I shared my homemade chewable vitamin recipe for kids (or adults) in the past and while that is definitely the crowd favorite at our house, I also wanted to share my herbal liquid vitamin recipe.
This recipe is basically an herbal tincture made with certain high-nutrient herbs to create a liquid multi-vitamin. It can easily be customized and can be for children or adults. I also make a pregnancy specific one that I will be sharing soon.
The process of making an herbal multivitamin tincture is the same process used to make any herbal tincture, but the specific herbs are high nutrient and make an excellent vitamin. Please note that you should do your own research and/or consult a doctor before taking any herbs or giving them to children!
Why A Liquid Vitamin?
Like I said, my kids prefer the chewable/gummy vitamins, which are also a great source of gelatin, but this tincture contains a higher concentration of some vitamins and minerals from the herbs, and is more concentrated. A person only needs a tiny amount of this tincture to get a good dose of vitamins/minerals, making it useful during illness or when it is hard to keep food down (early pregnancy, etc).
Homemade herbal multivitamins are also an inexpensive way to get necessary vitamins and minerals without the additives and fillers that are often found in commercial vitamins. Since the minerals are coming from natural plant sources (the herbs) they are more likely to be in balance than synthetic versions and their natural synergism helps increase absorption.
If made correctly, herbal vitamin tinctures can also taste great and be an easy way to get little ones to take vitamins!
The Herbs
It is very important to research and only use herbs that can be safely taken long term when making a tincture that will be taken regularly (especially by children). I’ve shared my own recipe below, but I strongly encourage you to do your own research and determine the best herbs for your family before making this or any other herbal recipe!
The Herbs I use are:
- Alfalfa
- Red Raspberry Leaf
- Dandelion Leaf
- Stevia (optional-for taste)
I chose these specific herbs for a reason…
Alfalfa is often called “nature’s multivitamin” for its high concentration of many vitamins and minerals. Most notably, it contains eight essential amino acids, Vitamin K and has the highest chlorophyll content of any plant (which is why I also use it in my pregnancy tea).
Red Raspberry Leaf is one of my favorite herbs, and I take it during the latter half of my pregnancies. It contains B-Vitamins, Vitamins C, E and A, as well as calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. It is a favorite for pregnant women for its ability to tone the uterus and make labor easier (and I wonder if this is due to its magnesium content, as magnesium was extremely helpful to me during pregnancy).
Dandelion leaf is also very high in vitamins and minerals, especially calcium. It is the same type of dandelion that grows as a weed in your backyard, and its root, leaves and even flowers can be used in many ways! Dandelion leaf is said to be great for the digestive system, liver, pancreas gall-bladder and circulatory system.
Stevia is simply used for taste, and I’ve also used peppermint leaf in the past for the kids, but prefer not to use large amount of this during pregnancy or in very small children, so I usually leave it out of the multivitamin tincture.
How to Make A Liquid Multivitamin Tincture
As I explained in a previous post:
“To make a tincture, you will need the following supplies:
- A clean glass jar (at least pint size) with lid
- Consumable alcohol like vodka or rum- at least 80 proof (or apple cider vinegar or food grade vegetable glycerine)
- Herbs of choice
Multivitamin Tincture Instructions
Gather the herbs you will use to make the tincture. For our herbal multivitamin, I use:
- 3 parts Alfalfa
- 2 parts Red Raspberry Leaf
- 2 parts Dandelion Leaf
- 1 part Stevia (optional-for taste)
I mix in whatever quantity needed, usually 1 part=1/4 cup, or by weight 1 part=1 ounce.
Fill the jar 1/3 to 1/2 full with dried herbs. Filling half full will make a stronger tincture. Do not pack down.
Pour boiling water to just dampen all of the herbs. (This step is optional but helps to draw out the beneficial properties of the herbs)
Fill the rest of the jar (or the entire jar if not using hot water too) with alcohol and stir with a clean spoon.
Put the lid on the jar. Store the jar in a cool/dry place, shaking daily, for at least three weeks and up to six months. (I usually leave herbs for six weeks)
Strain through cheesecloth and compost the herbs. Store the tincture in colored dropper bottles or clean glass jars.
NOTE: The alcohol can be evaporated before use (see below) or a tincture can be made in the same way using apple cider vinegar, though it will need to be stored in the fridge and will only last 3-6 months… and it will not be as palatable!
Glycerine Tincture
Fill the jar 1/3 to 1/2 full with dried herbs. Filling half full will make a stronger tincture. Do not pack down.
