Spruce needles have long been used by indigenous tribes for relieving coughs and sore throats. Learn about the conifers in your area and how to identify them. Spruce needles are exceptionally high in Vitamin C – frozen or dried spruce tips are good source of vitamin C during wintertime. People use fresh shoots, oil extracted from the needles, and extracts of the wood and bark to make medicine. and yes I’ve tested it, and started saving money on OJ at the store. Don’t remember if she added spices, sweetener etc. wish I could do the same for Vitamin A too! The tree is named for Scottish botanist David Douglas (1799-1834). He’s probably about 80 now. The infuser is optional. So by all means try pine needle tea, but have realistic expectations, and avoid large amounts if pregnant. I also examine the bark and the fallen cones surrounding the base of the tree. I would think that the Indians would have nibbled the needles (no need for gum to fix stinky breath when you have fresh pine!) They abound in the coastal forests of northern California where I live. Some sources refer to tea made with Pine needles and bark, and to flavinoids in the bark preserving vitamin C. I’m guessing much of the marketing hype around “bark extracts” is probably just hype. It’s said to produce an incredibly robust, hearty and flavorful hot beverage. It can be applied to sores or afflicted parts of the body or else it can be simply drank. You don’t need special equipment. 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. However you choose to enjoy it, you will love Douglas Fir tea! Some types of pine needles have been used as herbal remedies due to their antibacterial properties. LynnCS / Originally posted on The Healthiest Vegetables. A magnificent Douglas Fir has fallen across the trail. there’s an easy test you can do to find out! Needles from some trees are not safe to eat – and are actually toxic! Pray tell your method of extraction and administration. Experience nature on your next hike through this wonderful warming drink. Thank you for your comment, Christine! They are expectorant for the lungs and help expel excess mucus from the respiratory system. The branches were used in sweat lodges to provide health benefits. Your email address will not be published. However you choose to enjoy it, you will love Douglas Fir tea! Fir needles can be used to make a tea that is rich in vitamin C by simmering the needles in boiling water for 10 minutes. If you are using mature needles, pluck or cut the needles off the branch individually so that you do not have any stem in your pile of needles. Vitamin C is a vital nutrient necessary for health. I’ve also sipped it after a breakfast of. I tried to find a … A closer look at this year’s Spring growth. The new growing tips are the most nutritious. The dried needles make a wonderful smelling bath. Filled with Douglas fir creme patissiere, each classic, elegant profiterole can be piled high to form a croquembouche tower. Required fields are marked *. The Perfect Yuletide Tipple: Emily Han’s Douglas-fir … . Pukwudgies' features resemble those of a human, but with enlarged noses, fingers and ears. I meant the 1920’s and 1930’s. Grab your favorite mug and a, Step 3:  Cut the Needles from the branches, I’ve enjoyed Douglas Fir tea around the campfire, and at home after dinner. also very high in Vitamin C. Manzanita and Douglas-Fir Cider Collect Fir tips in spring (or use boughs year round) and Manzanita berries in summer. As this tree smells like oranges, I thought it might make a lovely tea or perhaps ejoyed in other ways. For fun facts and useful tips, join the free Bushcraft Newsletter. and that this would be a great way to extract the vitamin c. Hot water drinks were probably somewhat of a luxury and tea being something early settlers were more accustomed to even if the potency of the hot beverage was less strong than the needles chewed raw. The first is that you retain more vitamins by letting the water stop boiling before pouring it over the needles. I choose to let the water stop boiling before I pour it over the needles. Really vital medicine in the time of Covid19. Chop the needles with your knife using a gentle rocking motion. It also has an incredible array of health benefits, with a high content of Vitamin C (one cup has more than 5 times the Vitamin C found in a lemon) and Vitamin A. A decoction of white fir bark and needles can be drunk to help with chest colds and similar complaints. You can cut at the junction where the cluster of growing needles attaches to the stem. Of course, the “Old Ones” by the mounds in our hills and “mountains” never tell anyone how old they are. Also, is it true that the needles are high in vitamin c? That puts white pine at a higher percentage on the low end of the spectrum you referenced and 4 times more on the high end. Several Native American groups in California drank tea made from its needles. I am Raw Vegan and always