About Herbal Tinctures

Why herbal tinctures? Taking fresh herbs is difficult for several reasons. First, it is nearly impossible to get or even find many of these herbs in fresh form. Second, you would have to consume massive quantities of the fresh herb to obtain significant results. And lastly, we must rely on our digestive systems to digest the herbs so we can access their beneficial properties. Many of us have less than optimal systems which cannot adequately digest some herbs. Some herbs, in fact, are very difficult to assimilate. Result – we do not get full benefit of herbs eaten fresh, or (for many of the same reasons) from herbs taken in capsule form.

Tea is a good method to use when taking herbs. During the brewing process, many of the beneficial properties of the herbs are liberated and made available for absorption into our system. However, there are some disadvantages to teas: all the properties are not liberated and the heat destroys valuable enzymes.

The king of value and the state-of-the-art delivery system in herbs is liquid herbs. Herbs taken in this manner cost less per dose, are easier to use (by simply placing a drop or two under the tongue or adding to water or juice) and are better assimilated than the same herbs taken in other forms.

The two main categories of liquid herbs are extracts and tinctures. Within these categories you will find liquid herbal drops, fresh plant, non-alcohol, glycerin or standardized forms. Better equipment and methods to break down botanicals has resulted in new and more potent medicines! There is not sufficient room here to outline the various methods of preparation however, after years of research Master Herbalist Truman Berst has developed a special low-alcohol, live-concentrated tincture/extract that yields an enzyme active product like no other ever available.

Low-alcohol, live-concentrated tincture/extracts have none of the disadvantages of fresh or encapsulated herbs or of herbs taken in teas. They are made by placing the finely ground fresh or dried herb into a solution of distilled water and alcohol (which acts as a solvent). The process takes approximately 3 weeks (some herbs require more time) of soaking and agitating before pouring the liquid into a reserve chamber. The bulk that remains is then placed in a cold-process vacuum extraction chamber. The rich reserve gained from this extraction process is then combined with the original reserve.

After much testing with many different natural solvents, alcohol has been found to be both the safest and the most effective method of extracting the essence from herbs. Glycerin grows bacteria too easily and vinegar is not an effective solvent with many herbs. Should you prefer, you can easily remove the alcohol by lighting the tincture like a flame in a restaurant, or by adding the tincture to water or tea that is warm enough to have steam rising from it. Do not use boiling water which will destroy the precious enzymes.

(Fact: In your digestion you get more alcohol from one soda cracker than from 2 oz. of our low-alcohol tincture).