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Tinctures, Extracts and other Herbal Preparations/ Do I really have to use 100 proof alcohol?

What is a tincture? A tincture is typically an extract of plant or animal material dissolved in ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Solvent concentrations of 25–60% are common, but may run as high as 90%. In chemistry, a tincture is a solution that has ethanol as its solvent. In medical terms a tincture is a trace or indication that reveals the presence of something. In pharmacology, a tincture is type of medicine extracted from a plant in an alcohol solution. There are many meanings to the word tincture, but most of them involve something that leaves a trace or residue. (wikipedia)


In herbalism we make "tinctures" using between 40% and 80% alcohol content. It took me many years of study to get a grip on tinctures. Why are they so appealing? The answer is simple this is a simple preparation that can store on the shelf for up to 5 yrs or longer. For myself and many others however these alcohol heavy preparations have many downsides, not the least of which is the unpalatable taste of the final product. Ultimately the point of any herbal preparation is to extract the helpful chemical constituents making up that plant. So are tinctures worth the hype?


When I first started investigating alternative medicines I made many tinctures with the strongest alcohol I could find on the market, believing that I had to use 90-100 proof in order to have a proper tincture. Most of these tinctures sat on my shelf for 7 years or until I composted them for two main reasons #1 they tasted awful so the best way to take them was as a shot. Which brings me to the worst part of tinctures for me...#2 the thought that I need a shot or two of booze to get through the day! Both my parents have struggled with drugs and alcohol my entire life and I have a fear of slipping into dependency. This was obviously not the way I could include the daily support for my nervous system that I was seeking.


I found my saving grace when I stumbled upon learningherbs.com a free place to discover effective ways to use herbs. The sister membersite was $10 a month for courses on herbalism HerbMentor.com inside that membership was an audio course titled the Village Herbalist presented by Heather Nic an Fleishdair everything about this course spoke to me and I consumed it at least 3 times in it's entirety and listened to several sections a number of times more. I can't begin to show my gratitude for the understanding and confidence I began to feel when I approached a new remedy. It was Heather that suggested I look at what the extracting medium was originally made from when making my decision on choosing an extracting method and solvent. This was a revolution for me and opened up many different avenues on extracting from herbs.


A stronger alcohol percentage may net you the most extraction of alcohol soluble chemicals and a slightly longer shelf life, but what about the chemicals soluble in water or fats? It was also within the Village Herbalist course that I learned about herbal vinegars, vinegar has the ability to extract both water and alcohol soluble constituents, and it is SO much easier to incorporate into our foods for daily use. Making salad dressings, adding to soups, salsas, smoothies, even making marinades and sauces. Herbal vinegars have a decent shelf life as well when kept properly in a cool dark location they can last 2-4 years. The greatest part about these preparations was that the didn't sit on the shelf unused they got used every week. We made more, got innovative, began to enjoy our plant friends and the benefits from the extracts we consumed. If you're serious about using herbs to support a holistic way of caring for yourself then you have to make "medicines" you can and will use. This doesn't mean I have stopped using alcohol all together, I just changed my approach. Rather than selecting the herb(s) that would address my imbalance and adding to 90 proof alcohol to get the most potent extraction, instead I started by selecting a solvent that worked with that imbalance worrying less about potency, since all my ingredients would be working toward my goal.


My three favorite alcohol menstrums

1. Scotch whiskey- scotch is made from Barley which lends it's anti-inflammatory healing abilities and many nutrients to your tinctures.

2. Brandy- made from fruits like berries and peaches offering additional digestive properties to your tinctures.

3. Everclear 151 proof (75%) or 190 proof (95%)- made from grains this is my choice for extra potent longest shelf life extracts.


For example years ago my husband was diagnosed pre-diabetic, doctor speak for clean your act up or find yourself eventually insulin dependant, I made him a cinnamon tincture with 80 proof vodka a recipe I found from a trusted resource. With my new approach however vodka (made from white potatoes), was a terrible choice for pre-diabetes. I now make a cinnamon apple cider vinegar which is far superior as the vinegar can help to balance blood sugar just like the cinnamon, he reports a better energy boost from this one as well. This is something we carry for if the feels like he's crashing, the vodka tincture would help bring the energy up right away but faded faster, the vinegar extract takes a little longer to work but sustains the rest of the day. Since we shifted our diets around he doesn't have this as often, this was a great remedy to help us while we were correcting the underlying issue.



