Alcohol and herbal tinctures

Hello!

A few years ago, this question would have sounded like a playful dilemma to me. Because I, like many, used to enjoy a glass of good red wine with dinner. To me, it felt like a sort of routine when, after a challenging day at work, during dinner (it's healthy, right!), you pour yourself a glass of good wine and slowly, savoring it, sip it.

On weekends, there would be two glasses, and sometimes three. “But I don’t get drunk,” I would tell myself. And perhaps it would still be a part of my daily life if not for a conversation at a “Masters of Calm” festival three years ago.

During lunch with a journalist, we talked about alcohol. When asked why I consumed it, I answered what I believed at the time: because it’s delicious. Because I like the flavors, the rituals, the tasting. However, this simple question stayed with me longer than an ordinary conversation. I came back home, but I was still answering that question. I felt that what I had answered was not entirely true. Deep down, I knew: that glass of wine after a difficult day worked not only as a taste—it was a quick way to relax. Faster than breathing, meditation, or talking to myself—methods that required effort I wasn't willing to put in.

A change began from that moment of honesty with myself.

Not because someone forced me or said I had to. But because I felt for myself that I wanted to and could live differently. And that not everything that is customary is what my body and mind need. Over time, I began to look into what science actually says about alcohol. And here is what I found out: the WHO openly declares that there is no safe amount of alcohol—even the smallest amounts can have harmful health effects. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the WHO, classifies alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen, that is, among substances that definitely increase the risk of cancer in humans. In 2023, the WHO announced that there is no scientifically proven low-risk level, as any consumed ethanol contributes to the risk of disease, especially cancer.

Yes, some countries still provide allowable limits—1 unit per day for women, 2 for men, but no more than 10 units per week. However, even these amounts are not safe—they are merely lower risk. (Note: 1 unit equals about 12–14 g of alcohol, which corresponds to approximately 150 ml of wine, 350 ml of beer, or 45 ml of spirits.)

And yet, life is not black and white. Here is where an interesting question arises: what about tinctures? Are medicinal plant tinctures containing alcohol also harmful to health? Can the alcohol in them be beneficial, if alcohol as such is harmful?

The short answer: the alcohol in tinctures is not a medicine, but merely a tool—an extractant designed to extract active substances from medicinal plants that would not dissolve in water. Compounds such as alkaloids, essential oils, resins, and glycosides have health benefits, but without alcohol, we would not be able to extract them. In addition, alcohol acts as a preservative, allowing tinctures to remain stable for a long time.

The amount of alcohol in tinctures is very small—usually a person consumes only a few milliliters per day, rather than a glass or more. For example, 20 drops, which is about 1 ml of a 40% spirit tincture, contains approximately 0.4 ml of pure alcohol—about as much as can naturally be found in one ripe banana or fermented food. A glass of kefir can contain up to 0.5–0.7 ml of pure alcohol.

What is important to know?

Certain groups of people should abstain from using tinctures:

→ If you have had problems with alcohol in the past—even if these are herbal tinctures intended for health promotion—they should not be used. Even in small doses, in this case they are not health-promoting and can trigger a return to the period when you were dependent on alcohol. Therefore, it is better to replace herbal tinctures with dietary supplements, teas, or water-based herbal extracts. They may not have as many active substances, but they also pose no risk of relapse.

→ If you suffer from liver disease—tinctures would be an additional burden on the liver, so they should also be replaced with herbal teas, supplements, or water-based extracts (if compatible with the condition).

→ If you are pregnant or breastfeeding—it is recommended to abstain from using tinctures, as some plants may be incompatible with pregnancy, and alcohol itself is harmful.

→ Only some tinctures are safe for children, so administering them to a child should be coordinated with a knowledgeable specialist.

The answer depends on awareness, situation, bodily state, and intention.

And in conclusion: where will we place the comma? “Cannot use, must give up.” Or perhaps “Must use, cannot give up”? The answer depends on awareness, situation, bodily state, and intention. The most important thing is to know what you are choosing and why.

