Five Flavors Herbs

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Five Flavors Herbs Integrating Traditions for Wellness. We create effective and sustainable remedies using Traditional We are Green Business Certified. and Ingrid Bauer, MS.

Five Flavors Herbs creates over 200 physician-formulated single herb tinctures, oils, and glycerites, as well as an extensive line of internal and topical formulas. Our formulas are based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, scientific research, and traditional uses of native plants of North America. Five Flavors Herbs uses botanicals grown in our home garden as well as native herbs that we wildcraft ourselves. Other herbs are certified organically grown, including a number of domestically grown Chinese herbs. The imported Chinese herbs we use are purchased from suppliers who demonstrate organic certification or provide assurance that herbs are never sprayed, fumigated, or irradiated. We use certified organic grain alcohol, organic olive oil, and purified water in our preparations. We feel that ecological and physical health are intimately connected, and we strive to manufacture herbal products that respect the earth while supporting individuals. Our international customer base includes a loyal following of practitioners, medical doctors, naturopathic doctors, clinical herbalists, and retail stores. Our company has grown by serving the needs of their patients and customers. Located in Oakland, California, Five Flavors Herbs is a family-run business owned and operated by Benjamin Zappin, L.Ac.

Free Class Announcement!Wednesday February 25, 12-1 PST via ZOOMJoin Five Flavors Herbs founder and CEO, Benjamin Zappin...
23/02/2026

Free Class Announcement!
Wednesday February 25, 12-1 PST via ZOOM

Join Five Flavors Herbs founder and CEO, Benjamin Zappin, LAc for a free informational webinar for acupuncturists and other herbal clinicians. He will share the TCM formulas behind ourProLine, a modular system designed for women's health and fertility support. Ben will review the TCM actions and indications for each ProLine formula, as well as modern applications. Suggestions for modifications will also be included.

This webinar is free and open to the public, but please be advised: our ProLine formulas are not for sale to the general public, and require a verified wholesale account to purchase. They are designed to be dispensed by qualified practitioners in a clinical setting.

This webinar is meant for educational purposes and is not meant to diagnose or treat any disease, and is not a substitute for qualified medical advice.

You can find the link in our bio or on our website: https://fiveflavorsherbs.com/classes-events/

📦 If your package from us is running late, we have an excuse! Our way to work was blocked by a mycelium-laden oak pulled...
20/02/2026

📦 If your package from us is running late, we have an excuse!

Our way to work was blocked by a mycelium-laden oak pulled down by many inches of wet, heavy snow! Luckily no herbalists were harmed, but were certainly frightened when it fell just feet in front of the car ❄️

As we dig out from a late winter storm, we appreciate all of our staff for their hard work and our customers for your patience. We hope to be back up and running shortly 🏃‍♀️

Hi NorCal Acupuncturists!If you're within driving distance, we hope you'll join us in-person at our facility in Grass Va...
18/02/2026

Hi NorCal Acupuncturists!

If you're within driving distance, we hope you'll join us in-person at our facility in Grass Valley on Saturday, February 21st from 9:30am to 4pm. This will be an opportunity for our local community of practitioners to see how and where our products are made, and tour our herbal pharmacy. Licensed Acupuncturists will have the option to earn CEUs. Students and herbalists of all traditions are encouraged to attend. We will be serving a complimentary lunch. Admission includes a $100 gift certificate for our products.

The educational topics are women's health and postpartum care. You can check out the agenda and register here. We aim to provide practical clinical education to optimize your reproductive health and post-natal therapeutic treatment planning. No remote option will be available.

As white Americans and Western who practice East Asian/Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lunar New Year is a time for us at ...
16/02/2026

As white Americans and Western who practice East Asian/Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lunar New Year is a time for us at Five Flavors Herbs to pause, reflect, and celebrate the diversity of cultures and teachers who have shared their healing knowledge over the generations. ⁠

We at Five Flavors Herbs recognize the many pioneering TCM practitioners and activists in Asian communities across the US who led the struggle for legalization of acupuncture and who continue to promote East Asian medicine as an important toolkit for integrative healing. ⁠

May this year of the Horse usher in vitality, adventure, and the inspiration and courage to make clear and decisive actions.

14/02/2026

This February, as we celebrate the month of love, let's not forget to show some love to our bodies! In East Asian medicine, the five flavors—bitter, sweet, acrid, salty, and sour—each play a vital role in nurturing our well-being. These flavors help balance the body, support the heart, and promote overall harmony.

At Five Flavors Herbs, we create herbal products inspired by these flavors to help you care for your body with love and intention. Embrace the wisdom of the five flavors and give yourself the gift of wellness this Valentine’s season. 💖

✨ Show your body some love—explore our herbal blends today!

