How to Make an Herbal Liquid Multi-Vitamin Tincture {DIY}

"And there are cases, when, according to the views of the most distinguished and competent practitioners, physicians themselves are much too free in using medicines, instead of adopting preventive measures."

~ Catharine Esther Beecher, A Treatise on Domestic Economy, 1845

A more healthier, herbalier new year! I am not sure if herbalier is a word but felt it should be. As I had mentioned in earlier writings, I like the idea of herbs and foods being the source of vitamins and minerals for our bodies instead of relying on synthetic pills (isn't this the way God originally intended it?). While I do try and drink my homemaker's tea for the nourishment it provides, sometimes, as a busy homemaker, homeschooler and homesteader, there is just no time for tea! This is when a few dropperfuls of a liquid herbal vitamin would come to the rescue! We will try and simplify the process for you here (and it is simple!).

The first thing you will need to do is choose your herbs. We ended up preparing a women's multi-vitamin blend and a children's blend of herbal multi-vitamins. Each of us have different needs in certain areas and the same needs in others. I am including the recipe I used for the woman's vitamin mix and you can alter it according to your purposes. I am also including a link to the recipe I used for the children's vitamins (which the website has since deleted unfortunately!). These glycerin based tinctures are infused inside a warm crock pot so I encourage you to make as many jars as will fit in order to make it productive. We were able to fit four quart jars in ours so we prepared two jars of each. Make sure to label them so you do not get confused if you do two different kinds at once.

Naturally, the rose hip (our current highlighted herb), full of vitamin-C is one of the base ingredients in both of these herbal vitamins. To make it easy, I used the nutritive blend of herbs from our homemaker's tea as the base for this recipe and then added additional herbs that I felt would be personally useful for the properties they contain. However, I encourage you to do your own research and add your own customized herbs to the "base" (homemaker's tea recipe) that will be beneficial to your health.

Women's Herbal Nourishing Multi-Vitamin Blend

• 1 c. homemaker's helper herbal tea blend (the nutritive blend shared here) *
• 2. tbsp. rose hips (for the vitamin C, etc.)
• 2 tbsp. alfalfa leaf (for the iron, 8 essential amino acids, chlorophyll, vitamin A and K, etc.)
• 2. tbsp. ginkgo biloba (for the memory help, anti-aging benefits, etc.)
• 2 tbsp. dandelion (leaf and root) (for the blood purifying benefits, liver cleansing, calcium, etc.)

Children's Herbal Multi-Vitamin Blend

• The herb combination I used for the children's vitamin blend is no longer on the website I used (but shares some of the same herbs I listed for us women). You can prepare this tincture the same way we do with the women's blend but use a different dosage for the administration.

* Note: If you already have the ingredients for the homemaker's tea blend and can't afford additional herbs right now, you can always use 1 1/2 cups of the blend for a wonderful women's nutritive vitamin. Or, if you have everything but a few herbs, just skip them this time if your budget prohibits it, something is better than nothing!

To begin, add chosen herbs to your clean quart jars. Do not pack down the herbs and do not exceed the half-way point on the jar. We need to make sure there is plenty of room for the right proportion of glycerin to "preserve" the tincture with a 2 year shelf life. Pour hot water over herbs until just damp (and trying again to not exceed the half-way point on the jar). Let this mixture sit for 30 minutes to break down the herbs.

When time has elapsed, fill up the remaining of each jar with food-grade glycerin (leaving 1 inch head space from the top). Cap jars and shake until well blended.

Place an old wash-cloth or rag at the bottom of your slow cooker to line it so the jars do not break. Place jars inside and add just enough water to cover the jars about ¾ of the way up (making sure the water does not cover the lids). Place cover on your slow cooker and put it on the warmest setting for 3 days. I have a "warm setting" on my crock pot that I used.  Also, our lid did not fit completely over the jars, there was a little gap as the jars were a bit tall for the crock pot but it didn't hinder the process at all. One last thing is to keep an eye on the water level in the next 3 days in the slow cooker to see if it requires a bit of a refill to maintain the proper level.

When the 3 days are complete and the liquid has cooled, simply strain your tinctures through a sieve/strainer lined with a clean lightweight dish towel or cloth. You will want to squeeze out every last nourishing drop! Make sure you label your multi-vitamin tincture with the contents and date. It should last for 2-3 years in your pantry. The suggested dose for the women's multi-vitamin would be approx. 1 tbsp., 1-3 times a day while the author of the children's tincture shares the dosage on her tutorial.

Lastly, please understand, I am not saying that all your vitamin and mineral needs are met for the day when using this herbal liquid. It is simply an all natural supplement to the vitamin-filled food we should already be eating. And it is a less expensive way to nourish your family as quality herbal whole-foods vitamins come with a large price tag! Although the initial investment of the herbs may be a bit pricey, they will make many tinctures and teas. To make it more affordable, the Bulk Herb Store sells in 1/2 lb. bags.

{For more make-your-own herbal recipes, please visit our Home Apothecary Series.}

For further reading and some of my sources of information, visit:

Herbal Vitamin and Mineral Tincture by Keepers of the Home

Liquid Multi-Vitamin Tincture by Wellness Mama
Children's Multi-Vitamin Tincture by Bulk Herb Store (NO LONGER ON WEBSITE)

Disclaimer #1: I am not a certified herbalist but a homemaker interested in the arts of natural healing. The information I have learned has been gleaned through study of some of the following favorite books; Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide, Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health, Grow Your Own Drugs by James Wong, and The Complete Illustrated Book of Herbs by Reader's Digest and websites of herbalists (such as the Bulk Herb Store Blog).

Disclaimer #2: I am not a doctor. While I do seek scientific confirmation of the safety and effectiveness of the herbs and remedies I use, remember that using remedies is a personal decision. Nothing I say on this blog is approved by the FDA or intended to diagnose, treat or prevent disease. All things on this blog are my opinion or the opinion of others. Also, if you have a medical condition, are taking pharmaceutical drugs, or are pregnant, please consult your physician prior to taking herbs.

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