Herbal infusions are not all created equal.
The infusion we brew primarily for medicinal use is generally a 15 minute endeavor. A Nourishing Herbal Infusion is used when we want to use herbs for replacing our daily vitamins, and the steeping time is greatly increased. Different herbs hold a variety of vitamins and minerals, and when we allow for a long steep those gems are passed into the water giving our bodies access to them.
I’ve been enjoying drinking my daily Nourishing Herbal Infusion (NHI). I usually make it using Stinging Nettle (and add a little marshmallow root to decrease the drying effect it has on me). But a couple of times a week I use different herbs (horsetail, oat straw, and comfrey being the primary runners up) There are several herbs that make great NHI for instance:
Oatstraw – which is great for bones, teeth, nails and the nerves
Red Clover – hormone balancing
Linden – high blood pressure and nervous tension
Alfalfa – inflammation, osteoporosis
Traditional uses of nettle
- Helps build blood & increase circulation
- Regulates blood sugar
- Normalizes metabolism to aid in weight loss
- Decreases profuse bleeding (including menses)
- Can help decrease allergies
- Reduces inflammation
- Encourages milk production & quality in lactating mothers
- Vitamins A, C, Iron, Manganese, Selenium, Calcium, Magnesium
- Externally helps with insect bites, burns, and wounds
Other types of infusions
These instructions are for a Nourishing Herbal Infusion made from the leafy part of a plant, if you are brewing:
Roots/barks use 1 oz in one pint jar and infuse a MINIMUM of 8 hours
Flowers use a quart sized jar, 1 oz flowers and infuse a MAXIMUM of 1 hour.
Seeds/berries will be 1 oz in a one pint jar for a MAXIMUM of 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 quart-sized jars and 1 lid - plastic or metal is fine
- kitchen scale (just a basic one is fine)
- dried stinging nettle (preferably organic or wildcrafted for optimum nutritional benefit)
- boiling water
- small ladle
- small towel, potholder, or trivet
- nut milk bag
Instructions
- Preheat your jar. I fill it with hot water and let it sit for a minute then pour the water out
- Set preheated jar on the trivet on the scale and make sure the scale reads zero
- Using your ladle, carefully measure out 1 oz of the dried herb
- Fill the jar with water "just off the boil"
- Stir well and cover with lid
- Let it sit on your counter for a minimum of 4 hours
- Strain through the nut milk bag into a second jar and drink or store in the refrigerator.
Notes
This will be good for up to 36 hours, after that you should use it as a hair rinse or pour it on your plants for some added nutrients.
This is NOT medical advice, it is informational only.