Drying and storing medicinal herbs

How to store herbs and tea in style?

There are rules for storing dry plants that have been tested for centuries and described in instructions for pharmacies. In short: keep the area dry and the storage container tightly closed. Tea of any variety is dried leaves, so the requirements for long-term storage will be the same . Every housewife would like herbal teas to retain their aroma and not become an eyesore.

Important! Herbs and teas should not be stored in plastic containers. Although it is considered environmentally friendly, the herbs still “suffocate”. It is enough to open any plastic container and smell it to be convinced of this. Without air access, some types of bacteria multiply. The musty smell is the result of their activity. Containers for storing dry herbs must be breathable.

Suitable for long-term storage of herbs and tea:

linen bags in cardboard boxes;
wooden shelves and boxes;
glass jars;
tin boxes with lids.

Linen bags in cardboard boxes

This method will preserve the herbs perfectly. Natural flax has bactericidal properties. The box will protect the bag from house dust. But it is not very convenient to untie and tie the bag. Therefore, it is better to store medicinal preparations that are needed only in special cases.

Tip: Don't throw away your tea boxes. Manufacturers took care of the quality of glue and cardboard. If you decide to put labels on the boxes, don't use tape or synthetic glue! Use natural homemade paste made from flour or starch.

Wooden stands and boxes

The supplier is a wooden cylindrical box with a tight lid. Supplies and decorative boxes are sold at craft fairs. A linden container without varnish inside or birch bark containers is the best container for dry herbs! But check the quality of the glue when purchasing. Another disadvantage of suppliers is that they are quite large. You can put several bags of herbs in them for brewing tea.

Glass jars

Glass is a neutral material. The lid should also be glass or metal. No plastic stoppers or lids! Otherwise, you will get tea that smells like plastic.

I want to display jars with fragrant contents on an open shelf for beauty. Small jars are perfect for herbs that are used as seasonings. Think about how many times you will have to wipe them.

Tin boxes with lids

It was in these boxes that great-grandmothers' tea was stored. Some families treasure tea boxes with the old-fashioned “Ъ”. No glue is used to secure the bottom and walls of the box, enough air enters the gap under the lid, the boxes “breathe” but do not become damp.

In Home stores you can find sets with beautiful paintings. In the kitchen it’s nice to display an arrangement of boxes of different sizes. They are easier to care for than pot-bellied jars.

Where to put your herb collection

True connoisseurs of herbs and tea mixtures try not to store their supplies in the kitchens. The humidity level in the kitchen changes with every boiled kettle, and the gas stove is a source of soot. Even under covers, dry plants greedily absorb moisture along with kitchen odors.

A place with a constant draft is suitable for storing fragrant treasures. A cool place is better than a warm one. An unpainted cabinet made of natural wood will add its own note to the bouquet of smells. Behind glass doors, bags, boxes and jars create a country style composition. Bunches of dried flowers will fit into it.

Over the years, inside such a cabinet the smells mix, enrich each other, and are absorbed into the wood of the shelves. When the door comes off, the indescribable aroma of herbs, meadows, and nature spreads throughout the house... The family hurries to gather around a kettle of herbal tea.

STORING TEA - WHAT TO STORE IN - PACKAGING, BAGS, JARS, TEAPOTS, TEA CONTAINERS (1 video)

Terms and rules for storing medicinal herbs

In recent years, there has been a huge surge of interest in traditional medicine, namely herbal treatment. As a result, natural remedies have found their way onto the shelves of pharmacies, herbalists and health food stores, and are to be commended for providing consumers with a substitute for chemical drugs.

Medicinal herbs are a powerful gift from Mother Earth—a valuable commodity that will help improve both your physical health and mental well-being. Store them correctly and carefully so as not to lose their effectiveness. If you're just starting to build a collection of dried herbs, a few simple tips will help you do your best to harness their precious energy and get the most out of their use.

Do herbs lose their potency over time?

Different herbs and even different parts of herbs have their own shelf life:

Flowers up to 12 months

Leaves up to 18 months

Seeds up to 36 months (longer for some plants).

Roots and bark last longer (2-3 years, even up to 5 years).

Here are the expiration dates of the most common medicinal plants:

Name of medicinal herbs

Shelf life

joster laxative fruit

shepherd's purse grass

If you grind medicinal raw materials into powder, you will receive material with a shelf life of ¼ to ½ of the period indicated above.

The degree to which the quality of herbs deteriorates depends not only on the storage conditions of the dried herb, but also on how it was grown, collected, dried and processed. When purchasing medicinal herbs, it is important that you look for a seller who has a reputation for being honest, sustainable and ethical. You want to be sure that he is selling herbs that are organic and, if they are wild, harvested in a way that respects the environment.

