I am pretty sure everything I have read about raspberry leaf is a pregnancy no no until you are full term! as it can cause premature labor (or miscarriage if early on before a baby can live outside the womb) Can anyone confirm or deny this?

If vitamins and minerals are not extracted in alcohol or at least in minimal amounts, what is extracted from the herbs?

I am a clinical herbalist and holistic nutritionist. This is wrong for so many reasons. Firstly, the recipe says that “pouring boiling water to just dampen all of the herbs” is “optional”. Also, only water-soluble vitamins extract into water! Period. Fat-soluble vitamins may show up in very trace amounts, but the writer of this post specifically recommended red raspberry leaf for this tincture blend because it contains the Vitamins E and A, which are fat-soluble, not water-soluble. She also recommends Alfalfa for Vitamin K, which is ALSO a fat-soluble vitamin.

Alcohol does not extract vitamins and minerals. Vinegar can extract some minerals, but almost anyone would be better off simply drinking a nutritive infusion daily.

They will extract into the water that’s used before the alcohol is added, or into the water from the glycerite.

Animals can’t metabolize alcohols, so it could kill them

Thank u for answering this question. I have literally spent two days searching the internet for answers after reading some of the above comments from the recent herbalist school graduates. It worried me reading their comments considering I made 3 large jars of multivitamin tincture with a recipe I made myself (but similar to Wellness Mama’s). I was hoping that it wasn’t a waste since my intention was the vitamin and mineral content. I am a huge researcher and learner in life in general, and love understanding deeply about the things I do. I want to believe wholeheartedly in whatever input into my body as medicine. So thank u both for asking and replying about the science behind the tinctures. I am still eagerly awaiting more comments if anyone has anything else at all to add. I love when people freely share whatever information they know, even if it seems like it won’t be useful. It just might actually be useful for someone. So share away! And thank u, Wellness Mama. I love ur website and come here often for good recipes!

Is wheatgrass comparable to alfalfa and does it matter if it’s expired if it hasn’t been opened?

you can grow Moringa as an annual in places all over North America, you may want to start it in January inside, and transplant to the garden as soon as all danger of frost is gone.

I was taught this too, and make my vitamin tincture from ACV.

You mentioned one part is basically equal to ¼C or 1 oz but 1 oz of everything but the dandelion is way more than ¼C. So do I go with ounces or ¼C?

I am no expert! But just beginning my herbalism studies. I’m doing an herbal apprenticeship and the text we are using is Rosemary Gladstar’s Science & Art of Herbology (which I think is also a home study program) From my notes:

Alcohol (50-70%) extracts alkaloids, salts, most glucosides, sugars, vitamins, enzymes, some tannins and bitter compounds.

Absolute alcohol extracts (195 proof): alkaloids, glucosides, volatile oils, waxes, resins, fats, some tannins, balsam, sugars, vitamins.

Glycerin extracts: sugars, enzymes, glucosides, bitter compounds, saponins, tannins

Vinegar extracts: sugars, tannings, vitamins, some minerals, glycosides, bitter compounds

I hope you find this helpful 🙂

You indicated that the tincture the should be stored in the fridge and will last for 3-6 months.

Until the moment I strain it in 6 weeks time, do I also store it in the fridge?

Thanks again!