A tincture is a highly concentrated liquid herbal extract.
My exposure to tinctures first began with my sister in law. She was regularly taking them and seemed to be really pleased with them. I still didn’t understand them and couldn’t quite grasp the concept. Thankfully she shared the name of her Herbalist with me and I went to see her. It was after that first visit and recommended protocol that my love of tinctures hatched - bloomed?!
Tinctures are made by soaking a fresh or dried herb in alcohol. The alcohol is then able to pull lots of various beneficial properties out of the herb and into the liquid. When the appropriate amount of time passes, the herb is removed from the liquid and what remains is a beautiful, ready to use tincture! Magical!
As you can imagine, there are ALL sorts of plants with ALL sorts of beneficial properties and so depending on which plant is chosen to tincture you will ultimately end up with a product designed to support body, mind, or soul or any combination thereof.
How incredible, right?? I mean, JUST how simple is that? THAT is why I love tinctures.
- They are designed to support us where we need it most.
- They are most often taken orally in small doses and easily absorbed in the body.
- They can be taken and stored anywhere - in your bag or your car.
- They have a long shelf life due to the preservative properties of alcohol.
- They do not need refrigeration.
- The varieties and their various benefits are endless!
- And they’re super fun to learn about!
Okay, that last one is simply my viewpoint BUT you might find that it’s true for you too! Some great websites to look and learn are Herbal Academy, Mountain Rose Herbs, Pacific Rim College, Wild Rose College and most special to me and where I live is Light Cellar. These are just a few and they all have LOADS of free information!
Tinctures CAN be made alcohol free with other solvents such as apple cider vinegar or glycerine. While both of these have some advantages, there are some differences including that neither of these has the shelf stability that alcohol does.
Lastly, the thing I notice about tinctures when I take them is that I tend to be more in the moment. It’s like I’m given this little space to stop and think about my body and mind. I’m not sure if it’s because I can taste the liquid or it’s simply the act of twisting off the lid and preparing the dropper. It’s a good feeling and knowing that I keep taking time for myself every day in some way makes that good feeling last.
(insert very happy face.)
Until next time..
H&S
