Whole plant extracts have been use for centuries to treat various health conditions, such as inflammation and allergies. The plant extract is the concentrate liquid drawn from the plant. The extraction process can be done using solvents or boiling water.
How to Make Plant Extract
Plant extracts are often use in different household preparations around the world. This blog teaches you how to make your own plant extract from common and available ingredients like lemon extract, oils, garlic etc.
The plant extract can be make by extracting the active ingredient from a plant or flower. This is often done by boiling water and then cooling it, making the plant’s active ingredient more concentrate.
Some plants produce compounds that benefit people and offer protection from diseases. Absorbing these compounds takes time if you’re eating plant foods every day.
But many interesting benefits can quickly be accrue by taking herb extracts periodically in 15 to 30 ml preparations with water or with natural drinks like apple juice, etc…
Plant Extract May Be New Therapy For Hay Fever
A plant extract may be a new therapy for hay fever. A study found that the extract of the common ragweed. Which is one of the plants that cause hay fever, can reduce symptoms in people with ragweed allergies.
As we all know, hay fever is a pollen allergy. The pollen enters your nose and triggers your immune system to release histamine. Which causes inflammation and swelling in your nasal passages. This leads to symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes and throat.
The study found that allergic reactions were reduce by nearly half when using this extract of the common ragweed compare to those who didn’t use it.
What is an herbal extract?
An herbal extract is an infusion of herbs or plant material in a liquid. Herbal extracts are usually make by soaking the plant or plant part in alcohol, water, oil, vinegar, or other liquid.
The liquid is then strain out and used in cooking or as medicine. Extracts can be make from flowers, leaves, roots, bark, berries and other parts of the plants.
Plant Extracts in Medicine of Herbalism
The use of plant extracts for medicinal purposes is as old as human history. The earliest known written record of using plants for healing purposes can be trac back to the Ebers Papyrus in Egypt, which dates from 1550 BCE.
In ancient times, people used the herbs they found growing around them to treat their illnesses.
Today, herbal medicine is a recognized and respected profession with many practitioners worldwide. Herbalists use a variety of plant extracts and other substances like minerals and vitamins to treat physical or mental illnesses.
They also use them as preventative medicine to promote health or maintain wellness. Plant extracts are most often use in herbalism today. Because they are believe to have medicinal properties that can be extract from the plant’s leaves, flowers, bark, roots or seeds.
Some common types of plant extract include essential oils (from flowers), tinctures (from bark), infusions (from leaves), decoctions (from roots) and extracts (from seeds).
A plant extract is make by using an organic solvent or water to dissolve the plant material, follow by evaporation of the solvent. The solvents used include alcohol, acetone, methanol and water.
The resulting solution is call a tincture or an infusion. Extracting these substances from plants can be done without killing them. Still, it can also be done on living plants with varying levels of harm. Such as by sterilizing the soil or use a selective pesticide.
A solvent, such as alcohol, is use to dissolve the plant material and then the solvent is evaporate off. The resulting solution of herbs or plants is call a tincture or an infusion.
Plant extracts – importance in sustainable agriculture
Traditional medicine has used plant extracts for centuries to cure various ailments. Plant extracts are also being use in sustainable agriculture and food processing industries.
Plant extracts are increasing in the food industry because they can be use as natural preservatives and antioxidants. In addition, they can also be use to enhance the flavor of food while reducing the need for sugar and salt.
Furthermore, they can also be add to process foods as an alternative to artificial flavoring agents. A few examples of plants that have been traditionally use for health benefits include ginger, peppermint, cinnamon, garlic, oregano and turmeric.
These plants have been find to reduce inflammation and pain. Improve digestion; increase energy levels; fight fatigue; reduce nausea or vomiting. Stimulate the immune system; relieve headaches or migraines; reduce blood pressure. Help with weight loss or weight management; decrease menstrual cramps or discomfort from premenstrual syndrome (PMS); menstrual cramps and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Some plants have been traditionally use as food preservatives. One example of this is the use of garlic to help fight off bacteria, viruses, mold and yeast. That cause spoilage and food poisoning. Garlic can be combine with salt to kill harmful bacteria in foods like pickles, sauerkraut or ferment vegetables.
