Does pine needle tea really have vitamin C?
Pine needle tea, many will say is packed with vitamin c and shikimic acid, a constituent used to make a well-known antiviral drug, Oseltamivir, or as you may know it Tamiflu. While the news might be trending with pine needle tea, my question is, is it really the best tea and/or food for getting your vitamin c?
Do pine needles have more vitamin C than lemons?
They contain about 5x as much vitamin C as lemons and good amounts of vitamin A. In fact, they introduced pine needle tea to early settlers as a cure for scurvy, which is caused by lack of vitamin C.
What are the benefits of pine needles?
It is an expectorant, which means it thins mucus to help you cough and draw phlegm up from the lungs. As mentioned earlier, pine needles are high in Vitamin C and are especially helpful in preventing scurvy. Younger, fresh needles called pine tops contain the most Vitamin C and are an effective survival plant.
Are older needles better for pine needle tea?
That puts pine needles at slightly more vitamin C for new needles, twice as much for 1 year old needles, and 3.5 times as much vitamin C for 2 year old needles. The gist of the research is that ascorbic acid content increases with the age of the needles. Does that mean older needles are best for pine needle tea? Not if you’re after taste.
Are pine needles good for vitamin C?
Pine needle tea has a pleasant taste and smell (always a good start). It is rich in vitamin C (5 times the concentration of vitamin C found in lemons) and can bring relief to conditions such as heart disease, varicose veins, skin complaints and fatigue.
How much vitamin C is in a pine needle?
High Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) approx. 1.18 mg per gram of pine needle.
Is pine high in vitamin C?
Pine needles have 4 times as much vitamin C as freshly squeezed orange juice. However, they don't have quite as much vitamin C as rosehips. But pine needles come with other health benefits, too. Pine needles are also high in vitamin A.
Can you boil pine needles for vitamin C?
Never boil your pine needle tea. Boiling tends to break down vitamin C and release terpenes that make the tea more bitter. If you want a stronger tea, simply add more needles rather than increasing the heat.
How do you extract vitamin C from pine needles?
Pine needles contain large amounts of vitamin C, and steeping them in hot water releases the nutrient. The tea provides the complete vitamin C complex, not simply isolated ascorbic acid as you would get in a vitamin C tablet. Halfway through winter, I felt like I needed a boost of real vitamin C.
Can you boil pine needles and drink it?
Whether using fresh pine needles or dried ones, the process for brewing pine needle tea is the same. You could boil water in a pot and then remove from heat, add the pine needles to the hot water, and steep for 5 to 20 minutes.
Can you drink too much pine needle tea?
How much pine needle tea can you drink? You can drink pine needle tea every day but you should avoid drinking too much. It is recommended to only try about half a cup for the first time. If you are sure that your body has been used to it and you feel no side effects, you can consume it once or twice a day.
Is there any nutritional value in pine needles?
Aside from being packed with vitamin C, pine needles are a good source of vitamin A. This vitamin is great for your eyesight, helps build your body's defense system, and is important for bone health, according to Healthline. Also good for your skin, Vitamin A is used to treat acne.
What vitamins are in pine needles?
Pine needles are a great natural source of vitamin C, and pine needle tea has been used for centuries to prevent scurvy. They also contain vitamin A (good for your eyesight and skin) and antioxidants.
What are the benefits of drinking pine needle tea?
The best benefits of pine needle tea may include maximizing the immune system, improving vision, preventing respiratory infections, stimulating circulation, avoiding chronic disease, increasing cognitive performance, strengthening heart health, and speeding healing.
Do dried pine needles have vitamin C?
One US forest service study found that pine needles have somewhere between 0.72 and 1.87 mg/g of Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C) when sampled mid-summer. Other studies note that the vitamin C concentrations are 4-7 times higher in the winter months, steadily increasing in the colder months and peaking in February and March.
Can you eat pine cones?
The truth is that all parts of certain pine trees, including the pine cone, are indeed edible. This includes: pine cones, needles, the inner layer of pine bark (not the outer layer!), resin, the pine pollen (secret superfood!), and the pine nuts. The pine cone may not be the best part to eat, but you can eat it.
