Mineral-Rich Herbal Infusion: A Simple Way to Add More Plants to Your Day
One of the things I love most about learning about herbs is discovering just how simple some traditional preparations can be.
I recently came across a mineralizing herbal infusion from Journey to Wellness / Mitten’s Wellness that immediately caught my attention. Unlike a quick cup of tea, an herbal infusion is steeped for several hours, allowing more of the water-soluble components of the plants to move into the water. The original recipe uses dandelion leaf, red clover, nettle, horsetail, and oatstraw.
I wanted to share it here because it fits so well with the philosophy behind Rosemary & Cedar Botanicals: sometimes supporting ourselves naturally does not have to be complicated.
The Original Mineralizing Herbal Infusion
Ingredients
1 tablespoon dried dandelion leaf
2 tablespoons dried red clover, or about 6 flowers
1 tablespoon dried nettle
1 tablespoon dried horsetail
1 tablespoon dried oatstraw
The original recipe recommends placing the herbs in a quart-size jar or French press, covering them with boiling water, and allowing the mixture to infuse for 4–8 hours or overnight before straining and refrigerating.
Why These Herbs?
Nettle
One of my personal favorites. Nettle is a nutrient-dense herb traditionally used in nourishing herbal preparations.
Oatstraw
Often included in long herbal infusions and traditionally valued as a nourishing herb.
Dandelion Leaf
A familiar plant that provides a variety of naturally occurring minerals and plant compounds.
Red Clover
Traditionally used as a nourishing herb and contains several naturally occurring minerals.
Horsetail
Known especially for its naturally occurring silica content.
What I like about this combination is that it is not about adding another complicated supplement routine. It is simply another way to incorporate plants into something you are already doing: drinking water or tea.
Tea vs. Herbal Infusion
A traditional cup of herbal tea might steep for 5–15 minutes.
A long herbal infusion is allowed to steep for several hours. The original author recommends 4–8 hours for this recipe.
That makes this the kind of thing you can prepare before bed and have waiting for you the following day.
And for busy women and moms, I am always a fan of anything that can do most of the work while we sleep.
A Note From Me
I share resources like this because I believe wellness education should be shared.
Not every helpful idea has to originate with Rosemary & Cedar Botanicals, and not everything I share has to lead to something I sell.
Sometimes I find another herbalist, educator, or wellness resource doing something I think is worth learning from, and I want to pass it along while making sure the original creator receives the credit.
Original Source
This recipe was inspired by and adapted from “Mineralizing Herbal Infusion (Tea)” by Journey to Wellness / Mitten’s Wellness, originally published December 3, 2018.
