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Healing & Alternative Health
Buying Herbs
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by Kami McBride |
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Just about every week I receive calls or emails from people asking where and how to purchase good quality herbs. The herb industry now generates more than 5 billion dollars annually. Any time there is a product that people are buying so much of, you start to have distributors that aren’t as concerned with quality but just want a slice of the market. It is worth taking a little time to question where your herbs are coming from.
There are many factors that go into providing high quality herbs. Making sure that herbs are organically grown without pesticides is critical. It is important that herbs are harvested at the proper time of the year so that the desired constituents are at their optimum level. Herbs need to be dried at the right temperature, if they are dried with too much heat, they loose potency, if they are dried when it is too wet, they develop mold. Then they then need to be stored at the right temperature, humidity and darkness.
Some of the more expensive herbs such as goldenseal root are being adulterated and cut with other herbs. Many herbs that cross national boundaries are irradiated or fumigated. Some herb material is just old and may even be infested with insects.
Many companies are still supplying herbs that are being over harvested in the wild. It is important to support herb companies that have an environmental commitment of not destroying the growth of wild plants. Poaching (illegal harvesting) of wild medicinal plants is a serious problem in some parts of the country.
These are just a few of the issues facing a store or mail order distributor as they try to provide the community with the best herbs. It is worth paying them a little extra to have all of this considered when you purchase an herb. The question really needs to change from, “how cheap can I get this herb?” to “How did this herb get to me?” You are using the herbs for healing, so you want herbs that are grown, harvested, dried, stored and shipped in the best way possible.
When shopping for herbs use your senses. Look for color, texture, taste and smell. If there are a few herbs that you are interested in working with, see if you can find the herb fresh in a garden or a nursery so you know what the plant is like when it is fresh and vibrant. Then every time you are in a health food store look at that herb and start to get an idea of what it should be like when it is dried. What color is the herb? What color should it be? Can you distinguish what the shape of the herb is? I have seen herbs that have been sitting on the shelf for so long that it is just brown fluff with hardly any shape. Taste the herb; you should be able to identify an herb by taste.
How is the herb being stored? Light and heat break down the constituents. Are the herb jars in direct light? Is the store kept somewhat cool curing the hot seasons? All of these things need to be considered when looking for the best quality herbs.
Most major cities have good herb and health food stores now and that is a place to start looking. For people who live more remotely, there are many mail order suppliers that offer high quality herbs. If you don’t have the time to do all of the research that it takes to qualify a good distributor, then find store that you can trust. Buy your herbs from a store that is committed to quality and will do this initial research and screening for you. The following list is distributors that I work with and are committed to environmental sustainability and high quality.
Mail Order Herb Companies
Mountain Rose Herbs: 800-879-3337
High quality herbs and herbal supplies. Herbs can be bought in small amounts
Oregon’s Wild Harvest 503-668-7713
High quality organic herbs for wholesale prices. Minimum quantity is one pound per herb
Pacific Botanicals: 541-479-7777
High quality organic herbs for wholesale prices. Minimum quantity is one pound per herb
Wild Weeds: 800-553-9453
High quality herbs and herbal supplies. Herbs can be bought in small amounts
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Kami McBride,
Teacher of Herbal Medicine
& Women's Health
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Kami McBride has taught herbal medicine and women’s health since 1988. She has studied medicinal plants for almost 20 years and has taught Herbology at the University of California School of Nursing and Stanford Hospital. Her popular course, Cultivating the Herbal Medicine Woman Within is an experiential earth awareness and herbal studies program that is taught at her beautiful school and herb gardens in Vacaville, California.
An intuitive and inspiring teacher, Kami has helped thousands of people learn to use healing plants in their daily lives in ways that are healthy, safe and fun. Her extensive knowledge of herbal medicine along with a focus on teaching herbology as a relationship with the Earth and a way of life, help to fulfill her mission of reviving the cultural art of home herbal care.
Kami is an herbal consultant and an expert in the field of holistic health specializing in women’s issues. Her herbal consultations empower women to discover sacredness and pleasure in their healing process. Her educational courses provide a sanctuary for women to transform their relationship with their body and reclaim their heritage as healers and herbalists.
Kami is the author of 105 Ways to Celebrate Menstruation, available at www.amazon.com.
Visit Kami’s website at:
www.livingawareness.
com
Sign up for her free quarterly herbal e-newsletter.
kami@livingawarness.
com
For Classes, Books & Consultations:
Phone: 707-446-1290
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