Many people ask me if they should get the powdered version of an herb if they can't find the dried, loose-leaf, cut & sifter version.
Personally, I would never buy the powdered version if I'm planning to make a tea out of it, or a tincture.
Most of my formulas are based on volume measurement, which means that there is no way to get the proper measurement if the herbs are powdered.
Another issue is that powdered herbs are weaker than ones that are simply dried, cut and sifted. The most potent form of herb is fresh, next would be dried, and last would be powdered. Herbs lose their healing power quicker when they are powdered.
So if I plan on drinking the herb as a tea, I usually get them dried, cut, and sifted. I go to pacificbotanicals.com first, and if they are missing a few ingredients, I will buy the missing ones from mountainroseherbs.com or amazon.com as a last resort.
I only buy powdered herbs when I plan to use them in powdered form. For example, for my Herbal Colon Cleanse formula, I get them powdered because I then put them into capsules.
I brush my teeth with an herbal tooth powder, so I get those herbs in powdered form, and then I dip my toothbrush in either water or coconut oil, and then dip it in the powdered herbs. It's a great, non-toxic, toothpaste alternative. It's way better than toothpaste which usually has toxic fluoride and other junk you don't need to waste your money on.
So if you're going to make a tea or tincture, I recommend get dried, loose-leaf, cut and sifted. If you're going to make capsules or powders, get the powdered herb.
