How Much Herb To Use

Packing Your Own Capsules

It is a definite advantage to learning how to pack your own capsules – I simply believe we should all learn how to, even if we still decide to buy pre-packaged formula. There are a few things to bear in mind when you undertake making your own herbal formula, including deciding on capsule size, how many capsules you want and how much herb you will need to fill those capsules. Hopefully this post will assist you in getting it done.

Some advantages:

• Making your own capsules can yield quite a bit of savings
• You know exactly what you’re getting
• You can have the benefits of herbs without having to deal with the taste (some herbs, for example , Cascara Sagrada are quite bitter)
• Even if you buy a capsule filling machine, you will be able to use it several times over so it will be well worth the investment

STEP 1.

(i). Determine which size capsule you want to use.
Each capsule size holds a different amount. You can choose based on comfort in terms of swallowing. Some people don’t like swallowing capsules or any type of pills – if that’s you start with a smaller size. For adults a comfortable size may be ‘0’, and size ‘1’ or ‘2’ for children. The larger the number, the smaller the capsule, therefore, size ‘2’ is smaller than size ‘1’.  See below figure:

Figure 1

(ii). Determine how much your capsule will hold
Now that you have determined the size of the capsule you want to take, use the table below to give you an approximate of how each capsule holds.

Capsule Sizes	000	00	0	1	2	3	4
1. Weight
	Vegetarian Capsules
Average Weight (mg)	163	136	105	79	63	50	40
tolerance	± 10	± 7	± 6	± 5	± 4	± 3	± 3
2. Capacity
Volume Capacity (ml)	1.37	0.95	0.68	0.48	0.36	0.27	0.20
Powder Density	Weight Capacity (mg)
0.6 g/ml	822	570	408	288	216	162	120
0.8 g/ml	1096	760	544	384	288	216	160
1.0 g/ml	1370	950	680	480	360	270	200
1.2 g/ml	1644	1140	816	576	432	324	240

Note: Usually I use the second row figures (in bold) in estimating the amount of herbs needed; most herbs should be approximately this weight range.

STEP 2.

Decide how many capsules do you want to make?
Do you want 50, 100 or 200 capsules or maybe less, maybe more?

STEP 3.

Determine the quantity of herbs you will need to buy based on the capsule size and how many capsules you want to fill.

Herbs have differing weight capacity. Some herbs are lighter, especially when we are dealing with leaves; while some can weigh more, especially in the case of barks and roots and even types of barks and roots. Often we have to work with estimates, especially when we are combining several herbs with different weight density in one capsule.

For example, to fill 100 size 0 capsule with dandelion root or turmeric only you will average about 54 grams of herbs (approx. 2 ounces); but what if you are combining 5 herbs (consisting of herbs, barks,roots and leaves)?

In the below table I have calculated an approximate of how much of each individual herb you will need (in mg) when using 1 or up to 10 different herbs in one capsule (assuming herbs are used in equal proportions).

Capsule Sizes	000	00	0	1	2	3	4
Estimated Capacity	1096(mg)	760(mg)	544(mg)	384(mg)	288(mg)	216(mg)	160(mg)
1 herb	1096	760	544	384	288	216	160
2 herbs	548	380	272	192	144	108	80
3 herbs	365.3	253.3	181.3	128	96	72	53.3
4 herbs	274	190	136	96	72	54	40
5 herbs	219.2	152	108.8	76.8	57.6	43.2	32
6 herbs	182.7	126.7	90.7	64	48	36	26.7
7 herbs	156.6	108.6	77.7	54.9	41.1	30.9	22.9
8 herbs	137	95	68	48	36	27	20
9 herbs	121.8	84.4	60.4	42.7	32	24	17.8
10 herbs	109.6	76	54.4	38.4	28.8	21.6	16

Using 1 herb

If for example you decide to make 100 size 0 capsules of dandelion herb. Each capsules holds about 544mg; therefore to find out approximately how much herb you need to start with:

Multiply the capacity of the individual capsule by the number of capsules you wish to fill.

544mg x 100 = 54400mg
54.4g

You would need approximately 54g of herb to make 100 size 0 capsule.

Note: 1000mg = 1g, therefore 54400mg = 54.4g [54400/1000]

Using 2 herbs

If you will be combining 2 herbs (in equal portions):
54.4g / 2 = 27.2g each

You would need approximately 27.2g of each herb to make 100 size 0 capsules.

Using 3 herbs

If you will be combining 3 herbs (in equal portions):
54.4g / 3 = 18.1g each

You would need approximately 18.1g of each herb to make 100 size 0 capsules.

Using 4 herbs

If you will be combining 4 herbs (in equal portions):
54.4g / 4 = 13.6g each

You would need approximately 13.6g of each herb to make 100 size 0 capsules.

Using 5 herbs

If you will be combining 5 herbs (in equal portions):
54.4g / 5 = 10.9g

You would need approximately 10.9g of each herb to make 100 size 0 capsules.

Using 6 herbs

If you will be combining 6 herbs (in equal portions):
54.4g / 6 = 9.1g

You would need approximately 9.1g of each herb to make 100 size 0 capsules.

Using 7 herbs

If you will be combining 7 herbs (in equal portions):
54.4g / 7 = 7.8g

You would need approximately 7.8g of each herb to make 100 size 0 capsules.

NOTE

There will always be some minor variation between capsules and the results of this kind of weighing will not be totally  accurate, however this provide fairly reasonable estimates of how much herb you might need.

You can use the  converter at the right sidebar to assist  with further calculations.

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