Why do we Use Alcohol in our Tinctures? 

Since the inception of herbal medicine, herbalists have been using alcohol in one form or another to extract the medicinal properties (phytonutrients) from plants. This extract is what is known as a herbal tincture. 

To many, using alcohol in a health-promoting product, seems rather contradictory.  Especially when we are normally being told to limit our alcohol consumption. We often get asked how safe it is for us, and how it can affect our health. 

To shed some light on this issue, I am going to explain why alcohol is such a powerful ingredient in herbal tinctures, and why it is still the preferred solvent of herbalists. 

Alcohol is a powerful yet safe solvent 

Because of its ability to extract compounds and active ingredients that aren’t water-soluble, alcohol is a wonderful solvent for herbs. Essential oils, alkaloids and resins are just a few examples of herbs that other edible solvents just aren’t powerful enough to extract. 

Alcohol is quickly absorbed by the body

Because alcohol enters the bloodstream rapidly, alcohol-based tinctures are very fast-acting. The cheeks and tongue contain many capillaries which absorb alcohol quickly. Therefore, when drops of a tincture are placed under the tongue, both the alcohol and the active ingredients it has extracted, immediately enter the bloodstream. In this way, they deliver the tincture’s healing properties where they are needed. This is unlike most other foods and liquids which are digested in the gut. 

The preserving power of alcohol

As well as being a wonderful solvent, alcohol is a wonderful preservative. Using it in tinctures helps to give them a long shelf life. Most alcohol-based tinctures last at least 5-10 years, if not indefinitely…just like an aged whisky. 

Alcohol increases the potency of tinctures

Unlike teas, which use only water as a solvent, alcohol-based tinctures only require a small dose for any effect to be felt. This is because they are highly concentrated and potent. It is precisely because of this concentration that so little is needed, which means there will be next to no change in the blood alcohol content. In fact, even an overripe banana or fermented vegetables contain a similar amount of alcohol as a dose of an alcohol-based tincture. 

The importance of alcohol content in herbal tinctures 

Most alcohol-based tinctures will display the ratio of herb to alcohol, as well as the alcohol percentage. Listing this ratio helps the consumer to understand the amount of herb material relative to the volume of alcohol. Doing so provides information about how concentrated the extract is. For example, if a tincture has a 1:2 ratio, it will contain one part plant material to two parts alcohol. How much alcohol used depends upon the properties of each particular herb, and, when fresh herbs are used, how much water they contain. The minimum alcohol percentage of a herbal tincture is 25%, but most contain at least 50%. 

What kind of alcohol is used in the tincture-making process? 

Tinctures generally contain ethyl alcohol–a high-proof alcohol that is safe for consumption. Since each dosage of tincture is quite small (usually no more than 30 to 60 drops), the amount of alcohol consumed each dose is miniscule, and very quickly metabolised by the body. 

Alcohol is fast-acting, potent, and has the ability to extend the shelf life of tinctures. It is for these reasons that alcohol continues to be used as the solvent of choice in herbal tinctures, as it has for centuries. While some people express concern about alcohol-based tinctures, it is important to remember that only a very small amount is consumed each dose. It is, therefore, both a safe and effective way of administering herbal medicine.