Can Herbal Tinctures Be Made With Fresh Herbs?
I am going to make my own tinctures for some supplements I take. I ordered an ultrasonic machine.
Question: do you need to dry the herbs first or can you use them fresh and still get what you need from them?
I hope someone here can help me with starting this.
TN
04/15/2022
Dear Betty,
Yes, tinctures can be made with fresh herbs, but you need to use a different menstruum. When I am making a tincture with dry herbs, I generally use 80 proof vodka (40% alcohol) as my menstruum. But because fresh herbs have a higher water content, you need the menstruum to have a higher alcohol content, or your tincture may mold or go bad more quickly since the alcohol preserves it.
That said, when making a tincture with fresh herbs, I tincture them in grain alcohol (190 proof, so 95% alcohol.)
~Mama to Many~
CA
04/15/2022
Thank you so very much Mama to Many!
I'm excited to do this to cut down on my pill load for some things.
Hubby will have to go to the liquor store again.
Betty,
In studies, depending on the plant species being tested, water extraction, ethanol extraction or different chemical extraction methods can produce a more potent or effective result depending on the individual plant. In the case of the herb marijuana, you also have to use a decarboxylation process via dry heat in order to activate a very useful portion of the plant (THC) as part of the tincture making process.
Art
CA
04/16/2022
