A tincture is a medicine or remedy made by dissolving a drug or infusing an herb into alcohol. Tinctures are taken orally, typically by a dropper bottle, under the tongue. Most tinctures are bitter and may burn at first. But it is effective to also add them into a coffee, tea, or smoothy drink to mask the flavor. Although they are made with alcohol, tinctures are safe and effective for children as well as adults. Here is a guide I’ve found to help you find proper dosage for children –
As always check with your doctor prior to taking any medications. And check with the herbs you are using for any side effects.
Tincture OR Extract?? Essentially, all tinctures are extracts, but not all extracts are tinctures. This means that tinctures are subsets of extracts. Extracts, also called fluid extracts or liquid extracts, are herbal formulations that are similar in form to tinctures but differ primarily in concentration. Usually, liquid extracts are more concentrated than tinctures.
Tinctures are made by starting with fresh or dried herbs of your choice. Amber mason jars are a great choice to keep the sunlight away from your processing tincture. Clear is great too if you can keep them in a cabinet away from the light.
Here’s a link to find amber mason jars-
For fresh herbs use a ratio of 1 : 1 herbs to alcohol. For dried herbs use a ratio of 1 : 4 herbs to alcohol ratio. Place the herbs into the jar and pour over the alcohol. Grain alcohol, or vodka is a great choice. A high proof is best.
Seal the jar and shake daily for 6 weeks. After the six weeks have passed, strain the herbs and retain the liquid. The tincture can be bottled up into amber dropper bottles for easy use. Be sure to label your bottles to remember what’s in them! Label with the herb, dosage, date,
Here’s some great amber dropper bottles–
Check with your particular herb for proper dosage. Be sure to start with just a couple of drops to check for any allergies you may have.
Enjoy exploring the different herbal combinations that nature offers!
Here are some tinctures and extracts that we offer at Calhoun Farm
