Tea is one of the oldest and most effective ways to use medicinal plants. When hot water is poured over dried herbs, a range of active compounds naturally contained in the plant are released. These include essential oils, polyphenols, bitter substances, and other water-soluble plant compounds.
Dried Herbs Preserve Essential Oils
When herbs are dried correctly, drying acts as a natural preservation method. The plant's structure is maintained, and essential oils are encapsulated within the plant material.
This means that the essential oils are protected during storage and are only released when the herb is brewed in hot water. In this way, they are extracted precisely when they are to be used.
Natural Extraction
Hot water acts as an extraction solvent. It helps to dissolve and release the active compounds from the plant's cell structure. When you drink the tea, your body gains access to these compounds in a form that is easy to absorb.
Absorption in the body
When tea is consumed, many of its compounds are absorbed through the mucous membranes in the mouth and stomach. Since extraction has already occurred in the cup, the body doesn't first need to break down solid material, making many plant compounds more directly available.
Why Tincture?
Tinctures are another traditional way to extract and use medicinal plants. Here, alcohol is typically used as an extraction solvent.
Effective extraction of plant compounds
Alcohol can dissolve both water-soluble and fat-soluble substances. This means that tinctures can often extract a broader spectrum of the plant's active components, including essential oils.
Concentrated form
Because the plant is extracted over a longer period, the tincture is often more concentrated than a tea. This means that a smaller amount of liquid can contain a relatively high amount of plant compounds.
Rapid absorption
Tinctures are often taken in small drops. When the liquid comes into contact with the mucous membranes in the mouth, some substances can be absorbed relatively quickly before they even reach the stomach.
Comparison between tea, tinctures, and pills
Many plant-based products are now sold in capsules or tablets. This format can be convenient but also entails certain limitations.
1. Processing
In the manufacturing of tablets and capsules, plant material is often ground very finely and undergoes several industrial processes. Heat, pressure, and oxidation can affect sensitive plant compounds.
Essential oils are particularly sensitive as they are volatile. Some of these may therefore decrease during the manufacturing process.
2. Extraction only occurs in the body
When taking a pill, the body itself must break down the capsule and extract the substances from the plant material in the gastrointestinal tract. This means that absorption can be more limited compared to an already extracted form, such as tea or tincture.
3. Examples: Tribulus and winter savory
Example 1 – Tribulus in capsule
A capsule with 2000 mg of Tribulus terrestris often contains around 0.38% protodioscin, which corresponds to about 7 mg. Since protodioscin is a large saponin molecule, absorption is often estimated at 5–15%, meaning the body practically absorbs approximately 0.5–1 mg.
Example 2 – Winter savory in tincture
Winter savory (Satureja montana) can contain up to 5% essential oil in dried herb, mainly carvacrol and thymol. If 1 ml of tincture corresponds to approximately 200 mg of herb, this yields about 10 mg of essential oil. Absorption can often be around 50–80%, which corresponds to about 5–8 mg of absorbed substances.
Example 3 – Direct comparison
Despite the capsule containing 2000 mg of plant, the body often absorbs only 0.5–1 mg of active substance. With winter savory in tincture, the body can instead absorb 5–8 mg of aromatic compounds, i.e., up to
5–10 times more absorbed substance despite a significantly smaller dose.