As opposed to brewing them in a tea for example? So for purposes of this question, I am only talking about substances that one might normally make a tea out of – for example, ginger. Is there any reason (aside from strong or unpleasant taste) why it wouldn’t be just as effective to pop some raw ginger in your mouth and chew away?
I will sometimes grind medicinal herbs and put them into empty gel type capsules, if I am sure of the source for organic or wild crafted herbs, because some are bitter to taste. Some have great flavors and can go into salads or on sandwiches if you like. But if you are not sure of the processing method of an herb IMO boil it in water to be safe.
In the case of case of ginger, it works any way you take it. I’ll often take ginger pills, or sprinkle some on my food, to settle my stomach.
I don’t know about others, but I’d imagine it’d be the same.
I don’t have specifics for specific herbs, but the way you take it affects a) whether it affects you and b) if so, how fast. For example, if some substance is destroyed by stomach acid, it may be better to take it some other way than orally, or protect it with gels capsules so that it gets far enough into your system. And some methods like brewing may help it get into your system quicker, but on the other hand certain substances may be damaged or altered by the heat.
Ginger is often chewed to help with nausea associated with things like seasickness.