Have you ever made a glycerite? Do you know what a glycerite is?
In case you don’t know, a glycerite is a tincture made with vegetable glycerine instead of alcohol.100% Pure Vegetable Glycerine has a long shelf life and does not easily oxidize. It is an all-natural product derived from Non-GMO palm oil or vegetable oil.I usually use NOW Solutions Glycerine Vegetable, 16-Fluid Ounces or one from Mountain Rose. Those are the only two I have ever tried.
Why would I use vegetable glycerine? Well, if someone was sensitive to alcohol or you wanted to make it for children, you would use a glycerine rather than an alcohol and it tastes sweet so getting the kids to take their medicine is a whole lot easier! Some adults too. 😉
I made an Echinacea glycerite the other day but forgot to take pictures of the whole process, just this one:
I had some fresh ginger so I figured I would make a Ginger Glycerite. A fellow student in Herb class made one and oh my goodness – unbelieveable!! I could just take a spoonful or two and put it in tea or in some club soda.
What is ginger good for?
Herbal Actions:
Anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-spasmodic, carminative, anti-emetic (anti-nausea), circulatory stimulant, aromatic, expectorant, rubifacient(A rubefacient is a substance for topical application that produces redness of the skin e.g. by causing dialation of the capillaries and an increase in blood circulation), diaphoretic, emmenagogue(stimulates blood flow) and an antioxidant.
Indications:
In other words, ginger stimulates digestion, helps nausea during chemotherapy – motion sickness – morning sickness(small amounts), indigestion, poor appetite, dizziness, delayed menses, menstrual cramps, joint pain and inflammation, cold symptoms, poor circulation, congestion and may help prevent heart attacks and TIA’s but since it can inhibit blood coagulation – precautions must be taken with any medications or prexisting problems with blood coagulation.
Ginger anything, to me, is just good to eat! I put it in smoothies, in coffee, in water, tumeric berry lemonade, crystallized ginger recipe. What are your favorite ways to enjoy ginger?
Alrighty then, down to the procedure of making the glycerite!
Ginger Glycerite Recipe
Ingredients: Fresh ginger root
bottle of vegetable glycerine
a glass jar
a scale
First, slice up your ginger – peel it if it is not organic otherwise leave the skin on. Weigh the sliced ginger –
I got 3.5 ounces. I left the ginger in slices rather than mince them because I may eat them after they have been soaking in the glycerine – delish!!! So since I have 3.5 ounces of FRESH ginger, I need 7 ounces of straight, 100% glycerine. The ratio is 1:2 for fresh and 1:5 for dried. With glycerites, you want the glycerine content to be around 60-70% so with the fresh(since fresh herbs always contain water), we do not dilute it with water. If it was dried root then we would dilute the glycerine with 30% water. Does that make sense?
Glycerine is a syrupy consistency.
Next pour the glycerine over your ginger, that you first put in a glass jar.
Use a chopstick or spatula and stir it up good, pushing the ginger down so none is exposed to the air. Put a lid on it and a label with the following information:
Date, batch # ( you can use the first 3 letter of the botanical name – both parts and the date and a number), botanical name, part used, ratio, dried or fresh, what was your menstruum(liquid used for tincture). Here is a sheet that I use from the www.herbalista.org (one of my teachers) – Maceration Worksheet FRESH
Keep your tincture where you can see it everyday and shake it at least once daily. If the herb is poking up through the menstruum, push it back down and if necessary add a wee bit more glycerine. It will be ready to strain in 3 weeks. Strain through cheescloth lined strainer into a jar and bottle it into smaller amber jars – LABEL!
Dosage – 20-40 drops up to 3X/day.
Enjoy your medicine-making!
Anne-Marie
Disclaimer and affiliate links: Even though I study herbalism and make medicines, my advice, experiences and recipes are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
I do not promote anything that is inconsistent with my ideology. However, I do accept sponsorships, affiliate programs and other forms of compensation from companies I believe in. Please visit my friends and affiliate links within the post or on my sidebar. 🙂
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