Infusions, Decoctions, Tinctures, Glycerites… What’s The Difference?
“What’s the difference between infusions, decoctions, tinctures, and everything else?”
From soothing teas and potent tinctures to sweet elixirs, oxymels, and capsules, each method extracts different constituents, offers unique benefits, and suits different needs. For example, someone who hates the taste of herbal tea might opt for capsules or a glycerite. While someone who is taking marshmallow root to feed their gut flora, might opt for a cold infusion.
Each type of preparation has it’s own set of pros and cons that can greatly influence how well the herb(s) work for you. In this post, we will be going over infusions, decoctions, alcohol tinctures, glycerites, herbal vinegars, capsules, oxymels, elixirs, and essential oils.
Infusions
An infusion is basically what we would refer to as tea. It is when herbs are steeped in hot water for a few minutes to extract their flavor and constituents (medicinal properties).
With an infusion, you would use the aerial parts of the plant. The aerial parts are the leaves, flowers, and stems - the above ground parts. These plant parts are softer and easier to extract constituents from.
Infusions are a great option if you enjoy the taste of herbal teas and are either not seeking medicinal benefits, or, are taking an herb whose constituents are water soluble. Some herbs that extract great in water are nettle leaf, oatstraw, alfalfa leaf, marshmallow root, and raspberry leaf.
One con to an infusion is the length of time that it takes to prepare it. If you have really busy mornings/days, you might want to opt for something quicker. Another con is that the medicine might not be as potent compared to a tincture or herbal vinegar.
A cold infusion is great for herbs that have a lot of mucilage content, like marshmallow root and slippery elm. Heat can degrade mucilage or make it thicken too quickly. This won’t extract well. It is also favorable for herbs that are very aromatic because heat can damage volatile oils. Cold infusions are also cooling, making them ideal for hot constitutions.
Decoctions
Decoctions are infusions, but with those tougher plant parts. So the same information applies.
Roots, barks, rhizomes, and seeds require a little extra work to extract its constituents. With a decoction, you want to start off with soaking the herb in cold water. This helps keep the plant cell wall from binding together and making it difficult for constituents to extract. There’s also the option of grinding the herbs prior to decocting to ensure the best extraction.
Ideally, you want to soak it in cold water for 30min-1hr. Often times, I forgo this step and just go straight to the slow simmer, but it is highly recommended to not skip the soaking process.
After soaking it, you can either bring it to a slow simmer and keep it there for 15-30mins, or you can bring it to a boil and right when it starts to boil, turn it down to a simmer for 15-30mins.
Alcohol Tinctures
Alcohol herbal tinctures are my personal favorite. Tinctures are a mix of water and alcohol. The mix of both mediums give tinctures its ability to extract a wide range of constituents. Tinctures are generally more concentrated than infusions or decoctions, making them especially useful when potency and effectiveness are key.
Tinctures are great for those who need a fast-acting, potent dose of herbal medicine and/or are just looking for a quick and easy way to take their medicine. They also have a long shelf life, often lasting years if stored properly.
As far as cons, one of the biggest con is the alcohol. Many individuals can’t consume alcohol for various reasons. In cases like these, they might want to opt for a glycerite or herbal vinegar. Another con is the taste. To remedy this, you can dilute your tincture dose in a glass of water. Lastly, some might find it a nuisance to wait weeks for a tincture to be ready.
Elixirs
An elixir is essentially an alcohol based tincture with an added sweetener, such as, honey, maple syrup, or glycerin. This is my second favorite herbal preparation, and my Liver Tonic formula is technically considered an elixir.
This preparation comes with the same pros and cons of an alcohol tincture, but with the added pro of improved taste. The mix of sweetener and alcohol also makes for improved energetics. The moistening property of the sweetener balances the drying property of the alcohol.
As far as any added cons, because of the addition of sweetener, you can expect elixirs to be slightly less potent than tinctures. This can be remedied by adjusting the dosage.
