Herb and plant extracts have been used for centuries in traditional medicine to provide various healing benefits. These extracts are commonly found in modern dietary supplements and drinks, though they can often be expensive. You can create your own extracts from fresh herbs and plants at home through a process known as maceration, or cold water extraction. This is perhaps the simplest form of extraction available and requires very little work to obtain inexpensive extracts.
Crush or grind fresh plants or herbs to a fine consistency. The finer the pulp, the greater the available surface area will be for extraction. Place the crushed plant matter into a jar.
Fill the jar with enough cold water to completely cover the plant material, and place the cap on it. You may wish to place the jar into a refrigerator to keep the water at a cool temperature and aid in the extraction process.
Allow the plant matter to soak in the jar overnight.
Use a coffee filter or fine sieve to strain off the plant matter, recollecting the liquid into a second jar.