(photo courtesy of gaiahealthblog.com)
Pine Needle Tea is Vitamin C rich, 4-5 times as much as a lemon. It actually tastes like lemon too, with a touch of pine, of course. It's rich in Vitamin A, which is good for eye, hair & skin health. It's also a wrinkle remedy. At our house we add other teas, oils or herbs to enhance our pine needle tea. Some favorites are lemon, honey, peppermint, vanilla, cinnamon, Rooibos, Yerba, coconut milk, even in a soup broth. I'm so impressed at how many types of Pines are around the world and all their uses. They are a survival go-to for medicine, building, food, fire, first aid, shelter and more. People around the world have survived on the tree's many edible parts, especially pine needle tea, for centuries. Native Americans passed this ancient natural remedy down to the early European settlers. There are only a few types of
Pines that are poisonous - the Ponderosa, Yew and Norfolk Island. Be sure to know how to identify which types of Pine Trees you forage and that they grow away from pollution. I have found many great resources about foraging and identifying tips on Pinterest and on YouTube. If you'd rather buy Pine Needle Tea we love the Douglas Fir Spring Tips by Juniper Ridge, a fabulous wild harvesting company. Their pine needle tea is sold for around $10-$13 at natural food stores and online at https://juniperridge.com/shop/douglas-fir-spring-tip-tea/
Article about Pine Needle Tea's ability to heal cancer (and some amazing photos): http://www.gaiahealthblog.com/2014/01/17/another-cancer-killer-pine-needles/
Very informative article on the many benefits and uses:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/3126/