120ml of alcohol ( Everclear *my preference* or vodka)
- Measuring cup
- Mason jar and lid
- Strainer, cheese cloth, or panty hose
- Disposable gloves
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Step 1: Measure out your dry herb and your alcohol. If you prefer not to make an alcohol based tincture, you can make one with Vegetable Glycerin. However, I like the preservative properties of alcohol so I always choose that option.
Step 2: Sterilize your mason jar in the oven or wash thoroughly with soap and water.
Step 3: Put dry herb into mason jar first, then cover with alcohol. Seal the lid and give jar a thorough shake to make sure all plant material gets wet. At first it may seem that you need more liquid, but this recipe will yield between 3-4oz which is enough to fill a typical 4oz amber glass bottle.
Step 4: Put the jar with the plant material and alcohol in a cool and dark spot. Shake the jar rigorously once a day for 14 days.
Step 5: Open your jar and strain the plant material into a bowl. Make sure to have on gloves because the plant material tends to stain things very easily. Once you've squeezed all the liquid out of your plant material, pour the liquid into an amber glass bottle with a dropper and keep stored in a cool, dark place. Your tincture is now ready!
So now that you know how to make a tincture, it is time to decide what type you need. Based on what type of benefits you're looking for can help you determine which herbs will be best to use. As for dosing, I usually take 1-2 full droppers under my tongue and swallow after 2-3 seconds. However, as you do research, other tinctures may have different recommendations. Always consult your doctor before trying any new tincture just as you would any other medication. Well that's all folks. I hope that my guide was simple and if you have any ideas or would like to share some thoughts feel free to leave a comment below!