Decoctions and Infusions

Published on 26 July 2023 at 17:11

Decoctions and infusions are two different ways to acquire the health benefits of herbs. They extract the compounds of the herbs making them into their liquid form. This way herbs can be taken as a medicine or used in cooking. It will increase the flavors of a dish or add a unique twist to a familiar recipe. If you have taken a supplement or pill to get the benefits of an herb, you’ve experienced decoctions and infusions.

Infusions

The infusions process utilizes the delicate parts of a plants; flowers, seeds, and leaves. Such fragile parts should not be boiled. It is created by letting the herbal concoction steep for 10-15 minutes in boiled water, much like a tea. This causes the plant cells to open up and release their active ingredients into the solution. This often makes taking herbal medicine much more enjoyable to consume as you can add a sweetener. This is a no fuss method that makes taking herbal medicine on a daily basis easy and is great for acute symptoms.

Decoctions

Decoctions is a longer process that extract the more hard to reach components from the herbs that consist of bark, roots, nuts stems and berries. This method gives you a concentrated form of herbal medicine solution. The herbs are simmering in boiling water for 15-20 minutes while covered. Much like how you would create a soup or stew. This is a break down of the tougher outer parts of the plant which normally cannot be accessed by any other method. This method is usually used to treat chronic conditions.

Examples in Decoctions and Infusions

The healing benefits of herbs like chamomile or mint are best taken as an infusion or tea. In this example the herbs consist of the flower or leaves of the plant. They aid in relieving morning sickness, congestion, and gas by soothing the digestive system.

In decoction, Cramp Bark and Ginger are a good example. They like chamomile and mint help to relieve morning sickness, gas and digestive symptoms. As mentioned herbs that are made of, roots and bark, they require a longer heating process. The longer the heat the stronger the herbal solution becomes.

You can’t go wrong with either method. Acute and chronic conditions can be relieved with herbal remedies. In the final stage of infusion or decoction, the solution is strained.

 

Find Herbal Recipes Here

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