Herbal love is in the air💗! This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating the beauty of love and the charm of clever wordplay....
13/02/2026

Herbal love is in the air💗! This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating the beauty of love and the charm of clever wordplay. Whether it’s a sweet (gin)seng moment, a playful sow some wild oats invitation, or the tender promise of (rose)mary me, our herbal puns are blooming with affection. 🌿 Love doesn’t have to be ordinary—just like these heartfelt creations, it can be fresh, fun, and full of life. Which pun speaks to your heart? 💕

Spread the love and tag someone special!

11/02/2026

🌰 Cacao for Heart Health
Cacao isn’t just for chocolate lovers—it’s a potent herbal ally for the heart. Rich in flavonols (a type of antioxidant), cacao helps reduce oxidative stress and supports healthy circulation. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), cacao is believed to move Liver qi, uplift the Spirit, and open the Heart to joy and emotional flow. It’s a sweet and soulful way to tend to your cardiovascular wellness—body and mind.

👉 Want more insights into herbs that nourish both heart and soul? Follow us for weekly deep-dives and botanical wisdom!

Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) delivered joy, pride, unity, and critique last night. Woven in were countless...
09/02/2026

Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) delivered joy, pride, unity, and critique last night. Woven in were countless references to Puerto Rican culture, from the bodega to the girl sleeping at the wedding party; criticism of colonialism and US policy toward the island; and a celebration of the Americas as two continents. As white US herbalists we found our own references, too 🌿

🎆 Fireworks = Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin)
-supports the mood, improves access to joy

🌱 "Grass" = Sugarcane / Tang (Saccharum spp.)
-used for stomachaches and as nutritive support in Latin America
-similarly used to tonify Spleen & Stomach Qi in TCM

In the flags and cultures of the Americas, we are reminded of the herbal remedies we share from across these continents, from manzanilla (chamomile) to tila (linden), canela (cinnamon) to una de gato (cat's claw). From kitchens to clinics, los remedios son para todos.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, heavy, scared, angry, exhausted, or exhilarated at the constant state of violence, inequa...
04/02/2026

If you're feeling overwhelmed, heavy, scared, angry, exhausted, or exhilarated at the constant state of violence, inequality and chaos in the world, you're not alone.

Herbs alone can't fix all of our social, political or health problems... but they can help balm our sores and bring us together. We all need a little care for ourselves and each other so we can be resilient in the face of injustice. Herbs can help us relax when we need to rest, and boost us up when we need energy to keep up the pressure, when GIVING UP IS NOT AN OPTION!

Join us on Thursday 5th from 12-1 PST for a free class where Ben & Ingrid share their favorite herbs for nervous system and energy support, and we field your questions, concerns, needs and resources. We'll also be sharing some ways to contribute both locally and nationally to efforts to defend democracy and protect our neighbors from ICE.

You can register through the link on our website (or find the link in our bio): https://fiveflavorsherbs.com/classes-events/

Hot of the (tincture) press: Lift and Sleep are back in stock!We are now stocked up with fresh batches of Lift and Sleep...
02/02/2026

Hot of the (tincture) press: Lift and Sleep are back in stock!

We are now stocked up with fresh batches of Lift and Sleep, important formulas in our ProLine collection, made for healthcare practitioners and their patients.

Lift strongly ascends the Qi, tonifies the Spleen to control blood and warms the Yang. It is useful for any prolapse of qi in the luteal phase and during the first trimester of pregnancy. This formula's Spleen warming and strengthening action make it an excellent choice to support patients who are experiencing excess or irregular uterine bleeding. Shop here: https://fiveflavorsherbs.com/proline/lift-8oz-wholesale/

Sleep can be used during any time of the cycle. Sleep strongly anchors the Shen by cooling the Heart and Blood and calming the mind, and tonifies Qi and Spleen to control bleeding and support healthy energy levels. Sleep emphasizes cooling the blood and calming the mind with fleeceflower stem and valerian root to support deeper rest. Shop here: https://fiveflavorsherbs.com/proline/sleep-8oz-wholesale/

If you are a licensed acupuncturist or other practitioner who works with fertility support, get in touch to learn more about our ProLine formulas! These products are not available without a wholesale account, and are not available in stores.

We stand in solidarity with the thousands of individuals and businesses participating in a general strike today against ...
30/01/2026

We stand in solidarity with the thousands of individuals and businesses participating in a general strike today against ICE and the inhumane anti-immigrant, racist & xenophobic policies of the Trump administration. We are heartbroken, frightened, and also more convinced that collective non-violent action can actually make the world a better place. We are also inspired by the countless members of the broader US herbal community who are speaking up!!!

Plants have taught us that we CAN survive ICE! Plants don't discriminate, and they volunteer to help expecting nothing in return. Plants remind us to stay resilient in the face of adversity, like the flowers in our garden that continue to blossom through ice and snow.

So keep loving each other and keep fighting injustice everywhere. 💪 🕊️ ❤️ 🌿

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Opening Hours

Monday 11:00 - 18:00
Tuesday 11:00 - 18:00
Wednesday 11:00 - 18:00
Thursday 11:00 - 18:00
Friday 11:00 - 18:00
Saturday 11:00 - 18:00

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