Whole Herbs vs. Herbal Extracts: What’s the Difference?
Ever wonder what “herbal extract” means? Like turmeric standardized to 95% curcumin? How is that different from the whole plant herbs you might find in teas or capsules? If you are taking supplements, it’s helpful to know what you’re taking since you may have a different response to an herb than to an herbal extract — even though they may look identical.
Here’s a guide to the three main ways herbs appear in supplements.
1. Whole Plant Herbs
Made from the entire plant or a specific part (roots, leaves, seeds, flowers)
Contain the full spectrum of natural compounds
Found as powders, teas, or tinctures (sometimes pressed into capsules or tablets)
Gentle, supportive, and ideal for everyday wellness
Potency can vary from batch to batch due to soil, climate, harvest time, and storage — just like fruits and vegetables
2. Whole Plant Extracts
Made by extracting the entire plant or plant part into a solvent (water, alcohol, glycerin, or CO₂) and then concentrating it
Preserves the full range of plant constituents, unlike standardized extracts
Stronger and more potent than raw powders, but still maintains the herb’s natural synergy
Companies like Kerala Ayurveda often use whole plant extracts to provide concentrated benefits without isolating a single compound
3. Standardized Extracts
Concentrated extracts adjusted to contain a specific active ingredient
Example: turmeric standardized to 95% curcumin
Provides consistent potency for targeted support or research
May lose some other beneficial compounds, so the extract is less “whole” than powders or whole plant extracts
Made using solvents such as ethanol, water, glycerin, or advanced CO₂ extraction
How Extracts Are Made
Plant material is soaked in a solvent to pull out active compounds
The liquid is concentrated by gently evaporating the solvent (under low heat or vacuum) into a thick, syrupy extract
For standardized extracts, the key compound is measured and adjusted to reach the desired percentage
The concentrated extract can then be dried into powder (spray-drying or freeze-drying) for capsules, tablets, or powders
Common solvents:
Food-safe: ethanol, water, glycerin, CO₂
Industrial: acetone, hexane (must be fully removed before sale)
Many supplements do not provide information on the solvent used
Examples of Extracts You’ll See in Stores
Turmeric/Curcumin Extract – 95% curcuminoids
Green Tea Extract – high catechins
Milk Thistle Extract – 80% silymarin
Ginkgo Extract – 24% flavone glycosides + 6% terpene lactones
Choosing Between Whole Herbs and Extracts
Whole herbs: holistic, most natural form, provide gentle, broad support
Whole plant extracts: more concentrated than whole herbs, but preserve natural balance of plant compounds
Standardized extracts: offer precise, targeted potency, but may reduce other beneficial compounds
Every form has its place — it’s about what fits your goals and how you like to use herbs.
What You Get at Mountain Herbal Apothecary
Everything we make at the shop is made from the whole plant or plant part (not extracts). For example:
Turmeric capsules are made from powdered root + black pepper for absorption
Tinctures are made through maceration (long soak) of chopped plants or percolation (gravity-pulled extraction) of ground plants in organic alcohol
Glycerites, which are alcohol-free, use chopped plants and organic vegetable glycerin (ideal for children or those avoiding alcohol)
Herbal blends: made of chopped plants
Herbal drink blends: simple combinations of powdered herbs
Our focus is on keeping plants as close as possible to their natural form to provide the full spectrum of plant compounds, although we carry a handful of products that use extracts.