Can you drink too much pine needle tea?
How much pine needle tea can you drink? You can drink pine needle tea every day but you should avoid drinking too much. It is recommended to only try about half a cup for the first time. If you are sure that your body has been used to it and you feel no side effects, you can consume it once or twice a day.
How much pine needle tea should you drink?
Pine oil that is released when brewing the tea, may have inflammatory effects on the skin and stomach, resulting in stomach upset in some people. Given these possible side-effects, it is recommended that you only try about half a cup in the beginning. Average rating 4.2 out of 5.0 based on 162 user(s).
Can I eat pine needles?
Pine, Fir and Spruce Needles. That leaves the needles. Yes, you can eat pine needles, and they do make a pretty good tea, but I've found that the needles of pine's cousins, the firs and spruces, taste less like turpentine and more like citrus.
Are pine needles good for you?
Aside from being packed with vitamin C, pine needles are a good source of vitamin A. This vitamin is great for your eyesight, helps build your body's defense system, and is important for bone health, according to Healthline. Also good for your skin, Vitamin A is used to treat acne.
How much ascorbic acid is in Douglas Fir?
Douglas-fir shoots had ascorbic acid content as high as 275.1 mg/100g dried plant material. That is six times higher than the value for oranges you give.
What is the ascorbic acid level in white pine?
USDA Forestry Service Research Note SE-124 “Seasonal changes in carbohydrates and ascorbic acid of white pine and possible relation to Tipburn sensitivity” found an Ascorbic acid range of 0.7 to 1.9mg/g
What is the Intersteig fadt?
The intersteig fadt is that our people were largely undocumented prior to the 1820’s and 1830’s and therefore we really don’t know how old the “old ones” are who live in and around the old mounds.
Do pine needles have vitamin C?
A quick search on the Internet gives you lots of sources claiming that Pine Needles have three times as much vitamin C as various citrus fruits. The type of Pine is rarely given but usually the white pine is referred to, the fruit is variously Oranges, or Lemons.
Does heat degrade AA?
AA is degraded by heat, so I do wonder how much of the vitamin C is left when the needles are used to make a tea.
Is pine needle water good for vitamin C?
That said if most of the water you drank each day was boiled with pine needles, this could be a sufficient source of vitamin C alone. Some sources refer to tea made with Pine needles and bark, and to flavinoids in the bark preserving vitamin C.
Where does the Choctaw Nation of Indians use Pine Top Tea?
The Choctaw Nation of Indians in the State of Alabama primarily in Mobile and Washington Counties use Pine Top Tea frequently.
Why is pine needle tea used?
In fact, they introduced pine needle tea to early settlers as a cure for scurvy, which is caused by lack of vitamin C. Pine needle tea is great for colds, chest congestion, and upper respiratory illnesses, though it is also rumored to help with many other ailments as well.
How many white pine needles are there in a sprig?
It is packed with antioxidants, vitamin C and vitamin A. White pine needles have 5 needles on each sprig, but you can use most pine or fir trees. Make sure you know your tree ID to properly ID which trees are appropriate pines to use.
How long to boil pine needles for tea?
Directions: Bring water to boil in a stainless steel pot. Add the pine needles, reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes to overnight - the longer it is brewed the stronger the tea will be. Some people make a large pot and set it at low heat for overnight to have ready for the next day. Strain needles.
What color should tea be?
The tea should be red in color with a little oil floating on top.
Does pine needle tea have vitamin C?
The needles may lack in the sugars and starches, but not in vitamin C content. They contain about 5x as much vitamin C as lemons and good amounts of vitamin A.
Do pine trees have vitamin C?
Pine Trees: Vitamin C from your Backyard. It may be surprising, but Pine trees have a long history of use for vitamin C acquisition. Since we are all concientious about staying in place, but still needing to maintain our vitamin C intake for our immune system function, this could be a perfect solution to a.) minimizing exposure ...
Who is Kimberly from Herb Pharm?
