Our Story
Back in 1980 prior to developing the multi-step serialized TincTract® process for making completely alcohol-free liquid herbal products, L. Carl Robinson had determined that liquid delivery of herbs was far more efficient than what dried herbal products were capable of, however, he asked two additional questions – "Given alcohol’s intrinsic denaturing and inert-rendering actions on many components, why was it still the primary solvent used for liquid herbal tinctures/extracts in the liquid herbal products industry?" And, "Why were the process methodologies used for making liquid herbs so antiquated and lacking in known fluid chemistry and science proven concepts?"
Going back to high school and college chemistry, Carl recalled that alcohol (i.e. grain based ethanol) possesses the intrinsic effects of denaturing and rendering inert many biological compounds, many in fact that are present and sought for in herbs, and he was also aware of the fact that different compounds, to obtain and retain their intrinsic biological nature, require different methodologies to effectively extract them from a raw material. That is, after all, the basics of extractive fluid chemistry as he had learned in his early studies, and had also observed in his youth helping his mother in cooking and canning settings in the kitchen.
Out of these considerations, Carl conceived of and developed a multi-step serialized process that utilizes the non-alcohol solvent glycerin for making liquid herbal concentrates. It's a process that goes way beyond typical tincturing or fluid extraction methodologies. More than a TINCture and more than an exTRACT, Carl named this innovative development the TincTract® process..
Simply put, the proprietary TincTract® process is geared towards removing heat sensitive water soluble compounds intact, as well as compounds requiring more dynamic processes, all being done in an all in one proprietary multi-step serialized process. Due to its highly rarified and volatile nature alcohol cannot be utilized in a dynamic processing setting, whereas glycerin is not volatile and of a nature it possesses greater versatility for varying kinds of processing dynamics.
A multi-step serialized totally alcohol-free liquid processing approach had never before been done in the liquid herbal products industry to the degree Carl had developed, and the TincTract® process, through its generational iterations of enhancements and improvements (now in its 12 generation), still holds the distinction of being the most thorough and efficient totally alcohol-free-based liquid herbal processing technology in the herbal products industry. From this Carl went on to found Cedar Bear Naturales®. Being the first in the industry, and doing it longer than anyone else, means we are more experienced and know more about glycerin and glycerin-based extractions than anyone else.
Over the decades since obtaining his Master of Herbology (M.H.) with an emphasis on phyto-pharmacognosy, clinical-based formulation, clinical use of herbs, and liquid herbal processing technologies, and developing the TincTract® process, Carl has acquired additional professional degrees, certifications and registrations as primary and ancillary supports to his career as a clinical herbalist and integrative therapist in Complimentary Alternative Medicine (CAM). They include member induction into the International Society of Lymphology (ISL) - he was the first non-doctoral person to become a member of that world-wide physicians organization; Therapy Technician (T.T.) - multi-state license qualified; Certified Deep Tissue Therapist (Pfrimmer method); RBTI (Reams Biological Theory of Ionization) trained; Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist & Instructor (C.C.Ht.) - State & National certified; Vibrational Instrument trained (operator, practitioner & technician level); and becoming a Registered Herbalist (R.H.) with the American Herbalists Guild (AHG) in clinical and traditional herbal medicine and practices. [Being an AHG Registered Herbalist is the highest acknowledgement and endorsement for professional herbalism in the Western hemisphere.]
All of the afore described primary and ancillary studies and proficiencies to Carl's herbal schooling and studies have contributed to both his unique integrated approach to CAM healthcare, and to Cedar Bear Naturales® innovative and proprietary technologies, processes, and revolutionary herbal formulations, mineral preparations, and alcohol-free mono element triiodide of fixed iodine, all firsts in the industry.
In the 1990s Carl founded Cedar Bear Naturales® from a previous iteration he had co-founded and worked with in the 1980s. As a result of the founding of Cedar Bear®, the numerous iterations of generational enhancements, improvements, and advances to the proprietary IP-driven serialized TincTract® process have continued to its current 12th generation of trade secret-based enhancements and improvements,
Cedar Bear® is now a majority 'Woman Owned' and day-to-day 'Woman Run' business with his wife and co-founder, Jhoane, President/COO of the company, and herself a traditional herbalist, who is also an AHG member.
Carl is Cedar Bear's herbal alchemist as its head formulary herbalist, oversees its ongoing innovative R&D and generational improvements & enhancements to its processing technologies, is the interface between CB Herb Gardens and Cedar Bear®, and has developed and teaches a series of courses on integrative Herbal Alchemy. He is the Chairman/CEO of Cedar Bear®.
What are the benefits of a botanical that has been subjected to the TincTract® process?
There Are Many:
• No alcohol is used at any time in the making of a 'Genuine TincTract® Made' product. None! Ever!
This means the components extracted from a botanical are not subjected to alcohol's denaturing and/or inert rendering effects. For instance, aromatic compounds are denatured, and many rendered inert when alcohol is used resulting in diminishing or loosing their efficacy, but such is not the case with glycerin where the compounds remain whole, intact and active.
And, many polysaccharides, especially the linked and cross-linked ones, are denatured (crystalized) and rendered inert by alcohol as seen in the chitin matrix of mushrooms and mycelium when alcohol is used in their attempted extraction for instance, but these same mushrooms and mycelium are able to be TincTract® extracted with glycerin and not crystalized, denatured or rendered inert, thus allowing for the removal of important constituents and compounds from mushrooms and mycelium.
These are serious considerations from a ‘clinical’ perspective. We're talking well proven and elucidated principles of chemistry science here, not suppositions or off the wall notions. Check it out and you'll see we're correct on the intrinsic denaturaing and inert rendering effects of alcohol on many of a botanical's constituents and components.
