PLANTUS, infused waters of natural plants
PLANTUS puts nature in a bottle by offering two infused drinks of natural plants. After the plant harvest, it’s time to extract the aromatic substances from the plants with a real infusion.
We all know the infusion, this ancestral extraction process that allows us to delight in our favorite plants. Whether it is to enjoy their benefits or simply to savour their wonderful scents, PLANTUS puts herbal tea back in the spotlight!
Do you know what the infusion process really is, used since the dawn of time to take advantage of the benefits of medicinal plants?
First of all, several methods make it possible to extract their aromatic substances in water: maceration, digestion, decoction, infusion … Do you know their differences?
These extraction methods are accessible to everyone. From generation to generation, each family has built its own cultural heritage and its own history of plants. Here are the processes for making natural plant-based drinks and how PLANTUS offers real infusions.
Maceration
In the maceration, the plants are placed in water kept at cold room temperature. The aromatic flavours are extracted slowly.
For example, maceration is used in cooking to make spring lemonades from freshly harvested flowers and plants. Just cover them with water in a covered glass container in the refrigerator. For a minute consumption, it can be taken in direct sunlight for several hours to speed up the flavouring of the preparation.
Wine or alcohol can be used instead of water to make herbal aperitifs or liqueurs.
Digestion
In the digestion, plants are placed in water maintained at a warmer temperature.
This method is very often used industrially. Indeed, digestion is a much faster operation than maceration.
The digestion process can be carried out by crushing plants and vegetables, in order to increase the concentration of the preparation.
This makes it possible to make a concentrate to be diluted later.
Decoction
In the decoction, the plants are placed in water kept at a boiling temperature.
The decoction is a violent operation rather used to extract the active principles of the tough plants and roots. Indeed, this method of extraction tends to destroy aromatic substances sensitive to temperature, which are called thermolabile substances.
Infusion
In the infusion, the plants are immersed in simmering or almost boiling water, then the preparation is cooled.
The infusion is well suited to most plants which reveal their natural flavours through a brief and intense extraction of their sensitive aromatic substances (thermolabile substances). The higher the temperature, the more intense the flavours become.
In the kitchen, herbal teas are prepared by infusion. Water heated to a boil (100°C) is poured over the plants.
To make herbal teas, it is best to use just boiling water. And of course to let it infuse off the heat, as to prepare a sauce infused with thyme for example. This avoids destroying the aromatic substances of the plants by too intense cooking.
Real infusion
In everyday language, we prefer to use the term infusion instead of less glamorous terms such as maceration, digestion and decoction.
Current carbonated drinks are mixtures of water, aromatic extracts, various additives and sugars. Most often, the infusions available on the market use extracts obtained by digestion diluted in these mixtures. Different superficial flavours are also added to support insufficient tastes.
Also, infused waters of the highest quality find a place of choice in hotels and restaurants. The term cold infusion is commonly used instead of maceration.
In spirits, there are also rums infused with ginger. These are no more and no less than ginger macerated rums, more commonly known as « rhums arrangés ».
However, a real infusion is not as easy to make as it seems. In a real infusion, the process parameters must be perfectly controlled. The boiling temperature allows the raw and natural flavours of the plants to be briefly and delicately sublimated.
Thus, for PLANTUS, Natural Infused Plants, herbal drinks are made as a blend of truly infused aromatic plants.
PLANTUS infusions
Real infusions of natural plants
PLANTUS infuses natural plants in boiling water to make its herbal drinks. The subtle aromatic substances of the plants are extracted as if to prepare a herbal tea. The infusions are not diluted and no flavouring is added, in order to preserve the raw and natural flavours of the plants.
PLANTUS drinks are not macerations, digestions, decoctions, or simply mixtures of added extracts and flavours. They are real infusions.
PLANTUS herbal drinks
In addition to being assemblages of truly infused natural plants, PLANTUS drinks contain 0 g of sugars. A dash of lemon juice concentrate is also added for a slightly tart character, as well as a small dose of rosemary extract for its antioxidant power. And of course, PLANTUS drinks are 100% organic and French.
Their delicate sparkle finally allows them to reveal their raw and natural flavours on the nose and palate. The steps of the infusion process as well as all the manufacturing steps are perfectly mastered.
Market drinks are always sweet:
- lemonades and tea drinks, containing sugars and extracts,
- fruit juice containing fruit sugars,
- kombuchas and kefirs containing fermented sugars,
- sweet flavoured waters with superficial aromas,
- “low sugar” and even “sugar-free” drinks that still contain sugars!
PLANTUS, Natural Infused Plants, offers an alternative to tasteless still or sparkling waters.
Real infusions of natural plants, PLANTUS drinks are alcohol-free. They are perfect for any healthy aperitif and for pregnant women!
They are similar to homemade drinks without any sugar. Like fresh lemonades, teas and herbal teas that should be prepared daily, PLANTUS waters are real ready-to-drink infusions and put herbal tea back in the spotlight!
Shop online PLANTUS Vallée and PLANTUS Calanque.
