How to Make a Tincture/Extract
Did you know you can make your own herbal tinctures and extracts for cheap right at home? It's super easy!! When you think of an extract the first thing that comes to mind is probably vanilla extract for cooking. Well I'm here to tell you that extracts go way beyond adding flavor to your baked goods!! 
Image credit: Pinterest
If you're into natural medicine you may be interested in learning how to make an herbal remedy by creating a tincture or extract!
Disclaimer: This is my experience with making tinctures after taking a class on the practice of it. When you make your own herbal remedies you do so at your own risk.
First off, you may ask, "What is the difference between a tincture and an extract?" Well a tincture is always an extract, but not all extracts are tinctures. A tincture specifically uses alcohol for the solvent. The solvent will concentrate the substance. An extract includes tinctures but other solvents can also be used, the main one being glycerin. If you have an aversion to alcohol, you may want to use this instead.
A few popular herbs used in alternative medicine include the following:
Feverfew: used to -- you guessed it, reduce fevers. It is also a natural headache reliever and can prevent blood clots. I used feverfew extract for fever in the past and it works!
Skullcap: Helps with anxiety and insomnia. Like a cap on your skull I guess! :D
Echinacia: boosts white blood cells and helps the immune system
Really you can make an extract out of any root, herb, flower. Turmeric, chaste tree, bilberry, milk thistle, ect. Do some research into what natural remedies would benefit you.
How to make them
Now this may seem crude but it's a tried and true method of making a tincture. Here we go!
- Take a mason jar, fill it 1/2 full of fresh, finely chopped or ground herb.
Or
1/4 of the way full of finely ground dry herb (I prefer dried).
Fill the jar to the top with vodka (yes, vodka). Leave a little room at the top so the contents shake easily inside the jar.
Store in a dark dry place, and shake it twice a day for 6 weeks.
After 6 weeks, strain through a cheesecloth.
You can buy the supplies including amber bottles with droppers online (to store the tinctures in once the process is complete). It's sooo easy!!
Image credit: Pinterest
Tip: If you don't transfer the tincture into dropper bottles the tops to the mason jars could start rusting from repeatedly opening and closing them. So if you don't transfer them put a small sheet of plastic wrap between the lids and the jars before screwing them on. Also don't forget to label your bottles if you're making multiple tinctures. :)
The usual adult dosage is a dropper full. It can be taken straight or in tea. Once the tinctures are complete, they last for years!
Thanks to @goldendawne for the inspiration for this post!!
Love, snowpea ❤😘🙂🌸
Where do you acquire the dried herbs in bulk quantities?
We have a couple local natural food stores that sell bulk quantities, if you don't have such a store in your area, you can find places online that sell in bulk too. :)
I don't think you actually need to store it in a cool place. In fact, heat speeds up the process. Might be a good idea to keep it out of the sun though. Or put it in something that blocks light.
The dry is probably right though, just because mason jars rust.
I guess I was just repeating what I learned but I can see your point about heat speeding up the process. Thanks!! :)
Do the tinctures have to be limited to one herb per extract or can you mix two or more into one 'multi-purpose' batch?
Interesting info. This is much easier than I suspected. Thanks for sharing!
No, there are blends out there. I would research what goes well together first though. Thanks for reading! :)
I loved this guide! I've been fascinated by tinctures for some time now, but have never actually attempted to make one of my own. This was quite informative :)
That's awesome!! Thank you, and give it a try sometime! :)
I don't know how this happened, but apparently I wasn't even following you! :O I could've sworn I hit that Follow button way back when I first discovered your MBTI posts....anyway, I just fixed that problem :P
No harm done! I know how glitchy Steemit can be sometimes. :)
Very cool!! Does it matter what kind/quality of vodka is used?
Nope, you can get the cheapest vodka around! :)
I guess it would also depend on what taste you can handle, but it's the alcohol that does the work.
Thanks for sharing your post on 'Pimp Your Post Thursday'
https://discord.gg/KP2tNq4
It was great to be there! Thanks for having me!! :)
Is this from the class we took together? It's great that you're putting it to use. :)
Yes, the same class we took together!! It was very useful. :)
Very well done. Old time care giving is so coming back 😁. Love home remedies. Love to you
Thank you!! Love to you as well! <3
You are welcome. Please check us out @abbijulie. Love to see you more. Have a great healthy day. Love