How to Take Wormwood
Answered by: Conrad Richter
Question from: Eric Ben
Posted on: January 27, 1999

How do you consume wormwood? Do you just consume the leaves raw or is there a special process involved?

Wormwood is a bitter herb used for its potent effects on the stomach and on digestion. Also known as absinthe, the leaves or the flowering tops are taken in tincture, infusion, or powder form.

To make a tincture 1-4 oz of dried herb is steeped in 8-12 oz of grain alcohol. Enough water is added to bring the alcohol content to 50%. The mixture is allowed to stand for two weeks and then the liquid is strained and stored in dark glass bottles. The dose is 8-10 drops on a sugar cube, 1-3 times a day.

To make the infusion, boiling water is poured over the dried herb and the mixture is allowed to steep for 5-10 minutes, and then the liquid is strained. The proportion of dried herb to boiling water is 2 teaspoonfuls of dried herb per cup of water. The dose is 1/2 cup a day taken a teaspoonful at a time.

The powder can be taken in capsule form: 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoonful once or twice a day.

Because of wormwood’s thujone content, it is not advisable to take wormwood for chronic illness. It can be dangerous if taken in too large a quantity. For more information on how to take wormwood properly, see John Lust’s, "The Herb Book," which is available from Richters.

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