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Make tinctures yourself
contents
- For whom are tinctures suitable??
- Homemade tinctures
- The cough tincture
- Ringelblumentinktur
- arnica
- valerian
- Gänseblümchentinktur
- St. John's wort
- Wermuttinktur
- Kamillentinktur
- Horse Chestnut tincture
- Misteltinktur
- bitters
- Erkältungstinktur
A tincture is a herbal extract, mostly in alcohol. Buyable tinctures from the pharmacy consist of dried parts of plants and alcohol in a thickness of 70% to 95%. The advantage of a tincture lies in the long shelf life: the liquids can store five, sometimes even ten years, without losing their effect. They contain water as well as fat-soluble substances, because alcohol extracts both, unlike tea, which only extracts the water-soluble and oil that extracts only the fat-soluble substances.
Make tinctures yourself. Image: behewa - fotolia Such tinctures are also called herbal drops, generally extract or essence. We also call such essences with bitter herbs stomach peel. Officially, only alcohol-based herb extracts available in pharmacies may be traded as tinctures.
We distinguish between normal tinctures of dried plants and so-called mother tinctures, in which fresh plants are put into alcohol. Tinctures for children are sometimes made without alcohol.
When preparing, we use a ceramic knife, because metal can affect the effect of medicinal herbs.
If we make tinctures ourselves, we can use any kind of spirit or clear liquor, for example grain or vodka, but also 54% rum is suitable. The liquor is not about the brand, but about the taste; Vodka and corn offer themselves, because they are relatively tasteless. It is true that the higher the percentage, the more effective the tincture. However, alcohol solutions with 90% from the pharmacy are much more expensive than the 40% double grain from the supermarket, and that also works.
However, the ideal alcohol content depends on which plant parts we use. Roots, barks and seeds are best extracted with an alcohol content of 50% to 70%, whereas fruits are recommended for 30% to 55%.
Alcohol with a certain content extracts special substances from the plants: saponins and glycosides at 20% to 40%, flavonoids, bitter substances and tannins at 38% and 70%, essential oils at 50% to 70%.
We always take tinctures pure or with water to us, so not with sugar, juice or soft drinks. This could affect the effect.
For whom are tinctures suitable??
Liver patients and alcoholics must not use alcohol-based tinctures. Children over the age of three may well use tinctures, but these should be much lower than in adults and dissolved in water - in children up to five years, 10% of the dose of an adult appropriate. The alcohol content then corresponds to natural apple juice or the alcohol that forms the fermentation in the body.
Homemade tinctures
A tincture we produce as follows:
1) We collect a jar full of medicinal herbs and crush them.
2) We pour high-proofs about it.
3) We close the glass.
4) We put it on a sun place.
5) We wait 2 to 4 weeks.
6) Then we filter the tincture, for example through a tea filter.
7) We pour the liquid into a dark bottle.
8) We label the bottle with date and contents.
9) From the finished tincture we take about 20-30 drops on a spoon to us.
The cough tincture
For a cough tincture we use thyme, sage and hyssop. All three grow in our herb garden. We collect them in July.
The tincture helps against cold cough, but also against mild bronchitis, also against sore throat. We take 10 to 50 drops 2 to 3 times a day.
Ringelblumentinktur
Marigold relieves sores, eczema, inflammation of the skin and ulcers. The tincture also helps against stomach problems, menstrual pain and intestinal infections. We take the trained flowers for the tincture.
arnica
Arnica flowers are added in the ratio of 1 to 10 in the alcohol and leave the liquid in a sunny place for about two weeks. We can also use the tincture for wraps, gargle or swallow. Arnica tincture helps against sprains and bruises.
valerian
From the valerian we take the dried roots and put them in clear liquor in the ratio of 1 to 5, let them stand for a month and then sieve them off. Valerian tincture helps against stress, nervousness and helps with insomnia.
Gänseblümchentinktur
From the daisy we use the flower heads, the rule of thumb is 1 ml of alcohol per flower head. We let them draw for a month, shake the extract occasionally and apply it externally. The tincture helps against acne, pimples and impure skin.
St. John's wort
We process the fresh flowers of St. John's Wort, pour them over with alcohol in a ratio of 1 to 5 and place the container in a sunny spot for two weeks. St. John's wort relieves sore muscles and digestive problems.
Wermuttinktur
We cover vermouth with alcohol at a ratio of 1 to 5 and leave the mixture for only 5 days. We dilute 20-30 tropics with about 0.1 l of water, drink it three times a day for several weeks. The solution helps against loss of appetite.
Kamillentinktur
We mix 10 g of chamomile flowers with 50 ml of alcohol, leave the solution for a week, sieve it off and put it in the fridge for three days. De Tinktur can gargle or drip on envelopes. Camomile helps against inflammation.
Horse Chestnut tincture
We peel 10 chestnuts, mince them, pour alcohol over them until the chestnuts are covered, let them stand for four weeks, then sift and pour the solution into a dark bottle. The tincture helps against varicose veins.
Misteltinktur
In March we collect the stems, leaves, buds and fruits of mistletoe. Mistletoe regulates blood pressure, helps against arteriosclerosis, dizziness, asthma, nervousness and anxiety.
bitters
There are hundreds of stomach bitterns that are often used primarily for enjoyment. For a Hausmagenbitter we use, for example, angelica and dandelion root, juniper berries and the leaves of peppermint and put them in alcohol. A bittersweet is recommended for bloating and bloated abdomen.
Erkältungstinktur
For a cold tincture, we use 30 g fennel fruits, 10 g chamomile flowers and 10 g sage leaves in alcohol, leave the mixture for three weeks and then fill it into dark bottles. We can gargle or use them for envelopes. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)