However, if consuming alcoholic extracts is still unacceptable to you, as it is to me, I will share a recipe for how I solve this problem. You can drop the tincture into a cup of hot water or tea at 70–80 °C and leave it for 5–10 minutes. During that time, the alcohol, which has a lower boiling point than water, almost completely evaporates.

What is important to know about using tinctures in hot water?

Not all active substances react the same way: stable ones (alkaloids, bitter glycosides, tannins, most flavonoids) remain unaffected.

Moderately sensitive ones (some vitamins, enzymes, aromatic compounds)—some may weaken, but these are usually not the primary substances with health effects. Highly sensitive ones (volatile compounds, essential oils)—some evaporate along with the alcohol, reducing the scent and aroma.

Nevertheless, most of the plant's medicinal properties remain. So if alcohol, even in herbal extracts, is unacceptable to you, this simple practice will allow you to maintain the power of the plants while letting go of what raises doubts.

Feed the mind

Self-care begins with the body, but does not end there. When what we put on our plate changes, what we allow into our thoughts changes as well. For me, autumn is a time when I want to turn more inward toward myself. And self-help books are perfect for that. That is probably why it was no coincidence that I picked up a book I had heard many great reviews about – Martha Beck's "The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self". Beck, inspired by the journey of the protagonist in Dante's "Divine Comedy", offers a concrete framework: recognize false beliefs, listen to your inner voice, dedicate time to self-discovery, and create a life that aligns with your true needs. The author openly speaks about childhood trauma, her departure from the Mormon community, her son's disability, how everything fell apart, but also how a new, truer version of herself was born.

This book helped me take a look at the "good person" mask—the one that many (definitely including me!) wear out of fear of being themselves. In the book, the author invites us to return to our body, instincts, and intuition, even if that contradicts the expectations of society, parents, or those around us.

What drew me in the most was the part about radical truth. A whole chapter in the book is dedicated to this experiment, as it is a crucial step toward achieving personal integrity. The radical truth experiment is a practice centered on telling the truth always and everywhere for 7 days: pretending nothing, hiding nothing, not repeating what you do not believe, and giving up even "white" lies. Beck proposes this experiment as a way to examine where untruth begins in our daily lives—both externally (in relationships, at work) and internally, when we deceive ourselves. This helps us realize how much of our behavior is motivated by the fear of being rejected, punished, or misunderstood.

As I read, I realized how often I automatically say "it was so great to see you," even though I actually feel tension and would rather not see certain people at all. Or how often I say "everything is fine," even though on the inside I am irritated and angry. These seemingly harmless, small untruths were so habitual that even now I still have to bring conscious awareness to them. I am not yet very good at catching myself in the act of saying what I do not feel, but awareness is gradually growing.

For now, I am more often able to notice the fact that I betrayed myself, and only in rare cases do I manage to pause and respond the way I truly feel in that moment. But once you start developing this skill, just like learning to drive on a new road, all it takes is getting lost in thought for a brief moment—and the mind switches back to automatic reactions, meaning I will act the way I was used to before.

I don't know about you, but for me, being radically straightforward is both enticing and frightening at the same time. Yet only by living in truth are we authentic. And authenticity, like any other phenomenon, has its price, and it is not always pleasant or "palatable." Often it can evoke a feeling that we don't fit into the group (and after all, it is immensely important to each of us—to be part of society, to be recognized and accepted!), that we are misunderstood or even somewhat lonely, less convenient for those around us. But I am ready to pay that price, because being honest with myself is more important to me than betraying myself. If you would also like to embark on the radical truth experiment, here are specific rules according to Martha Beck to guide the way:

→ You don't have to say everything you think, but if you speak—it must be the truth.

→ You cannot say things just to please someone.

→ If you don't know something or aren't sure, say just that: "I don't know", "I'm not sure", but do not lie or pretend.

→ If you notice that you are lying even to yourself, stop yourself and try to clarify what you really feel or think.