Tincturing using the Weight to Volume Method: Part 3 of 3
Weight to Volume Method
In our final entry on Herbal Tinctures Made Easy, we will share a method of tincturing that is more precise than the Folk Method. If using a mild herb in powder or whole dried form, such as Stinging Nettle or Dandelion, a 1:5 ratio (weight of dried herb to 100 ml of alcohol diluted with water to 25-45%) is recommended. Theoretically, you would be ingesting the equivalent of 20 grams of the dried herb. If using fresh Nettles, a 1:2 ratio (weight of fresh herb to 100 ml of 50-80% alcohol) would be efficient, providing approximately 50 gm of fresh Nettles.
Grind the dried herb into a coarse powder (with mortar and pestle), or use fresh; weigh and add to a bottle; prepare menstruum (use pure or dilute with water); add the measured menstruum to the powdered herb in the bottle; stir mixture thoroughly (herb should be completely wet, with no dry clumps); cap bottle tightly; shake tincture daily for 14 days, then allow it to sit one more day (or for 3 days and let sit for one day if using a fine powder); strain (with a fine strainer) the tincture, pouring the liquid off into another bottle; press the liquid out of the remaining powder (mark) into the bottle; filter (with a coffee filter) the tincture if any sediment is undesirable; cap bottle tightly and label.
Remember to label your bottles with the herb and menstruum types used, as well as the ratio strength and date you made them. A tincture made with powder extracts the active constituents very quickly. Shake the bottle of herb and alcohol daily to ensure the extraction activity is thorough. Three days is all it takes to have a potent herbal tincture when using fine powders. Fresh herb extractions take longer, about two weeks, shaken every day. A well made tincture can easily be store for several years, without losing potency. Remember, the bottle must be dark, and stored away from sunlight and heat to prevent degradation.
Dosages
Since the Folk Method for tincturing is more of a craft than a science, the dosage is generally measured in teaspoons (5 ml). A dose might vary from a ¼ to ½ teaspoon, 2 to 3 times per day for general health maintenance up to 2 teaspoons, 3 times per day for an acute illness, depending on the herb and health indication you intend it for.
Tinctures using the Weight to Volume Method are best administered using medicinal droppers, but it’s also fine to use the traditional measurements listed above. The dosage could vary considerably for mild herbs, from up to five droppersful, 2 to 3 times per day. For moderately intense herbs with a ratio of 1:5, such as Echinacea or St. John’s Wort, you could take a dosage ranging from 10 to 25 drops, 3 to 4 times a day. For stronger, more toxic herbs such as Cayenne, a 1:10 ratio is ideal. Because Cayenne is such a ‘hot’ herb, a dosage of a single drop might be sufficient. The beauty of making your own herbal tinctures at home is that you are free to experiment; just be mindful to research first and be respectful of the power these botanicals have to offer.
As you will come to find out, medicine making at home can be immensely gratifying. Herbalist and author of The Medicine-Maker’s Handbook, James Green sums the experience up wonderfully, “And like dancing, once you find the rhythm of the music and begin moving your body with it, you’ll never want to stop.” Be creative, experiment, and have fun! Our ancestors surely did, and for their incredible resourcefulness we have been blessed with the knowledge to make herbal tinctures at home. Best of all, it’s free! Wild plants offer us the invaluable potential for health and healing in our own back yards, as Mother Nature intended.
Cautionary note:
The information offered in this article is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please do not attempt self-medication without consulting your naturopath or medical doctor. Be cautious; homemade tinctures can vary in strength.
About the author:
Daina is the Product Manager for Naturally Nova Scotia. She joined the ‘family’ in 1998 with a background in horticulture and strong interest in traditional herbal medicine. Throughout the years she has worked the fields- planting and harvesting, production, research and development, and now enjoys directing packaging design, writing and editing, and contributing to various media resources.
Weight to Volume MethodIn our final entry on Herbal Tinctures Made Easy, we will share a method of tincturing that is more precise than the Folk Method. If using a mild herb in powder or whole dried form, such as Stinging Nettle or Dandelion, a 1:5 ratio (weight of dried herb to 100 ml of alcohol diluted with water to 25-45%) is recommended. Theoretically, you would be ingesting the equivalent of 20 grams of the dried herb. If using fresh Nettles, a 1:2 ratio (weight of fresh herb to 100 ml of 50-80% alcohol) would be efficient, providing approximately 50 gm of fresh Nettles.
Grind the dried herb into a coarse powder (with mortar and pestle), or use fresh; weigh and add to a bottle; prepare menstruum (use pure or dilute with water); add the measured menstruum to the powdered herb in the bottle; stir mixture thoroughly (herb should be completely wet, with no dry clumps); cap bottle tightly; shake tincture daily for 14 days, then allow it to sit one more day (or for 3 days and let sit for one day if using a fine powder); strain (with a fine strainer) the tincture, pouring the liquid off into another bottle; press the liquid out of the remaining powder (mark) into the bottle; filter (with a coffee filter) the tincture if any sediment is undesirable; cap bottle tightly and label.
Remember to label your bottles with the herb and menstruum types used, as well as the ratio strength and date you made them. A tincture made with powder extracts the active constituents very quickly. Shake the bottle of herb and alcohol daily to ensure the extraction activity is thorough. Three days is all it takes to have a potent herbal tincture when using fine powders. Fresh herb extractions take longer, about two weeks, shaken every day. A well made tincture can easily be store for several years, without losing potency. Remember, the bottle must be dark, and stored away from sunlight and heat to prevent degradation.
Dosages
Since the Folk Method for tincturing is more of a craft than a science, the dosage is generally measured in teaspoons (5 ml). A dose might vary from a ¼ to ½ teaspoon, 2 to 3 times per day for general health maintenance up to 2 teaspoons, 3 times per day for an acute illness, depending on the herb and health indication you intend it for.
Tinctures using the Weight to Volume Method are best administered using medicinal droppers, but it’s also fine to use the traditional measurements listed above. The dosage could vary considerably for mild herbs, from up to five droppersful, 2 to 3 times per day. For moderately intense herbs with a ratio of 1:5, such as Echinacea or St. John’s Wort, you could take a dosage ranging from 10 to 25 drops, 3 to 4 times a day. For stronger, more toxic herbs such as Cayenne, a 1:10 ratio is ideal. Because Cayenne is such a ‘hot’ herb, a dosage of a single drop might be sufficient. The beauty of making your own herbal tinctures at home is that you are free to experiment; just be mindful to research first and be respectful of the power these botanicals have to offer.
As you will come to find out, medicine making at home can be immensely gratifying. Herbalist and author of The Medicine-Maker’s Handbook, James Green sums the experience up wonderfully, “And like dancing, once you find the rhythm of the music and begin moving your body with it, you’ll never want to stop.” Be creative, experiment, and have fun! Our ancestors surely did, and for their incredible resourcefulness we have been blessed with the knowledge to make herbal tinctures at home. Best of all, it’s free! Wild plants offer us the invaluable potential for health and healing in our own back yards, as Mother Nature intended.
Cautionary note:
The information offered in this article is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please do not attempt self-medication without consulting your naturopath or medical doctor. Be cautious; homemade tinctures can vary in strength.
About the author:
Daina is the Product Manager for Naturally Nova Scotia. She joined the ‘family’ in 1998 with a background in horticulture and strong interest in traditional herbal medicine. Throughout the years she has worked the fields- planting and harvesting, production, research and development, and now enjoys directing packaging design, writing and editing, and contributing to various media resources.
0 comments:
Post a Comment