Freshly picked herbs are considered to be better in most cases, but properly dried herbs contain just as many medicinal properties. But how can you determine whether the dried raw materials you want to purchase are of good quality?

The answer is simple: the raw material must have the color, smell, taste and potency of fresh herbs. The color of dried herbs should be very similar to the color of fresh herbs. Their smell should be strong, rich and bright. They should look “healthy” and fresh. And they must work effectively!

As a natural material, many herbs are very vulnerable to exposure to air, light, moisture and heat .

Here are some tips for storing dried herbs to help you keep them well throughout their shelf life:

Whole herbs last longer. If you can store the whole herb and then grind it as needed, you will get a much fresher, stronger and healthier product.
Make sure the herbs are completely dry. A good way to test is to rub a little between your fingers - they should crumble easily and be almost crispy to the touch.
Store herbs in airtight containers. Oxygen degrades the quality of the herb over time, to avoid this it is good to use glass or metal jars with screw tops and jars with a clamp. Avoid using plastic as it can leach chemicals into your herbs.
Avoid exposure to sunlight. Rays of sunlight hitting herb jars look beautiful, but are detrimental to the potency of the herbs. Dark colored glass vessels are good for blocking any potential light, keep them in a closed cabinet or covered with a curtain.
Store herbs in a cool, dry place. If you want to ensure your herbs last their entire shelf life, don't store them near a hot stove or in a steamy bathroom. It is ideal to store them in the coolest, driest part of your home.
You will be sure of the freshness of the raw materials if you mark the time of harvest or date of purchase . Keeping track of how old your grass is is should become a habit. Whenever you put a new herb on the shelf, make a note of what type of herb it is and when it was harvested or purchased. Buy small quantities, as much as you can use within a few months of purchase.

Please keep in mind . these are only recommendations.

Above all, trust your eyes, smell and taste. But even properly dried and well-stored herbs will become less effective over time and if you find that your herbs are losing potency, they should be replaced.

Chapter 5. Drying and storing herbs

The first stage - collection - has been completed. The best and healthiest plants collected at the right time in the right place are already in your home. We move on to an equally important stage - preserving what we have collected.

Of course, you collected some plants in order to immediately put them into use. But if you do not want to use them immediately, then they need to be dried.

It is clear that the technology for different plants will be very different.

Drying

After beautiful plants full of vitality are collected in a good place and at the right time, they are either consumed fresh or dried, that is, excess moisture is evaporated from the plant, while most of the biologically active and accompanying substances are preserved.

Herbs should be dried in the shade at a temperature not exceeding 40 ° C with a constant flow of fresh air; and plants containing essential oil substances at a temperature of 30-35 ° C (oregano, thyme, mint, lemon balm). Direct sunlight changes the color of plants and destroys the active substances they contain. It is best to dry the plants on a wooden rack covered with linen or gauze. The plants are laid loosely against each other and turned frequently (daily). At home, it is good to dry plants in hanging small bunches.

The plant will be considered properly dried if it has not changed color or lost its smell.

Drying roots. Wash the roots thoroughly and dry in the sun. Roots and fruits can be dried in the oven or in a special drying cabinet at a temperature of 50-60 °C.

Readiness criterion: 1) the roots break with a bang, 2) the leaves and flowers are ground into powder, 3) the fruits do not crush.

Many medicinal plants contain essential oils that evaporate at high temperatures. Therefore, it is recommended to dry plants such as calamus, oregano, and thyme by subjecting them to slow drying at a temperature not exceeding 30-35 degrees.

Storing Dried Herbs

Dried herbs can be stored for two years; aged herbs can be used for baths. The roots can be stored for three years. Dried plants should be stored in dry rooms in uncrushed form (so they lose less of their medicinal properties), in thick paper bags or sealed containers made of ceramics, wood, dark glass or thick cardboard. It is not advisable to use plastic packaging. All packages must be labeled with the name of the plant and the date of collection.

Preparation of the collection

When preparing the collection, the plant is crushed, while the flowers are left whole, the leaves are crushed to 5 mm, the roots are crushed to 3 mm, and the fruits and seeds are ground into powder (using a coffee grinder or meat grinder). Aromatic herbs (containing essential oils) should be stored in tightly sealed cardboard boxes or glass jars (just avoid sealing them tightly - the herb should breathe, but not dry out). Herbs that do not have a strong odor can be stored in tin cans (lined inside with paper) and plastic containers “for bulk products.” Of course, if you use plastic, it must be of high quality and odorless. The roots are best stored in wooden or cardboard boxes. In “non-breathable” dishes, poorly dried roots can become moldy. Only the already ground roots can be poured into a glass or plastic container (medicine bottles with a wide neck work very well - you must have relatives who love to be treated!). To store tinctures, collect all kinds of bottles and vials. Just remember that tinctures cannot be stored in plastic or under metal lids. The best thing is natural corks. Medical rubber will also do. It is better to seal tinctures prepared for a long time with natural cork and fill them with wax. The same goes for storing juices. Alcohol (2/10) or vodka (1/4) is added to plant juices for storage. Be sure to label all jars, boxes and bottles with the name of the plants and the year and month of harvest. To store all these preparations, it is worth selecting a separate cabinet, especially if your loved ones do not share your passion for magic. And, of course, keep all this away from kitchen spices to avoid unpleasant accidents if someone at home decides to show culinary talents.

