CBD Tinctures: An Overview
There are loads and loads of different CBD products on the market today, as we all know. All of them come from the same plant, and thus, the only real difference lies in the manner by which they are extracted from the plant. There are a lot of ways in which a plant can be processed into a usable medicine, and today we will be discussing one of the oldest and most effective methods: The making of a tincture.
What Is A Tincture?
The word “tincture” is an old term for an alcohol-based plant extract. It is made by steeping the plant in a solution of alcohol and water, which causes the plant’s chemical components to be drawn out, where they remain in solution. The result is an alcoholic liquid that is infused with the medicinal benefits of a particular plant. Needless to say, you can only use grain (ethyl) alcohol for something like this, as most other alcohols cannot be safely consumed. Technically, the antifreeze in your car is a type of alcohol, but you certainly don’t want to use anything like that!
People understood from a very early point that you could infuse alcoholic drinks with the benefits of medicinal herbs. As humans have been brewing alcohol since the dawn of recorded history, the practice of making tinctures may be just as old. The Sumerians regarded beer as a “gift from the gods,” and this might have been one reason for that saying.
Advantages Of Using A Tincture
Although CBD tinctures from stirlingcbdoilsare not as popular as oils, they are better for certain purposes. In the end, it all depends on what you are doing and how you are going about the process. For instance, tinctures are really good for sublingual (under the tongue) use. They do burn a little bit, but that doesn’t last very long. This method of use offers a very high level of bioavailability, which is a fancy way of saying that your body will use more of the CBD. This happens because you bypass the digestive system and go straight to the blood.
Tinctures are very strong, as alcohols do a good job of concentrating the “essence” of the plant. There is a very simple reason for this fact, which is obvious if you think about the whole thing. Alcohols are known for their ability to dissolve oily and greasy substances, while water usually won’t affect these things. Because many of the essential compounds of herbal medicines are oils of one kind or another, they will be readily dissolved in any kind of alcohol. When making a tincture, you use a 50/50 mixture of water and alcohol, and that allows it to get the water-soluble compounds as well.
Tinctures also have the advantage of being digested very quickly. Alcohol has a tendency to get into the bloodstream and digestive system very quickly, as anyone who has ever drunk a shot of whiskey can attest. Thus, a tincture makes for a very fast-acting medicine. Because alcohol doesn’t decay (in fact, it prevents decay), it also makes for a medicine that has an extremely long shelf life. Oils cannot be kept for too long, or else they will begin to mold and mildew. Tinctures, on the other hand, will last until they have been used or evaporated away.
Finally, there is one additional benefit that comes from the use of tinctures. These types of CBD preparations are much better for those who prefer to mix it with a drink. CBD oils don’t really mix with liquids (for obvious reasons), so tinctures present a good alternative here.
How To Make A CBD Tincture
If you want to try your hand at making your own DIY-CBD tincture, it isn’t that hard to do so. Of course, you will need some Hemp flowers. In fact, you will need quite a few of them, depending on how big a batch you wish to make. The first thing you will need is a well-sealed glass jar. it can be virtually any size, but be aware that your container size must match the size of your batch. Thus, big jars can only be used for large batches, and vice versa.
Fill the jar halfway with Hemp flowers, and then fill the rest of the jar with a mixture of alcohol and water, which should be 50/50. Now, as for how you will obtain that solution, there are two ways that you can do so. First, you can buy some pure-grain alcohol and mix it with an equal volume of water. Or, you can just go the easy route and buy some clear 100-proof vodka. In fact, any clear 100-proof liquor would probably work.
Now, all you have to do is cap the jar securely (making sure that it is airtight) and give it a shake. You will need to shake the jar twice a day (once in the morning and once at night). If you don’t do this, the plant material that floats at the top will grow mold, and your tincture will be ruined. After two weeks, strain out the plant material using three coffee filters, and your tincture will be ready to use.
Conclusion:
We have tried to give you a good overview of this subject here, and that is why we have included detailed instructions on how to make your own tincture. Not everyone will choose to do this, of course, but it will help you to have a better understanding of what tinctures are and how they work. If you have enjoyed this article, please come back and see us again.
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