Glycerites
Glycerites are herbal extracts made with vegetable glycerin and water. Children, elderly, pets, and those that can’t consume alcohol can opt for a glycerite. They are sweet, palatable, and much easier to take.
Glycerites are less potent than alcohol tinctures because glycerin is not as strong of a solvent. It doesn’t extract certain constituents well, especially alkaloids, resins, and essential oils. Because they are less potent, they often require larger or more frequent doses to achieve the same effects as a tincture. They also have a shorter shelf life of 1-2 years.
Those watching their sugar intake may want to avoid using glycerites.
Herbal Vinegar
An herbal vinegar is herb infused vinegar. The most commonly used vinegar is raw apple cider vinegar. Vinegar’s natural acidity makes it great for extracting minerals, alkaloids, and certain flavonoids and glycosides.
Herbal vinegars have a high mineral extraction capacity and is ideal for nutritive herbs like nettle, oatstraw, and red clover.
I have heard other herbalists argue that apple cider vinegar is a better solvent than alcohol, but personally, I put alcohol on a higher pedestal. I always respect the opinions of other herbalists, so your own personal research will have to determine where you stand on this.
As far as cons, apart from it not being able to extract certain constituents well, the acidity may be unpleasant or irritating to some, especially those with acid reflux, sensitive teeth, or ulcers.
They typically have a shelf life of 6m-1y, but be mindful that they can corrode metals over time.
Capsules
Capsules are one of the quickest and more favorable ways to take herbs. They allow the easiest administration of herbal medicine and is ideal for those who are completely opposed to the taste of herbs.
But capsules do not come without cons. Compared to infusions and tinctures, capsules have a longer transit time. This means that you won’t feel the effects as quickly. Some constituents require heat, fat, or alcohol to be properly extracted and absorbed, which capsules don’t provide. To help remedy this, take your herbal capsules with a meal. Also, doses are harder to modify with capsules.
There is also a level of disconnect with the plant medicine when using capsules because the sensory and energetic aspects of herbalism are absent. For some, they might not mind, but for others, they might want to choose another option.
Oxymels
An oxymel is a preparation that combines vinegar and honey. Oxymels typically use raw apple cider vinegar for its mineral content and health benefits, along with raw honey for its antimicrobial, soothing, and harmonizing properties. And of course, they are often infused with herbs.
They can be taken on their own, mixed with water, added to drinks or teas, and even incorporated into salad dressings and cocktails.
It definitely provides a fun way to take herbal medicine, but not without faults. Oxymels are typically not as potent as other preparations. Because of its lack in potency, higher and more frequent doses may be required to get proper medicinal benefits. Lastly, those watching their blood sugar or dealing with acid reflux might want to avoid.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are highly concentrated volatile oils that are extracted from plants. Unlike tinctures or teas, essential oils don’t contain a wide spectrum of plant constituents. They only contain the fat-soluble, aromatic compounds that give herbs their distinctive scent and many of their therapeutic actions.
While some say that essential oils can be used internally when diluted properly, I personally don’t recommend internal use.
One of the biggest advantages of essential oils is how quickly and effectively they work, especially when inhaled or applied to the skin (always properly diluted). They’re incredibly versatile and can be used in diffusers, massage oils, salves, bath blends, and more.
Because they are so concentrated, only a few drops are needed, and they have a long shelf life if stored properly. However, this potency also presents some risks. Essential oils can be irritating or even toxic if used undiluted or improperly. Also, the production of essential oils requires a large amount of plant material, which can raise sustainability concerns, especially for more rare or slow-growing species.
While essential oils are a powerful part of the herbal toolkit, they should be used with care, respect, and an understanding of their limitations and appropriate applications.
Key Tips:
Never boil the herbs when making an infusion or decoction. Boiling creates too high of a temperature which can “kill” a lot of the heat sensitive constituents. For decoctions, a low simmer only. As low as your burner can go!
Always dilute essential oils before using.
Make sure the glycerin you are using is food-grade. Many popular glycerin suppliers do not sell food grade glycerin.