_edited.png)
How to Make and Benefit from Tinctures
- Rehne Burge, C.A.
- Dec 7
- 3 min read
Making A Tincture
The strength or potency of your tinctures has nothing to do with using the strongest alcohol you decide to use. To make a successful tincture and avoid bacterial growth, you must match the solvent to the chemistry of the plant. Solvents are a substance, usually liquid, that can dissolve other substances. An example is sugar in water. Although water is the most common solvent used, organic solvents such as, but not limited to alcohol and acetone which are used in many pharmaceuticals and more. Some herbs and plants need mostly water. Some require mostly alcohol and lastly, some need a balance of both. If the wrong proof is used, you can end up with a weaker tincture than what you could have achieved, weakening the therapeutic actions of your tincture. To explain further, there are some herbs that are very mucilaginous (viscous or gelatinous consistency) or mineral-rich (examples include marshmallow, plantain, nettle, oat straw, linden, etc.) These require a lower proof of alcohol since their medicine is water-soluble. Using approximately 50–80 proof alcohol will provide you with a better extraction. Most herbs fall in the middle. A good example of these includes but not limited to chamomile, lemon balm, peppermint, dandelion, burdock, most leaves, most roots, and general tonics. This list is best extracted in 80–120 proof alcohol. This range pulls out both the water-soluble and alcohol-soluble components, leaving you with a beautifully balanced tincture.For herbs that are “heavier’ or have a more complex chemistry (like ashwagandha, reishi, eleuthero, schisandra, valerian), usually do better with about alcohol at120–140 proof. They still need water, but they also need stronger alcohol to pull the deeper compounds.Last are the true resinous herbs/plants. Examples include myrrh, frankincense, propolis, and similar resin-heavy materials. These always require very high-proof alcohol, 180–190 proof. Everclear is great with resins. Resins will not dissolve well in a lower proof alcohol.
Ratios Matter
Ratios matter. To explain further, when someone says “1:5” or “1:3,” that means the weight of the herb to the volume of the solvent. Looking closer, 1:5 indicates the use of 1 part herb (by weight) to 5 parts alcohol/water mixture (by volume). A fresh plant tincture might be 1:2 or 1:3. A dry herb tincture is usually 1:5 because dry herbs expand and absorb the menstruum. To clarify, menstruum is a substance that can dissolve a solid or hold it in suspension.
The ratio and the alcohol percentage work together. A perfect alcohol percentage with the wrong ratio still creates a weak tincture, and a perfect ratio with the wrong alcohol percentage still gives you an unbalanced extraction.Bottom line is that the various herbs need different proofs and different ratios depending on their chemical makeup. There is no single “best proof” for every herb. Matching the alcohol percentage and the ratio to the specific plant is what makes a tincture potent.
Therapeutic Benefits
The therapeutic benefits are determined by the herb used since they all have their own therapeutic actions. These can vary, including anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, digestive issues, emotional issues, sleep, antioxidants, nausea, and many are supportive of the immune system.
How To Take
Ways to take tinctures can be sublingually or under the tongue, teas or capsules. Taking the tincture under the tongue allows the active components to bypass the digestive system and quickly enter the bloodstream which allows for a quicker effect of the components that teas or capsules may. Amber bottles with droppers are available and great for this purpose, allowing an accurate dosage each time, allowing you to manage your illness or health more accurately. Remember that tinctures are very concentrated substances. Start at a low dose until you achieve your desired effect.
You can make them in smaller bottles to allow carrying with you if your dosage time arrives while out and about. Consistency is key.
Rehne Burge
Professional Certified Aromatherapist
Resources:
Comments