Can Nourishing Herbal Infusions Replace Your Daily Multivitamin?

Reader Contribution by Jane Cookman Metzger and The Herbal Academy
1 / 4
2 / 4
3 / 4
4 / 4

As is the arc of many folk herbalists, one of the first revelatory herbal preparations I was introduced to was the nourishing herbal infusion. These herbal drinks are made with “weeds” such as nettle, red clover, oatstraw, red raspberry leaf, chickweed, alfalfa, dandelion, and horsetail that grow freely in meadows, woodlands, and fields and are thus readily available to us all.

When harvested from land and soils not depleted by intensive agriculture, these plants are rich in many of the vitamins and minerals we require on a daily basis to build health, support immunity, and maintain our energy levels.

I embraced the rich nutrition and daily ritual of consuming herbal infusions and found myself craving them. Whether it was the salty “green” taste of nettle, the light, quenching taste of oat straw, the astringent, black-tea familiarity of raspberry leaf, or the sweetness of red clover, I was drawn to each, and I knew I was craving more than just tastes. There is deep nutrition in weedy herbal infusions that can fill a glaring gap in our modern, processed diets.

As herbalist Paul Bergner [1] points, out, “an ounce of many dried herbs contains far higher mineral content than even three ounces of fruits, vegetables, or other plant foods — sometimes more than ten times the amount.”

As a passionate herbalist and vegetarian who endeavors to pay close attention to the nutrients in my diet, I found myself wondering: can nourishing herbal infusions replace a daily multivitamin?

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368