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Meet the Herbalist

My name is Tristan and my holistic herbalism training began in 1995 when I was 15 through the expert guidance of my Grandmother who was a master herbalist.

She and other great teachers taught me how herbs work (actions on bodily systems and physiological processes) and why herbs work (bioactive compounds extracted in the proper solvent before being consumed).

My Credentials

~ Certified Holistic Herbalist
~ Certified Holistic Health Practitioner
~ Master’s Degree in Nutrition
~ Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner
~ Certified Natural Chef

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Introduction

An herbs medicine and functional effects live in its bioactive compounds. But these compounds only become available through a solvent that can dissolve them. 

Each active constituent in a herb has a chemical synergy with a specific kind of liquid that it will most dissolve into. Some are most drawn (or only drawn) to water, some to alcohol, and some to fats. 

This property determines which preparation (a tea, a tincture, or an infused oil) will actually capture a herb's compounds and deliver those compounds into the body. 

Knowing these three solubility categories will empower you to use herbal remedies in ways where they will actually work. 

As an example, the herb slippery elm bark has demulcent water soluble compounds. So this herb is best made into a tea rather than a tincture or oil extract which would not provide the demulcent action you were looking for.

In the next sections I cover the three solubility types, methods of extraction, and common compounds for each.

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Water Soluble Compounds

The three main methods of water extraction are:

1. Cold water infusion: used for mucilaginous herbs (such as marshmallow root and slippery elm bark), aromatic herbs (such as the mint family and lemon balm), and water soluble nutritive herbs (such as rose hips).

 2. Simmering water infusion (tea): used for delicate leafy herbs (such as rosemary and holy basil) and flowers (such as lavender, chamomile, and hibiscus).

3. Boiling water infusion (decoction): used for hearty roots (such as dandelion root and burdock root), barks (such as cinnamon bark), and medicinal mushrooms (such as reishi and chaga).

Common water soluble bioactive compounds include:

~ Mucilage 

~ Polysaccharides 

~ Tannins 

~ Astringent compounds 

~ Saponins 

~ Vitamin C

~ B Vitamins

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Alcohol Soluble Compounds

The main method of alcohol extraction is a tincture which typically takes about 4 weeks. 

Common alcohol soluble bioactive compounds include:

~ Bitter compounds

~ Resins

~ Alkaloids

~ Alkylamides

~ Volatile essential oils

~ Flavonoids 

~ Tannins (also water soluble)

Fat Soluble Compounds

The two main methods of fat extraction are:

1. Cold oil infusion (typically 2 - 4 weeks): delicate herbs such as pine needles and St. John’s wort.

2. Warm oil infusion (typically several hours): hearty herbs such as calendula and arnica. 

Common fat soluble bioactive compounds include:

~ Terpenes and Terpenoids (such as menthol and thymol) 

~ Carotenoids (red, orange, and yellow pigments)

~ Vitamin A 

~ Vitamin D2 and D3

~ Vitamin E

~ Vitamin K1 and K2

~ Phytosterols 

~ Curcuminoids

~ Astringent compounds (also water soluble)

 © 2026 Tristan Anderson LLC

Herbal Solubility: Water, Alcohol, and Fat Soluble Bioactive Compounds Guide is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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