• A multi-step serialized process for making the products, like no one else does, means far greater extractive efficiencies and outcomes.
There are botanical components that should not be subjected to heat due to their heat-sensitive nature. The same holds for many water-soluble components. There are also many botanical components that require a more dynamic input to remove them from the cellulosic matrix of an herb. While other companies may claim their liquid process for herbal extraction may be multi-step as far as the herb is concerned, such is typically not the case. They are simply alcohol-based cold 'tincturing' methodologies, variations on tincturing, or single-step high heat processes. The TincTract® process involves multi-steps in which no heat is used in the beginning, with the fluid separated from the processed herb, and then the herb being subjected to a more dynamic process to remove components that a cold-process does not remove, and so on. It's a multi-step serialized process unique to Cedar Bear®. This is why 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products are so complete, retain the intrinsic integrity of all removed components, tastes remarkably good, and makes for the highest quality totally alcohol-free liquid herbal concentrates available in the marketplace.
• We utilize a high percentage of glycerin in the process solvent, and the glycerin used in a 'Genuine TincTract® Made' product possesses micro-encapsulating properties (alcohol does not!).
This means TincTract® made products possess astounding intrinsic preservability, and the actives and constituents are less affected by REDOX (Reducto-Oxidative), i.e., oxidation, than products made with water, alcohol, water and alcohol, or too low a glycerin percentage. TincTract® made liquid herbal products are ingredient-standardized at 70% glycerin. This contributes to the long shelf life and astounding stability a 'Genuine TincTract® Made' product is known for. For instance, due to the higher glycerin percentage in the ‘Genuine TincTract® Made' finished product and glycerin’s micro-encapsulating properties of an herbs constituents and components, there is little to no unwanted complexing of actives or constituents during the shelf life of our products, and once opened for use, do not require refrigeration. Cedar Bear® brand of 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products are so stable that they list an independent 3rd party lab verified 6 year expiration date on their labels, the longest listed expiration date for any liquid herbal products in the industry and in the marketplace.
The longer product expiration date of our products is further verification of the stability, quality, and safety of Cedar Bear® 100% alcohol-free 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products.
• 'Genuine TincTract® Made' liquid herbal products are gluten-free!
There has been some controversy in the liquid herbal products industry concerning the fact that single pass distilled alcohol (the most inexpensive to acquire) being made from grains also contains light mole-weight pass-through gluten particulates that can set off gluten sensitivity issues. What is known is that only grain alcohol that has been double, and even better, triple distilled, can be deemed to be completely free of pass through gluten factors.
Some companies using grain alcohol may utilize the cheaper single distilled variety as the double/triple distilled variety is more expensive. To be sure, many reputable alcohol-based liquid herbal product manufacturers do use the double/triple distilled variety of alcohol, but it is those that don't that one has to be careful of regarding this pass-through gluten issue. Because no alcohol is ever used in the TincTract® process, all the resulting products are 'absolutely' gluten-free!.
• 'Genuine TincTract® Made' liquid herbal products retain the intrinsic taste quality of an herb, in many instances, even that of the raw fresh harvested herb.
This is indicative that the intrinsic biological ratio-intact, and synergy-driven poly-constituent basis of our botanical-derived products remains intact, so much so that a finished 'Genuine TincTract® Made' liquid herb often possesses a taste quality remarkably similar to the fresh harvested botanical itself. No other liquid herbal processing technology in the industry results in this unique quality, and it has become a hallmark of our 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products.
• 'Genuine TincTract® Made' liquid herbal products are the most 'concentrated' and particulate-free 'clean' glycerin-based herbal extracts of a 'whole' herb-based nature available in the marketplace.
The generational improvements and enhancements (now in its 12th generation) to the proprietary TincTract® process have resulted in the recommended per dose amount going from generation one's 1 teaspoonful down to the current 12th generation's ¼ teaspoonful. This means that on a per dose basis 'Genuine TincTract® Made' herbal concentrate products are one of the most economical liquid herbal products for day-to-day use in the market today.
And, 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products are 'clean,' meaning they are particulate-free of any rough or coarse herbal marc, the extracted raw herb material that is filtered and separated from the finished liquid herbal menstrum (i.e., the 'finished' liquid product). This higher QC standard assures a cleaner and safer product that will not be subjected to diminishing product stability and long-term safety to a consumer.
• All 'Genuine TincTract® Made' products are made in a FDA Registered facility that is NSF Certified (facility & operations), FDA cGMP inspected, Kosher Certified by an OU recognized Kashrus certifying organization, Vegan Certified, and are Halal compliant (Cedar Bear® is currently in the process of becoming fully Halal Certified by an international Halal recognized agency).
Not only are our own Cedar Bear® retail brand product lines subjected to multi-layers of QA/QC standards, but our Cedar Bear Custom Manufacturing (CBCM) white label/private label and contract manufactured products are subjected to the exact same multi-layered QA/QC standards.
Are the Founders Still Involved Today?
Absolutely!
Carl, the 'Herbal Alchemist,' as Cedar Bear Naturales® originating Founder and our in-house Clinical & Formulary Herbalist, holds the position of Chairman/CEO, while his wife and business partner, Jhoane, is President/COO of the company.
Jhoane, a literary & traditional herbalist, and co-founder of Cedar Bear®, is the majority owner of the company, making Cedar Bear® a woman owned endeavor, and as the President/COO, also makes our company a woman run business.
In all of this, what makes Cedar Bear® especially outstanding is that it is an herbal products manufacturing endeavor founded by real herbalists and continuing to be administered and run by real herbalists.
Cedar Bear® – a company founded by herbalists,
owned by herbalists, run by herbalists, and carrying
on the tradition of real herbalism.
Cedar Bear Naturales® is one of very few companies in the
greater herbal products industry to hold that distinction.