You may have seen that we use the term bulk herbs on our website and wondered what it means. Most of us are familiar to the term bulk referring to giant sized packages of products like you find at the wholesale clubs. Bulk herbs are not massive packages. Bulk herbs are herbs sold in quantities of usually 3 ounces to 1 pound, regardless of its form. Bulk herbs are available in whole, cut, sliced, granule, extract and powdered forms.
Bulk herbs cost less than smaller quantities of herbs such as the 1-ounce size. When you buy these small quantities, you tend to pay more. You pay for the packaging, labels, shipping, etc. When you are ordering lots of small bags it can add up fast! When buying in bulk, depending on the dosage you use, a pound of cut or powdered herbs can last you up to 1 ½ months. Buying your herbs in larger quantities is more economical.
Using bulk herbs gives you the advantage of having more herbs on hand to use when you need them. To ensure you are getting the maximum benefits from your herbs, proper storage is very important to keep your herbs fresh and potent. Just like any other item in your pantry, if it’s stored in a tight glass jar and kept in a cool, dark place, herbs of all sorts will last years! Powders can last about 2 years in these conditions and cut herbs can handle 3 - 4 years in these easy to keep conditions. Just be sure to store your herbs away from hot spaces like the stove and out of the refrigerator and freezer!
Bulk herbs let you create your own herbal formulas that best benefit your health needs. Herbs have a synergy effect, that is herbal combinations can enhance each other’s properties giving you better results than each herb on its own. Pre-made formulas may contain some herbs and effects that you do not want. Using bulk herbs to create your own formula will let you adjust the quantities of each herb to help you get the best results. Also, creating your own formulas can save you money. You don’t have to pay for someone else’s time on labor for encapsulation and measuring! It adds up really quickly when you compare the cost (both monetarily and labor) to have your herbs pre-packed for you.
You made the decision to use bulk herbs to naturally benefit your health. It is important to be able to trust that the herbs you are putting into your body are what they are supposed to be and are safe to use. At 1st Chinese Herbs we strive to provide you with only the highest quality herbs. We chose to partner with herbal companies that follow all current Good Manufacturing Practices, and rigorously test and authenticate their herbs for accuracy, safety, impurities and potency. As an additional benefit, the majority of our herbs have a Certificate of Analysis available upon request. These certificates can verify the rigorous testing done to each batch of herb before they’re brought to market. This means checking for any impurities, like lead and pesticides. You can see the results of those tests right on the page! You can use your herbs with confidence, knowing your have the right herb and that it is safe for you. On top of these safety tests, more and more herbs are gaining the USDA organic certification. If you see an herb labeled as organic it has also passed those tests as well! We are always looking for more high-quality bulk herb items like this to bring to our customers.
Bulk herbs include many parts of the plant. How you process the herb to extract its benefits depends on which part of the plant you are using. For instance, if you are using root pieces you may want to simmer the herb in water for 30 minutes or more to make a decoction to drink. If you are using leaves, simmering 30 minutes may be too much processing and you would lose some of the health benefits. Instead, you would be better served to make a tea and let the leaves steep in hot water for 5 - 10 minutes.
Parts of the plants used in herbal medicine include:
- Fruit
- Flowers
- Seeds
- Leaves
- Stems
- Bark
- Roots
- Rhizomes/Tubers
Click here for more information on the parts of plants.
The form of the herbs also determines how an herb is used. In general cut or whole herbs are used to make teas, decoctions, tinctures, extracts, creams, salves, balms, ointments, gargle, syrups, bath bombs, sachets, etc. They may also be added to recipes and beverages. Herb powders are most commonly used to make your own capsules, compress or poultice. Powders can be added to recipes and beverages, but be aware that they do not fully dissolve so you may have some residue in your cup.
Click here to learn how to use your herbs.
Herbs can benefit your body’s healing processes. We hope you enjoy your journey to natural health!