Spring Tonic Definition

A spring tonic is composed of various ingredients, but the common denominator is its power to invigorate your mind and body. A spring tonic will make the sap start running once again in your sleepy winter bones.

History

• Taking a dose of spring tonic every year is a folk-based practice rooted in regional tradition. According to The Mountain Laurel, a newsletter based in Appalachia, "The tonics were usually bitter, foul tasting concoctions," but everybody had to take a dose.

Function

• The leaves of the violet give a spring tonic Vitamin C.

  Folk wisdom dictated that a spring tonic would get the blood flowing, invigorate the system, and tone up the muscles. In fact, many ingredients found in spring tonics are herbs that have medicinal and nutritional properties, such as violet leaves, high in Vitamin C.

Types

• Spring tonics can be a combination of herbs and other organic substances. One recipe calls for dandelion roots and leaves steeped in water to make a tea. Other spring tonic ingredients include anise seed, blue violet, burdock root, fennel, licorice root, red clover, and Oregon grape. Some people mix in honey or molasses to hide the bitter flavor.

Effects

• Pluck some fennel from your garden to add to your spring tonic.

  Since many spring tonics contain essential vitamins and minerals, they do have a positive effect on those who take them. Many people take herbal preparations on a regular basis to promote good health. These are often nothing more than spring tonics in capsule form.

Warning

• Would you like honey with that?

  Spring tonics may call for potentially toxic ingredients such as sulfur. The best strategy is to substitute a non-toxic ingredient or minimize the measurement you include in your spring tonic.