Pour boiling water to just dampen all of the herbs. (This step is optional but helps to draw out the beneficial properties of the herbs)
Fill the rest of the jar (or the entire jar if not using hot water too) with glycerine and stir with a clean spoon.
Put the lid on the jar.
Place a wash cloth or silicon baking mat (to keep jar from breaking) in the bottom of a crock pot with a “keep warm” or very low setting. Fill the crock pot up with water to cover 3/4 of the jar (don’t cover the lid!) and turn on the lowest setting.
Keep in slow-cooker/crock pot for at least 1 day on this setting, adding water as needed (I’ve done up to three days).
Let cool, strain and use as a regular tincture.
Note: Glycerine tinctures are sweeter and not considered as strong as alcohol tinctures! Be careful when buying glycerine to make sure that it is food grade and not made from Corn (often GMO!)
How Much to Take?
The standard adult dose we take is 1 teaspoon up to three times a day as needed (or 1 tablespoon in the morning). Kids usually get 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per day)
For children, pregnant women, or those not wanting to consume alcohol, it can be poured in to a hot liquid like tea to evaporate the alcohol before consuming.”
Other Options
When I haven’t had the time or supplies to make a tincture, I’ve also used the same herbal combination to make a basic infusion instead or added the dried herbs to smoothies.
To make an infusion, I pour 1/2 gallon of boiling water over 1 cup of the herb mixture, cover and leave overnight to steep. For smoothies, I add 1 tablespoon of the dried herb powder to smoothies. Note that neither of these will be as strong as a tincture!
Pregnancy
If you are pregnant or may become pregnant, this tincture won’t be enough because there are some extra nutrients mothers-to-be need. I highly recommend Seek Health’s Prenatal.
Ever made herbal vitamins? What did you use? Share below!
What?! This is straight-up misinformation. Vitamins and minerals do not extract into alcohol.
They will extract into the water that’s used before the alcohol is added, or into the water from the glycerite.
I am a clinical herbalist and holistic nutritionist. This is wrong for so many reasons. Firstly, the recipe says that “pouring boiling water to just dampen all of the herbs” is “optional”. Also, only water-soluble vitamins extract into water! Period. Fat-soluble vitamins may show up in very trace amounts, but the writer of this post specifically recommended red raspberry leaf for this tincture blend because it contains the Vitamins E and A, which are fat-soluble, not water-soluble. She also recommends Alfalfa for Vitamin K, which is ALSO a fat-soluble vitamin.
Alcohol does not extract vitamins and minerals. Vinegar can extract some minerals, but almost anyone would be better off simply drinking a nutritive infusion daily.
Do you have any recommendations for books to do research on individual herbs and the amounts of vitamins/minerals you get from them? Thanks!
I can’t find your pregnancy specific one, please, I would really like to make a homemade prenatal. TIA!
Hello Katie. I’m really enjoying this recipe for a natural way to get vitamins and minerals. Was just wondering if you thought the addition of wheat grass would be okay?
Hi, I have viewed many of your posts over the past and have enjoyed them all. I’ve been working as a lay herbalist for over 50 years now and know that there is always more to learn. I especially love this Multi-Vitamin post. My husband and I moved to central Utah a few months ago from central California. A move we are loving for many reasons, mostly we have a half acre to plant on. I have a wonderful herb garden growing now and have been working to develop my own recipes for skin and internal purposes with balms, caps, tinctures and teas. we are doing all we can to keep it natural. At the ages of 76 (him) and 74 (me) we take no prescription drugs and only a few vitamins. A multi vitamin is one of them. This recipe will help us with our intention of keeping even more that we consume as natural as possible.
I know this is an older post, but I am wondering what your knowledge about the DANGER of using any herbs in pregnancy that can be used as diuretics (alfalfa, nettle, dandelion, etc.) & the fact that such herbs can cause an imbalance of water & blood volume, leading to complications? Do you know any master herbalists who could confirm or deny this information?
Do you have the recipe for the pregnancy specific tincture published yet?
Kelp, cod liver oil, those contain the nutrients that are lacking (not soluble) in the tincture. Maybe add one to your daily routine?
Hi there, thank you for the tincture recipe. I just made it now using ACV.
You indicated that the tincture the should be stored in the fridge and will last for 3-6 months.
Until the moment I strain it in 6 weeks time, do I also store it in the fridge?
Thanks again!
Can’t wait to try this!!!! 🙂
Great article! Very new to this and wondered if I can tear open dandelion and raspberry leaf tea bags? I have them in the cupboard you see!
