What is actually best to use in tinctures - dried or fresh herbs?
For tinctures and other liquid extracts, such as teas, the choice of fresh or dried herbs can depend on a variety of factors: availability, historical use, and modern scientific research.
But first of all, a brief summary of what a tincture is. To make a tincture, two ingredients are needed; herb and solvent. The most potent solvent is alcohol and is therefore the most commonly used. The herb is steeped in alcohol for a certain time and then strained off. The liquid that remains is the tincture. Tinctures have a very long shelf life thanks to the alcohol. It is therefore a perfect way to preserve the plant for the future.
Fresh vs. Dried Herbs
Historically, dried herbs have been used primarily. In the old pharmacopoeias, the recipes are based on tinctures of dried herbs. We have inherited a tradition of making tinctures of dried herbs.
Herbalists who argue against this believe that fresh herbs have a higher energy and vitality than dried herbs. They believe that the most important components are lost when the herb is dried. Therefore, they choose to pick the plant in its prime and make a tincture from it as soon as possible before the decomposition process begins.
Those who advocate dried herbs believe that there is too much water in freshly harvested plants. The water reduces the shelf life and stretches the tincture, making it weak.
However, a dried herb loses potency over time. The more surface area exposed to air, the shorter its shelf life. For example, powders have a shorter shelf life than herbs in larger pieces. Aromatic herbs also have a shorter shelf life because their essential oils disappear with age. If you are making your own tincture from dried herbs, you want to make sure they are not too old. You can do this by smelling, feeling, looking and tasting. Is there any scent left? Are they well preserved? What does the color look like?
What do we use at Örtfabriken?
Örtfabriken's tinctures are almost all made from fresh herbs. Our producer grows his own herbs and has the facility to make the tinctures close to the growing area. This is reassuring. We believe in the inherent strength of the plant and that there is an advantage to using fresh herbs. Therefore, we prefer fresh herbs when that option is offered.
