In this article, you will learn how to make dandelion tincture yourself, at home. We are going to use dandelion roots, leaves, flowers and vodka.
First of all, I think this will help! Here’s a quick video to give you a visual, step-by-step tutorial on how to make your own dandelion tincture here…
Why I am using vodka to make dandelion tincture?
I am using vodka to make my tincture for the following reasons…
- It has a fairly neutral taste, so the final tincture shouldn’t have an alcohol flavour.
- Vodka pulls out the active medicinal compounds from the dandelion.
- Vodka is generally one of the less expensive alcohols to buy.
- It just works.
As an alternative to vodka you can use rum.
Otherwise for an alcohol free tincture, you can use vinegar or food grade glycerine. They also extract the healthy properties from the dandelion. That said, I have never used these methods myself, so I can’t give personal advice on this option.
What part of dandelion is used for tincture?
You can use all parts of a dandelion.
In this dandelion tincture recipe I’m using…
- the roots
- the leaves
- the flowers
Each part has powerful health benefits to it.
How do you harvest roots for dandelion tincture?
Use a trowel or spade to dig the roots from the earth. The earth might be hard and compacted, so be patient if this is the case.
If you live in an urban area make sure you choose a place where you know dogs haven’t peed! Obviously haha 😉
Once you’ve harvested the roots make sure that you clean all dirt off them thoroughly before using them to make your tincture. I use a little scrubbing brush to do this.
Dandelion tincture versus tea
Dandelion tincture is much more potent than tea. The alcohol draws out the medicinal compounds, whereas steeping water for tea is less effective. This means that if you are looking for a remedy with strong health benefits then tincture comes up top.
Dandelion tea however is nice as a general tonic. Personally, I enjoy both. For tea, simply infuse fresh or dried leaves in a mug for five minutes.
What are the health benefits of dandelion tincture?
Dandelions have an excellent reputation as a detoxifier, blood cleanser, stimulant and digestive aid. They act as a liver tonic, removing toxins whilst stimulating the kidneys to ensure that toxins are rapidly eliminated. Bile is cleared out, promoting better digestion and discouraging the formation of gallstones.
Whilst there haven’t been many clear and concise studies carried out on the health benefits of dandelions traditional cultures have a lot to say about them. This includes the North Native Americans and the European Celts who successfully used these prolific wild plants for a myriad of different health benefits.
I’ve outlined a few of the most commonly known uses here… The Health Benefits of Dandelions
How to make dandelion tincture at home
Make dandelion tincture at home with vodka and foraged dandelion leaves, roots and flowers. This is a super easy and inexpensive recipe.
Materials
- Dandelion roots
- Dandelion leaves
- Dandelion flowers
- Vodka
Tools
- Chopping board
- Sharp heavy knife
- Large glass jar or bottle with lid
- Coloured glass bottles with lids
Instructions
(Please watch my quick video below to see me do this first).
HOW TO MAKE DANDELION TINCTURE...
- Forage as many dandelions as you would like.
- Dig up the roots using a trowel.
- Pick the leaves and flowers.
- Clean any debris from the leaves and flowers.
- Scrub the roots using a little scrubbing brush.
- Chop the clean roots into very small pieces.
- Roughly chop the leaves.
- Cram your chopped roots, leaves and flowers into your jar or bottle and compact them down.
- Fill the jar with vodka until it has completely covered all of your leaves and then add a little more.
- Allow this to infuse for at least 28 days. This allows time for the vodka to extract all of the medicinal benefits from the dandelion.
- Check-in on your tincture daily over the first week. Give it a shake each day if you like. It's not essential to shake it to be honest, but some people like to do this anyway.
- Make sure all of the dandelion is BELOW the vodka line over the first couple of weeks. Press down any stray bits that you notice. The dandelion and vodka should turn brown over time as the magic happens.
- Leave it for a minimum of 28 days. You can leave it for a few months if you want an even more potent tincture.
- Once it is ready strain into a glass jug using a super fine meshed strainer or a cheesecloth.
- Decant it into coloured glass bottles with secure lids and then store in a cool dark place.
- Your dandelion tincture will keep for years.
How to make juice with
dandelion leaves here…
Pin dandelion tincture recipe for later…
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