Non-standard preservation methods

Cut plants are collected in small bunches and hung under a canopy or in a ventilated shed with their heads down, or laid out in special flat boxes, which, if small leaves or flowers are being dried, are covered in advance with a jute scarf. To harvest greens collected from 10 m2 of area, an average of 1 m2 of drying area is sufficient.

How to properly store medicinal herbs?

Experienced herbalists know when which plant gains maximum strength and how to harvest it correctly, preserving its living energy. Is it really that important? It turns out yes. Herbs that are expired, damp, or have lost their natural aroma, if they do not harm your health, will certainly not bring any benefit. We suggest we talk about how to store them correctly.

In the old days, herbs were stored in boxes, clay pots, or tied into bunches and hung from the ceiling

About the benefits of medicinal plants

Despite the fact that pharmacies are full of synthetic drugs, people are increasingly resorting to herbal medicine. On the one hand, this is a return to the forgotten origins of healing, on the other hand, it is the result of numerous clinical studies that scientifically confirm the healing potential of plants.

Having 10-15 herbs on hand, you can prepare effective infusions for all occasions: for colds and high blood pressure, for vitamins and sedatives, for strengthening the heart and clean blood vessels.

The benefits of phytoproducts can hardly be overestimated.

With its help, it is quite possible to improve the entire gastrointestinal tract, cleanse the blood, intestines, kidneys, and liver.
In therapeutic doses, infusions are used for the prevention of chronic diseases, taken in courses and without fear of side effects.
The primordial medicinal principle of plant raw materials enters the body without changes, and who knows how to combine useful components better than Mother Nature?
While tablets often “cure one thing and cripple another,” herbs, on the contrary, in addition to affecting the underlying disease, heal the complex.
In parallel with treatment, they enrich the body with vitamins, microelements, and biologically active compounds. They have a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora, and this is our immunity.

Even if you are not going to complete your herbal first aid kit on purpose, in every home there is still a place for chamomile tea, aromatic mint, a jar of rose hips, calendula, and linden blossom. Learn how to properly store this natural wealth.

For a home herbal pharmacy, collect herbs with universal medicinal properties - chamomile, rose hips, St. John's wort, mint, etc.

Basic storage rules

Improperly stored herbal materials may become damp or dry, and their active ingredients will begin to decompose. Raw materials can be spoiled by pests, absorb dust, foreign odors, or, even worse, toxic substances. Valuable biologically active components are destroyed under the influence of sunlight. How to prevent this?

The room where medicinal plants are stored should be clean, dry and cool (up to +18 ⁰C). The raw materials themselves should be protected from sunlight, but air should be provided so that the herbs “breathe”.
If this is not a pre-compiled collection, the herbs are sorted separately from each other. Particular attention should be paid to plants with a high concentration of essential oils, as well as toxic and poisonous ones. They are advised to be stored in a sealed container.
In the old days, herbs were stored in bunches - this way they better preserved their beneficial substances. If this is not possible, separate containers must be provided for roots, fruits and flowers with leaves. Each part of the plant has its own shelf life, and its purpose may be different.
In addition to the name, the container should indicate the date of collection. This makes it easier to sort out expired raw materials.

How to store dry herbs, requirements for room and containers

Experienced herbalists know when which plant gains maximum strength and how to harvest it correctly, preserving its living energy.

Is it really that important? It turns out yes. Herbs that are expired, damp, or have lost their natural aroma, if they do not harm your health, will certainly not bring any benefit.

Basic storage rules

• The room where medicinal plants are stored must be clean, dry and cool (up to +18 ⁰C). The raw materials themselves should be protected from sunlight, but air should be provided so that the herbs “breathe”.

• If it is not a pre-arranged collection, the herbs are sorted separately from each other. Particular attention should be paid to plants with a high concentration of essential oils, as well as toxic and poisonous ones. They are advised to be stored in a sealed container.

• In the old days, herbs were stored in bunches - this way they better preserved their beneficial substances. If this is not possible, separate containers must be provided for roots, fruits and flowers with leaves. Each part of the plant has its own shelf life, and its purpose may be different.

• On the container, in addition to the name, the date of collection should be indicated. This makes it easier to sort out expired raw materials.

