Herbal Extracts

Herbal extracts are substances extracted from the plant using different solvents—some combination of water, alcohol, chemicals, or other liquid that works to draw out beneficial plant components. “Extracts can contain the full spectrum of plant chemicals—it’s typically highlighted on the packaging,” says Dr. Rawls. “And it’s much more common to standardize extracts to a marker of potency and consistency.”

Standardization is typically done by measuring the amount of at least one or two phytochemical compounds that have been researched and identified as having beneficial effects at a certain level. If these compounds are present at the expected levels, the remaining phytochemicals in the plant’s matrix are likely where they should be as well.