Which brings me to a point about medicines herbal or pharmaceutical. Most medicines were designed to be taken for a short term while the issue was corrected. Many common conditions such as hypertension, rheumatism, acid reflux, and others that require daily medication, can be controlled and maintained by adjustments to diet and exercise habits. Even things like anxiety, depression, and attention deficit disorders, can likewise be supported by proper (for each individual) diet, meditation, exercise. The idea behind medicine is to provide yourself with support to help as you find and make the required adjustments. Then as you are able to support your body's needs through lifestyle, the need for additional chemicals (either pharmaceutical or plant derived) is lessened dramatically. I digress.


Back to tinctures, extracts, and herbal preparations. Are tinctures worth the hype? For me the answer is yes and no. Yes because if I ever got my hands on a hard to get herb that was used for immediate relief of extreme symptoms (like osha root), I would definitely prepare a tincture with 100 proof alcohol to preserve my ability to access this medicine for as long as possible. Another really good reason to use high percentages of alcohol is when using fresh plant materials the can stabilize the water from the herb and serves as a preservative. Also No because if it is for a remedy that needs to be taken frequently, or daily for a few weeks at a time, and for preventions it is important to have a palatable preparation. When you plan to use the herbals you make the shelf life becomes less important. Higher alcohol percentages offer more potent extracts, as someone who suffers from side effects quite frequently (it's one of the things that led me to herbalism) I am not of the mind that more potent is always better. This is the same argument I use against essential oils, I choose to make cold infused oils at home because you have to dilute essential oils to make them usable anyway so why not start by making a massage oil, no dilution necessary. The downside of that of course is time, a cold infusion takes 6-12 weeks depending on the herb and desired strength.


Here is a guide to some of my Favorite ways to incorporate herbs in my life.

Easy Preparations


Teas: Pour just boiled water over herbs and steep 5-10 minutes.  Use same day.

Infusions: Most extraction of health enhancing qualities! Use within 2 days

Basic Infusion: Fill 1-quart Jar with 2 cups herb/herb mix, pour just boiled water over herbs steep for 4+ hours. (up to 12 hours)

Solar Infusion: Fill 1-quart Jar with 2 cups herb/herb mix, pour room temperature water over herbs place in sunshine for 4+ hours. (up to 12 hours)

Lunar Infusion: Fill 1-quart Jar with 2 cups herb/herb mix, pour room temperature water over herbs place outside overnight during bright moon nights.

Decoction: place ¼ cup herb into a pot of 2 cups boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.            Use same day.

Extracts: Fill a 1-quart jar with dried herb (FILL 1inch from rim) Add men-strum* to cover herbs (no air inside). Place in a cool, dark place for 4-6 weeks.    Use within 2 yrs.

Need it in a hurry? Fill jar halfway with powdered herb, add men-strum to fill jar. Shake daily for 7 days and strain.

Men-strums:

Solvents used to extract chemical constituents from plants.

Alcohols- use Scotch, Brandy or High Grain (like Everclear or moonshine)

Vinegars- Apple Cider, Wine or Balsamic Vinegars

Oils- Olive, Avocado, Grape-seed etc. (Great for topical)

Honey- Locally sourced for maximum results

Glycerin- Alcohol substitute

Keep in mind what your preparation will be used for when choosing your solvent. Look at what your medium is made from originally i.e. scotch=barley, brandy=fruit, moonshine=apples or potatoes.

Oxymel/Hone-gar= Combine Herb infused Vinegar and Herb infused Honey for a syrup (2 parts Honey- 1 part Vinegar), a quick and effective way to support an imbalance. Stores in fridge 2-5 yrs


My niece Baylee learning to make an Herbal Chai Infusion.


 
 
 

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