Storage space and containers

At home, for storing herbal products, you need to set aside a place in a cool and dry pantry. You can hang bunches or canvas bags of crushed raw materials in the attic, attic, or veranda. The main thing is to protect them from sunlight. It is necessary to allocate a separate cabinet for the herbal first aid kit and periodically inspect it.

What type of container is suitable for storing medicinal herbal raw materials?

• It is recommended to store dried fruits, such as hawthorn berries, rose hips, blueberries, and powdered roots, in glass, tin, and ceramic jars with lids. In the same containers you can place aromatic herbs - mint, oregano, lemon balm, lavender flowers.

• Sealed packaging is needed for poisonous and toxic herbs - hemlock, celandine, mistletoe, etc.

• Bags made of thick natural fabric (linen, canvas, cotton) are ideal for crushed flowers and leaves, roots, bark. The material provides air circulation and ventilation of raw materials.

• You can use cardboard, wooden boxes, and wicker boxes for storage. It is advisable to line them inside with clean packaging or parchment paper.

! It is strictly not recommended to store phytoproducts in plastic bags or plastic containers. In them, the raw materials suffocate, become damp, and then become moldy or turn black.

Shelf life

Most herbalists and herbalists agree that plants have their maximum healing effect within a year after collection. Roots and fruits, in which the active ingredients are usually presented in concentrated form, retain their healing properties longer. The shelf life of pharmaceutical herbal raw materials varies and depends on the type of herbs and the stability of the biologically active components present in them.

• Leaves, buds, buds can generally be used within 1-2 years after collection. Although chamomile flowers, calendula, and chaga mushroom are recommended to be renewed every season.

• Roots, tubers, bark do not deteriorate for 2-3 years. There are also “long-livers”. Thus, the rhizomes of burnet, cinquefoil, licorice, orchis tubers, oak bark, and buckthorn retain medicinal properties for 5-6 years.

• It is also not recommended to store fruits and seeds for more than 2-3 years.

• If there are expired supplies of medicinal herbs, do not rush to throw them in the trash. Of course, you shouldn’t take them internally, but you can make an aromatic bath.

How to tell if your spices have gone bad

Dried herbs and spices don't actually expire in the traditional sense, and they don't spoil.

When a spice is said to have gone bad, it simply means that it has lost much of its flavor, potency, and color. Fortunately, eating spoiled spice is unlikely to cause any harm.

Store-bought spice packages are labeled with expiration dates, which indicate the length of time they will retain their strongest flavor and quality ().

In general, spices that have passed their expiration date can still be safely consumed, although they will not add as much flavor as their fresh counterparts.

If you don't know how long your spices last, you can tell if they need to be replaced by their smell and taste. Crush or rub a small amount of spice into your palm. If the smell is weak and the taste is dull, it's probably time to replace it.

Conclusion:
Dried spices that are past their expiration date will likely not cause nausea, but they will lose much of their aroma and flavor over time.

How to collect, prepare, store medicinal plants and herbs, expiration dates of collections

Medicinal plants and herbs are collected and prepared at the time when they contain the greatest amount of active ingredients.

Calendar dates for collecting medicinal plants are very conditional. They depend on weather conditions, wet or dry summer, early or late spring. The guideline for collecting plants is their appearance and color.

The Russian proverb “Every vegetable has its time” could not be more appropriate here.

Medicinal parts of plants: buds, grass, leaves, flowers, fruits, bark are collected only in clear weather. After rain or heavy dew, the plant can be collected only after it has dried. The most suitable times for collection are from 8 to 9 o'clock and from 16 to 17 o'clock.

The main thing when collecting plants

You can collect only those plants that you firmly know. Take only those parts of the plant that are needed for treatment.

You need to know the timing in which you can collect certain parts of the plant. Be sure to leave good plants on the site for future propagation.

Never collect plants, flowers and roots within the city, along roads or industrial production.

When to collect buds

The best time to collect buds is April-May. The buds have just swelled, but have not yet opened.

It is better to collect buds by hand. You can use the upholstery method. Bunches of branches are laid on the floor or ground with paper or cloth spread out.

How to collect bark

Bark is harvested only from young trunks and branches no older than 3-4 years. It is best to collect in early spring before or during sap flow.

The tree trunk must first be cleared of growths. You can clean the barrel using a metal brush and chisel.

Summarize

Herbs and spices play an important role in flavoring, enhancing the taste and preserving food.

Dried herbs and spices have a relatively long shelf life, ranging from 1 to 4 years, although the exact shelf life varies depending on the type of seasoning and how it is processed and stored.

As a rule, spices that have expired are not dangerous to eat, but over time they lose their aroma and taste.

Always store spices away from heat, light, air and moisture to extend their shelf life, reduce waste and further stretch your grocery budget.