She currently sits on the Editorial Review Board for the Journal of the American Herbalists Guild. Kimberly has studied directly under Alexis Durham lead herbalist at Herb Pharm, Sajah Popham of Organic Unity spagyrics, Pearl Sites and Tyler Wauters of Hawthorn Institute, amongst many others. Kim, in recent years, started and directed several large scale commercial herbal apothecaries for community retailers on both the West and East coast, with close working knowledge of over 300+ botanicals.
Does pine needle tea contain Suramin?
Dr. Judy Mikovits did not say that Suramin can be found in Pine Needles. She was misquoted. Suramin is a 100 year old World Health Organization chemical drug. Suramin is not found in Pine Needles. You can hear Dr. Judy Mikovits testimony here (9:40 minute mark).
How to make pine tea in a moka pot?
In a standard 6 cup Moka pot you’ll have 3 servings of concentrated pine tea. Use 1/2 cup of this strong pine tea in your mug and then top up with water. Sweeten with local wildflower honey, to taste.
How to extract pine needles from tea?
If you plan to use a home espresso machine to extract your pine needle tea, grind the fresh needles briefly in a vitamix jar or Blendtec blender, until they are coarsely ground.
What is pine needle tea?
Pine needle tea has a citrusy flavour with a hint of resin. The flavour depends upon the pine or confers tree you harvest the needles from. Nibble on a few needles from several pine trees before you harvest and pick the tastiest for your tea. Save the more resinous flavoured needles for making pine infused cleaning products. Use the citrusy flavoured needles for tea and herbs in cooking. Drinking pine needle tea is a way to get to know your local conifer resources and build your local herbal knowledge with hands-on experience. The best kind of learning.
What is the family of pine needles?
The plant family Pinaceae covers pine, spruce, fir, cypress, cedar, juniper, and other conifers. When speaking of pine needle tea , many people will assume this refers to any plant within the Pinaceae family. So look beyond pine trees and also consider spruce, fir, and cedar as candidates for a daily cup of tea. All these have high amounts of vitamin C and vitamin A as well as other antioxidants that can help you stay healthy in a long winter.
How to cut pine needles into smaller pieces?
Using herb scissors or a sharp knife, cut the pine needles into smaller pieces. Discard the brown scale that joins the needles to the brand.
What is shikimic acid?
Shikimic Acid is the precursor used in the production of Tamiflu, a prescription drug used in the treatment of H1N1, swine flu, and avian flu. It is generally extracted from star anise spice. It can also be extracted from fennel seeds or pine, fir, or spruce needles. Researchers at the University of Tasmania developed a technique using a home espresso machine to extract shikimic acid from star anise, inexpensively. While their experiment extracted shikimic acid using alcohol and water (75% vodka and 25% water), under heat and pressure. Shikimic acid is water soluble and can be extracted using water alone.
Is alma powder good for you?
Alma powder benefits are many including very high antioxidant levels which in turn aides chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. Amla powder is also high in vitamin E and has been used in herbal vitamin c supplements for some time. Amla is also known as Indian Gooseberry used often by the Aryuvedic form of medicine in India. In India, it is used in a formulation called Triphala which is used in supporting the immune system and digestive system. Alma is naturally sour yet at the same time sweet, pungent, and bitter.
How long to steep a sandpaper?
Let steep for 5-7 minutes or desired to steep strength
Is pine needle tea safe for babies?
Consuming pine needles may be harmful to unborn babies, possibly causing miscarriage. Pine needle tea should not be consumed by pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.
Can vitamin C cause diarrhea?
High amounts of Vitamin C can cause digestive issues, if you experience digestive issues (nausea, abdominal pain, stomach issues, diarrhea ect.) stop the use of pine needles
Is pine needle tea harmful?
When it comes down to pine needle tea, while it might be helpful in some ways. It can also be harmful if we are not able to identify the right tree to forage from or if we have a sensitivity to them.
Can too much vitamin C cause stomach pain?
Too much vitamin c long term really be a problem, like with most if not all things, moderation is key. Signs of too much vitamin c may look like a digestive upset in the form of diarrhea, heartburn, stomach upset, abdominal pain, nausea, gastritis, fatigue, insomnia, flushing, or a headache. If you encounter any of these things reduce or stop taking the vitamin c supplement, food, or herb.
