Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
If you struggle with anxiety, insomnia, or stress-related stomach issues, lemon balm might become one of your favorite herbs. This fragrant member of the mint family is known for its calming, antiviral, and stomach-soothing properties. And by turning it into a tincture, you can enjoy its benefits any time of year.
A lemon balm tincture is easy to make, shelf-stable, and very powerful. Unlike teas that you have to brew, tinctures are ready to use whenever you need a quick dose of herbal support. All you need to make it is some fresh lemon balm and alcohol. No fancy tools or complicated formulas.
Want to save this post for later? Click Here to Pin It On Pinterest!
This guide to making a lemon balm tincture is from the YouTube channel She Is Of The Woods. If you've never seen her videos, I highly recommend checking them out. Her name is April Graham and she's a well-known herbalist and off-grid expert who has been doing this kind of stuff ever since she was a little girl, when she learned from her grandmothers.
You can watch her video and read the instructions below.
What You’ll Need
- Fresh lemon balm (not dried)
- A clean glass jar (any size)
- 80–100 proof vodka (unflavored)
- A knife or scissors
- A label and marker (or tape and pen)
- A cool, dark storage spot
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Harvest and Sort Your Lemon Balm
Look for lemon balm in the wild or your garden. It smells like lemon drop candy and grows in patches like many mint-family plants. Choose healthy, green leaves and stems.
Once you’ve gathered your lemon balm:
- Sort through it and remove any dead leaves, sticks, or bugs.
- Make sure you only have clean lemon balm in your batch.
Step 2: Chop the Herbs
Give your lemon balm a light chop. You don’t need to mince it. Just break it down a bit to expose more surface area to the alcohol. This helps with extraction.
As April says, “Don't murder the plant.” Just give it a respectful chop.
Step 3: Fill the Jar
Stuff the chopped lemon balm into your jar. You don’t need to pack it down tight, but you want the jar to be well-filled without large gaps.
Step 4: Add the Vodka
Pour 80 or 100 proof vodka over the lemon balm until the jar is completely full. You want the alcohol to cover the plant material completely to avoid oxidation (which can cause browning and spoilage).
- If you're using 100 proof vodka (which is 50% water, 50% alcohol), the tincture will be shelf-stable and ready to use as-is once strained.
- 80 proof is fine, too. Just aim for the highest proof you can legally and easily buy.
You can use any size jar, from a small half-pint up to a big half-gallon, as long as you have enough alcohol to completely cover the herbs.
Step 5: Label It
Label your jar with:
- The name of the herb
- The date you made it
- Optional: where you harvested it, batch number, or other notes
This helps you keep track of when it's ready and what’s inside, especially if you’re making multiple tinctures.
Step 6: Let It Sit
Place your jar in a cool, dark place and let it sit for 6 to 8 weeks. Shake it occasionally if you remember, but it’s not essential.
Step 7: Strain and Store
After 6–8 weeks (or longer), strain out the plant matter using cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer. Pour the finished tincture into clean, labeled dropper bottles or jars.
Store in a cool, dark place. It’ll last several years without refrigeration.
How to Use Lemon Balm Tincture
Standard usage is:
- 1–2 droppers full (about 30–60 drops)
- Taken under the tongue or in a small amount of water
- As needed for anxiety, upset stomach, or sleep support
Always start small and observe how your body responds.
Like this post? Don't forget to Pin It On Pinterest!
You May Also Like:
The post How to Make a Lemon Balm Tincture for Anxiety appeared first on Homestead Survival Site.
from Homestead Survival Site https://ift.tt/VYZR5OM
No comments:
Post a Comment