How to Choose Quality Herbal Products

    By Nicole Telkes, Practicing Herbalist about.me/herbcrafter Director of the Wildflower School of Botanical Medicine Austin Texas  Buying herbs can be tricky: Herbs are regulated through the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).  Just because the industry is regulated, doesn’t mean that everything on the shelf is of the highest quality or even what it […]

    By Nicole Telkes, Practicing Herbalist
    about.me/herbcrafter

    Director of the Wildflower School of Botanical
    Medicine Austin Texas

     Buying herbs can be tricky: Herbs are regulated
    through the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).  Just because the industry is regulated,
    doesn’t mean that everything on the shelf is of the highest quality or even
    what it says it is.  In general it’s good
    to ask a lot of questions when it comes to purchasing supplements.  Many formulas on the market are “kitchen
    sink” style, where everything natural that could possibly work is thrown in
    hopes that something may work.  Buying
    herbs from trained herbalists is very different from buying herbs from the herb
    industry.  The amount of energy and love
    that goes into making fresh, hand-picked extracts is immeasurable and cannot
    even be compared with large herb companies (oftentimes now subsidiaries of
    pharmaceutical companies).  Whenever
    possible, support small herb companies, local herbalists and local herb
    growers.  The herbs you obtain from
    smaller suppliers will most likely be fresher, more potent, more sustainably
    harvested and include weedy, local herbs that are not often found in the market
    or large health food stores.  Just
    because something is “natural” does not make it safer or better.  Herbalists are able to distinguish when and
    what herbs may work better for an individual and amend recipes to an
    individual’s unique situation.  Take care
    to purchase Organically Grown herbs, or those grown in pesticide-free
    gardens.  Make sure that any herbs that
    you buy that are “wildcrafted”(taken from the wild) are picked under strict
    conservation guidelines.  Over harvesting
    of many popular market herbs have led to them being placed in “At Risk” or
    “Threatened” status by United Plant Savers, a group dedicated to the
    conservation of medicinal plants .    It
    is very important to know where your plants came from and use as many weedy
    alternatives to exotic plants that are brought into the country.  Many times herbs coming from overseas are
    irradiated upon entering the country.   A
    great website that gives information on additives and preservatives, and levels
    of toxicity for is the Environmental Working Group at www.ewg.org
    Dried
    Plants
    :  Look for vibrancy in the plant matter, good
    color, and strong smells.  Old herbs look
    and smell worn out.  Sometimes if they
    are dried at the wrong temp(too high) they will be a little brown.
    Tinctures:
    Should smell more like the herb then
    the menstruum it is preserved in.  Dark
    colors and deep and pungent in smell. 
    The color will vary between green, brown and black.  Different plants need different percentages
    of alcohol to extract.  Make sure the
    plant was extracted properly based on its constituents.
    Oils
    and Salves:
    Should also vary in color
    and smell.  Salves should vary from green
    to brown in coloration.  Sediment ensures
    there were actual infused plants in the blend.