I have fibromyalgia and want to help my immune system n ultimately have less pain. Thanking you ?
I have a question….there seem to be some discrepancies here involving tinctures—at least from my understanding….in some other comments, there were some people who said they had studied–or were studying–herbalism, and I’m curious where the stated herbalists are studying (for my own reference) and also if anyone who’s studied herbalism could speak toward these seeming discrepancies. Firstly, I read elsewhere (by an herbalist) that glycerine does not extract vitamins and minerals—they are not glycerine soluble, but they are in alcohol and water. However, someone stated in a previous comment here that alcohol doesn’t extract these either, and that only water and vinegar do that. Then, someone else stated (I don’t remember if it was on these comments) that alcohol kills the vitamin and mineral properties.
I always understood that alcohol made strong tinctures, that glycerites were inferior—but if glycerin and alcohol are not used for extracting vitamins and minerals—why are tinctures always made with them? What properties are being maintained by using glycerin, or alcohol? In the case of glycerites, is it really just the water (to dampen the herbs) that is doing all the beneficial extracting, and the glycerin just for taste? Is alcohol really that detrimental to the properties of the herbs? Why is it always used (and seems to be preferred), then?
If one was to make a truly nutritional tincture, to maintain the most amount of beneficial properties from the herbs, would one just use ACV to accomplish this, or could the ACV be combined with alcohol and/or glycerin for taste and any benefits the alcohol lends to the extraction process (though, this would only—then—be true if alcohol did not actually kill any of the beneficial properties)?
I consider myself a student of life, and love learning and improving and would REALLY appreciate an answer from someone who understands better than myself to speak towards this issue—especially since I have a tincture I’m excited to make my husband for Christmas! THANKS IN ADVANCE! I appreciate any valuable input into this issue! (Love your blog, Wellness Mama–great job, thanks for sharing your expertise with the world). 😀
Great post, Cher. I was about to ask all those same questions. I need to know the answers before I make any more tinctures. I just used nine quarts of vodka in my newfound excitement over tinctures. Thanks. Cheryl
I am no expert! But just beginning my herbalism studies. I’m doing an herbal apprenticeship and the text we are using is Rosemary Gladstar’s Science & Art of Herbology (which I think is also a home study program) From my notes:
Alcohol (50-70%) extracts alkaloids, salts, most glucosides, sugars, vitamins, enzymes, some tannins and bitter compounds.
Absolute alcohol extracts (195 proof): alkaloids, glucosides, volatile oils, waxes, resins, fats, some tannins, balsam, sugars, vitamins.
Glycerin extracts: sugars, enzymes, glucosides, bitter compounds, saponins, tannins
Vinegar extracts: sugars, tannings, vitamins, some minerals, glycosides, bitter compounds
I hope you find this helpful 🙂
Thank u for answering this question. I have literally spent two days searching the internet for answers after reading some of the above comments from the recent herbalist school graduates. It worried me reading their comments considering I made 3 large jars of multivitamin tincture with a recipe I made myself (but similar to Wellness Mama’s). I was hoping that it wasn’t a waste since my intention was the vitamin and mineral content. I am a huge researcher and learner in life in general, and love understanding deeply about the things I do. I want to believe wholeheartedly in whatever input into my body as medicine. So thank u both for asking and replying about the science behind the tinctures. I am still eagerly awaiting more comments if anyone has anything else at all to add. I love when people freely share whatever information they know, even if it seems like it won’t be useful. It just might actually be useful for someone. So share away! And thank u, Wellness Mama. I love ur website and come here often for good recipes!
Interested in the nutritional value of dandelion root vs leaves as well! And would love the pregnancy and/or lactation multivitamin tincture! Currently breastfeeding and hoping for more children!
Could this mixture be made into an electuary to use when traveling?
Interesting thought!
I love the idea of a liquid multi-vitamin, as I have taken most of these herbs in one form or another while pregnant. Do you have any suggestions about herbs to add during lactation? Thanks!
The potential cost savings of making one’s own multivitamin is astounding; and then there’s the phenomenal quality of the final product! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
Hi Katie!
My family and I LOVE this multivitamin tincture! I just found out I am pregnant with our second bundle of joy and was looking for a pregnant version of this. I noticed while reading this again you do have a recipe for one. Would you mind sharing? Thank you for all you do!
I have dandelion root on hand but not leaves. Is there much difference between using the two in a tincture? Would it be ok to use instead?