Cranberry tincture is a simple but powerful remedy. Are you wondering how to make cranberry tincture yourself? You are in the right place. It only takes two ingredients to make your own homemade cranberry tincture. If you have ever had a UTI and drank cranberry juice you have already witnessed what this berry can do for you. The best way to get all the benefits of cranberries is to consume them without added sugar. Most cranberry juices contain a lot of added sugar so be careful when purchasing it for medicinal use.
Health Benefits of Cranberries
Cranberries are a widely known remedy for urinary tract infections for a good reason. Studies have shown that drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry pills prevent reoccurring infections. It's important to drink a cranberry juice that does not have added sugar like this one but it can be quite tart. A cranberry tincture is a more concentrated form of cranberry and more convenient to have on hand and take on the go.
Cranberries are also high in antioxidants. Some of these vitamins could be extracted into the tincture when using 100 proof vodka which is 50% water. Vitamin C and other antioxidants are better extracted with water or vinegar than alcohol. Another option is to make cranberry infused apple cider vinegar which may extract even more vitamin C and could also be used for this purpose.
Herbal Teas for UTI
In addition to cranberry, there are some helpful herbal teas you can drink to help as well. These herbs are diuretic and contain helpful compounds to fight a UTI.
- Dandelion Tea
- Hibiscus Tea
- Cornsilk Tea
- Parsley Tea
- Goldenrod Tea
- Chamomile Tea
If you grow parsley or corn in your garden you can use those to make a tea. If you would like to make your own herbal teas read this blog post for instructions on how to dry your fresh herbs.
How to Make Cranberry Tincture
First, get your hands on some organic fresh cranberries. The Fall is when you will have the best luck finding them in the grocery store. When I see them I buy multiple bags and throw a few in the freezer.
Ingredients for Homemade Cranberry Tincture
- Fresh Organic Cranberries
- 100 proof vodka
It's important to use organic cranberries because conventional cranberries are sprayed heavily with pesticides. The process of making a tincture will also draw out the pesticides into your tincture which you do not want!
Instructions:
- First rinse the cranberries and pick out any mushy ones and discard.
- Rough chop or place in a food processor for a few pulses to chop.
- Place cranberries in a large, clean glass jar and pour the alcohol ensuring that the berries covered.
- Close and label your jar with the name of the herb, solvent, and the date.
- Shake the jar for 1-2 minutes.
- Store in a cool dark place for at least 10-14 days (or longer), shaking the jar every 1-2 days.
- After 14 days you are ready to strain out the herbs. Pour the jar through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth. (There are some new fancy tools for this I have found like this herb press that helps make it less messy and extracts every last drop).
- Squeeze out the herb to get all remaining liquid.
- Discard or compost your cranberries (or you can use them in other recipes)
- Pour your finished tincture into a clean dark class bottle using a funnel.
- Close and label your jar with the name and date of your tincture.
The process of making a tincture is the same for any food or herb. If you have made the Wild Rose Tincture on our blog, this will be a very familiar process.
If you are just getting started learning how to make herbal remedies, this blog post, How to Get Started Making Herbal Remedies, will be very helpful to read. If you happen to have a lot of cranberries leftover you can also make this recipe, Fermented Cranberry Honey. It's a great addition to a turkey dinner or even just over yogurt!
Cranberry Tincture
Equipment
- Mason Jar
Ingredients
- 1 bag fresh organic cranberries
- 100 proof vodka
Instructions
- First rinse the cranberries and pick out any mushy ones and discard.
- Rough chop or place in a food processor for a few pulses to chop.
- Place cranberries in a large, clean glass jar and pour the alcohol ensuring that the berries covered.
- Close and label your jar with the name of the herb, solvent, and the date.
- Shake the jar for 1-2 minutes.
- Store in a cool dark place for at least 10-14 days (or longer), shaking the jar every 1-2 days.
- After 14 days you are ready to strain out the herbs. Pour the jar through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth. (There are some new fancy tools for this I have found like this herb press that helps make it less messy and extracts every last drop).
- Squeeze out the herb to get all remaining liquid.
- Discard or compost your cranberries (or you can use them in other recipes)
- Pour your finished tincture into a clean dark class bottle using a funnel.
- Close and label your jar with the name and date of your tincture.
More Tincture Recipes
- Turmeric Ginger Tincture for Inflammation
- Wild Rose Tincture for calming
- Stinging Nettle Tincture for allergies
- Peppermint Tincture for upset stomach
Thank you for reading,
Roxanne
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