[Herbalist] REQ: bruise juice recipie or similar tintures orremidies.

Gaylin Walli iasmin at home.com
Mon May 21 14:00:34 PDT 2001


>I have very rarely found that my herbs cook.

I was referring to on the stove cooking. I assume you were as well. I think
there are too many stove variables to account for personally and when
new people are trying to make ointment, I recommend easier methods
especially if they've not used their stove extensively for cooking in general,
knowing where dials must be exactly set to get temperatures and the like
and which days and times of year make the oven reliable or unreliable for
them in this regard.

>I have also found that sitting
>them in the sun does no damage to these particular herbs or the oil.

The sun is simply another method of heat induction. Heat will damage oil
above a certain temperature regardless of the source.

>I don't heat the herbs with any artificail heat source such as a low oven
>etc because the active principal of the herbs can be denatured.

I disagree with this statement, to some extent. I think the active principals
of the herbs can be very readily broken down with sunlight. Heat inside a
glass container can reach the same temperatures or higher than that of a
low oven.

Would you happen to have any scientific evidence to the contrary? I've been
looking at a number of studies on the subject over many years and have been
unable to find the information stating that sunlight is better. A good source
that refutes the information I have would be extremely useful and one I could
pass along to my students. And I'm sure the herbalists on this list would be
interested as well.

Iasmin



More information about the Herbalist mailing list