Herbal Skill: Understanding Tannins in Herbs

Pour yourself a glass of red wine and take a sip. Can you feel your tongue get fuzzy and dry? That tightening of the mouth tissue is caused by astringency from the tannins in the grapes.

Astringent herbs tighten, shrink, and dry out tissue, as well as tonify. They are tonic to the body by tightening things that are loose and drying out things that are wet. Astringent herbs speed wound healing by stopping the bleeding and oozing of wounds.

Yarrow is an astringent herb that stops bleeding by causing blood vessels to tighten, clamping off the flow of blood and causing clotting.

The polyphenols responsible for astringency are tannins. Tannins in tea are healthy for heart, the blood vessels, and the digestive system. The tannins in tea can help resolve diarrhea by their astringent actions. Other herbs that are high in tannins include raspberry leaves, blackberry leaves, fireweed leaves, tea (Camellia sinensis), rose, willow, grape, and many others.

Benefits of tannins

• Reduce inflammation
• Reduce pain because of numbing
• Create a barrier against infection
• Dry out inbalances of dampness
• The tannins in some plants act on specific body parts (for instance, Yarrow for bleeding; Raspberry for menstrual problems; Fireweed for prostate problems)

Safety Concerns with Tannins: 

• The use of tannins is inappropriate in cases of constipation, iron deficiency, and malnutrition.
• Tannins can prevent the body from absorbing iron.
• Tannin rich herbs may reduce the absorption of alkaloids and other basic drugs through precipitation when combined in a formula together.

Tannin Take Away

Use tannins when there is an imbalance and body tissue is in need of tightening and drying out. In cases of bleeding, diarrhea, heavy periods, enlarged prostate, coughs, nausea, etc. Tannins can help alleviate symptoms and protect the body from dehydration, blood loss, and speed healing.