What is pine needle tea?

She says edible varieties include eastern white pines, Douglas firs, and Japanese red pines.

What does pine needle tea taste like?

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According to Spurgin, pine needle tea made from mature needles tastes light and is mildly sweet.

4 pine needle tea benefits

1.

(Older research4in mice also suggests that pine needle tea may offer anticancer effects.)

Photography of a apple juice in glasses and apples in a wicker basket on wooden table

a registered dietitian based in Oregon

Its anti-inflammatory

Pine needle tea has many potential benefits that researchers are still exploring, says Spurgin.

It may boost heart and brain health

Other possible benefits of pine needle tea come courtesy of its diverseflavonoidcontent.

(Plants like pine trees cantake up PFAS from contaminated soil and groundwater.)

red pigment in a wooden spoon

As such she advises choosing reputable sellers to ensure your tea is as safe and high-quality as possible.

you’re free to also go into the wild and forage your own pine needles.

Spurgin offers a few parting tips to customize the taste of your pine needle tea.

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To make pine needle teas flavor more mild, enjoy it iced, she shares.

Who should not drink pine needle tea?

Youll want to steer clear of pine needle tea if you have a pine or conifer allergy.

Cropped shot of young woman shopping in the dairy section of a supermarket. She is reading the nutrition label on a container of fresh organic healthy natural yoghurt

a registered dietitian based in Oregon

For others, more research is needed to determine possible side effects, says Spurgin.

Dziedzinski, Marcin et al.

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Arnason, J. et al.

A hand is stirring a sourdough starter in a glass jar, on a kitchen countertop. The light casts a warm glow, highlighting the ingredients inside the jar.

Use of plants for food and medicine by Native Peoples of eastern Canada.Canadian Journal of Botany.vol 59,11 2189-2325.

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2 Feb. 2009, doi:10.1186/1746-4269-5-5

Kwak, Chung Shil et al.

Two cups with coffee and green tea on a beige background.

Antioxidant, antimutagenic, and antitumor effects of pine needles (Pinus densiflora).Nutrition and cancervol.

56,2 (2006): 162-71. doi:10.1207/s15327914nc5602_7

Jiang, WenQian et al.

Oct. 2023, doi:10.1016/j.nfs.2023.100153.

Kuo, Ping-Chung et al.

2021, doi:10.3390/antiox10040598

Kirkwood, Kaylie I et al.

Utilizing Pine Needles to Temporally and Spatially Profile Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS).Environmental science & technologyvol.

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