Is vitamin C good for you?
The benefits of vitamin c in the diet are many and some of them are well known. If you are looking for immune vitamins a.k.a. Vitamins that boost your immunity and making sure you get plenty of vitamin c foods and herbs in your diet is a must.
How to make pine needle tea?
To make your own cup, add a small handful of pine needles to a mug and pour boiling water over top. Allow the needles to steep until they turn a light brown or sink to the bottom of the cup. You may wish to place a saucer over top to keep the essential oils in. Peppermint, catnip, and thyme also compliment the flavours and benefits of this tea well. Add honey for some sweetness!
What is the best plant for scurvy?
It is an expectorant, which means it thins mucus to help you cough and draw phlegm up from the lungs. As mentioned earlier, pine needles are high in Vitamin C and are especially helpful in preventing scurvy. Younger, fresh needles called pine tops contain the most Vitamin C and are an effective survival plant.
How to use pine needles for headaches?
Making a healing salve is an effective way to use pine needles topically. I recommend the Peppermint Pine Salve from Reformation Acres. Apply to your temples or chest for headache relief, or on your body for sore muscles and joints.
How to amp up your cooking?
Infusing vinegar is one of the easiest ways to amp up your cooking. I often use different combinations of herbs to get different palettes for dishes. Infusing with pine needles will provide a balsamic flavour. Check out my guide on herbal-infused vinegars for step by step instructions on how to infuse your own vinegar.
What is a cluster of pine needles called?
These clusters are called a fascicle and will have a papery sheath at the base, as well as an attached pinecone. Most pine species will have long needles but there are a few with shorter ones. Meanwhile, spruce or fir needles will be attached to the branch rather than a cluster.
What is pine needle?
Pine needles contain a compound called alpha- or beta-pinene, which is a natural decongestant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicro bial, and anxiolytic. When ingested, pine can be used to treat colds and coughs, reducing phlegm and helping with sinus infections.
What is pine top used for?
Traditionally, these pine tops are boiled in water to make a tea used to treat fevers and coughs, as well as increase urination. Essential oils are collected specifically from pine needles for remedy use, but the needles can also be used for crafts and food.
How to make tincture from pine needles?
You can also make a tincture from pine needles. Take a pint jar and fill it half way with dried needles. Cover the needles with vod ka and place in a sunny spot for a few weeks. Shake daily to release more of the oil s from the needles. I use 40% vodka which works very well for tinctures.
What plants can you put pine needles under?
2. Place pine needles under acid loving plants such as holly, azalea, or rhododendron. Don’t forget the blueberry plants. They love acid too! 3. Make a “tea” with pine needles. Strain and use the liquid ...
How to get rid of athlete's foot?
Make a foot bath. Take a handful of pine needles and throw into a basin of warm water. Soak your feet in this for at least 15 minutes. The naturally antibacterial action of the pine will help to get rid of anything that may be lingering, such as athlete’s foot. 9.
What can pine needles be used for?
Longer pine needles can be soaked in warm water to make them pliable. Then they can be used to weave baskets. Many Native American tribes use pine needles in basketry. 10. Ground needles can be used to make a soft green dye for cottons and other natural fibers.
How to make a fire with a needle?
Place a handful of needles in a muffin paper and add a bit of melted wax. This works really well if you place the muffin papers in an old muffin tin first. Let the wax harden and place in a large jar. To use, build your fire as you normally would, but then place a fire starter under the sticks.
How to keep moles out of pine needles?
4. Pine needles, especially longer ones, tend to “knit” themselves together. Use them in a thick layer on a hill for mulch – they won’t tend to blow away or be washed away like other mulches. 5. Place some pine needles in your winter garden to keep moles and voles out.
Can you make tea from pine needles?
You will need to replace them often as the scent dissipates quickly. 6. If you didn’t use a preservative you can make a tea from the pine needles and drink it. The needles contain a lot of Vitamin C. This is true of all the pines – spruce, fir, and hemlock trees.
