Is alcohol in flower essences a cause for concern for children and teenagers?

Many flower essences contain alcohol as a natural preservative. However, it is not just the alcohol content by volume that matters, but the actual amount consumed.

At the usual dosage of a few drops or sprays a day, this amount is very small. To put this into perspective: even everyday foods such as apple juice, ripe bananas, bread, kefir or sauerkraut can naturally contain small amounts of alcohol. Depending on their ripeness and how they are produced, a glass of apple juice or a ripe banana may contain more natural alcohol than a standard daily dose of a flower essence.

For a flower essence containing 12.5% alcohol by volume, taken as seven drops twice daily, the amount of alcohol consumed is only in the region of a few hundredths of a gram. In our view, at this dosage, it is not normally to be expected that the body will become accustomed to alcohol.

Anyone wishing to reduce the alcohol content further can add the drops or sprays to a little water and leave to stand briefly. Some of the alcohol may evaporate in the process. Alternatively, many essences can also be applied externally, for example to the wrists, soles of the feet or into the aura.

In the case of infants, young children, pregnancy, alcohol intolerance, certain medical conditions, medication use or alcohol dependence, the use of alcohol-containing essences should be discussed with a doctor, alternative practitioner or therapist beforehand.