interested in the options. I look for the X-shape or spiral shape the needles make when I view a branch end-on. Fir needle tips are high in vitamin C and make a delicious tasting tea. Bushcraft Dessert – Make a Lavender Dip for Strawberries. The reason people advise against consuming pine needle tea when pregnant is because of its observed effect on cattle. But while this seems to provide some support for the health claims, I applaud your skepticism! Around me the forest is hushed. I’m glad you enjoyed the article, Melanie. I round a bend in the trail to encounter an unexpected obstacle. Cones point up. Fir needle tips are high in vitamin C and make a delicious tasting tea. His name is attached to more than eighty species of plants and animals. The only thing you really need is Douglas Fir needles and a cup. Drinking Douglas Fir tea joins us in kinship with our ancestors. Like other evergreen conifers, Douglas fir needles and pitch are high in aromatic resins that fight infection and stimulate immunity. This needle tea gives what some people think is the best tasting of the tree teas. I learned that a handful of douglas fir needles has the equivalent in vitamin C to 7 navel oranges! Answer: Pine needles have so much vitamin C that pine needle tea has been used with great success historically as a cure for scurvy. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Spruce buds are rich in minerals such as potassium and magnesium. It heals a lot of things and some of centarians attributes Pine Needle Tea to their long lives. If you nibble on Douglas Fir needles, you experience a burst of tangy citrus (from the vitamin C), followed by a “pine-like” flavor. 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. The pitch of Douglas fir makes for an excellent asset to have when starting fires. Fir trees are in the Abies genus. Even birds have sought shelter from these storms. Douglas Fir tea after five minutes of steeping. The needles are a great source of the anti-oxidant powerhouse vitamin C, too. I’ve been told that a cup of tea made from its needles has more vitamin C than an orange. Don’t know where you’re getting your info, but a typical orange is about 100g and contains about 50mg of vitamin C, so .5mg/g–not 4.5mg/g. Allow the honey to dissolve and steep the tea for an additional five minutes. Abies needles are also attached in a spiral pattern, but the needles themselves twist at the bases to produce two double-ranked rows of needles on either side of a branch. You are absolutely right. Douglas traveled the Pacific Northwest and introduced more than two hundred of its plants to Great Britain. Douglas fir. Trees grow between 70 – 300 feet tall, depending on growing conditions. A handful of needles will do quite nicely. Sorry for the typos. 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. It is a water-soluble vitamin with many benefits. But be sure to trim the needles from the brownish-orange stems that can be bitter and taste like resin. They one of nature’s highest sources of Vitamin C with approximately 300 times more Vitamin C then oranges! I feel a chill creeping into my bones. http://www.revistafarmacia.ro/201306/art-12-radulescu%201158-1166.pdf. Don’t confuse pine with fir shoots (Picea abies or Abies alba) or man-made “pine oil.” And I give silent thanks to the Douglas Fir for providing its needles. I have been stripping the needles, putting them in water fresh of the boiler, and letting them sit for a few hours (even overnight).  The result is great tasting, vitamin C packed water.  . Traditional uses of Doug fir needles include for the common cold and chest complaints, asthma, headache, liver stagnancy, and inflammatory conditions such as rheumatism and arthritis. The reason they say to avoid pine needle tea when you are pregnant is because some pines have been known to cause miscarriage in cattle when they drink from puddles under the trees or when they eat the needles. Otherwise, scoop the needles into the bottom of your mug. Overview Information Pine is a tree. We have a few doug firs outside the house. Douglas fir also supports skin health through acting as an antimicrobial, providing vitamin C and acting as a gentle astringent that tightens inflammation. The total brewing time for the tea should be between five to ten minutes (according to your taste). Look at Radulescu 2013 (Romanian article with English abstract), link here Fir trees are in the, You don’t need special equipment. It’s worth noting that the Douglas Fir is not really a fir at all. I have heard this warning from time to time, but I have been unable to discover medical reasons behind it. Pine needles are a magical medicine that happens to grow for FREE, EVERYWHERE, ALL YEAR LONG! – Add 4 cups Douglas-Fir branches and turn off heat. However, they don’t have quite as much vitamin C as rosehips. I happened to have my bushcraft knife handy, but you can use a kitchen knife to prepare the needles. See this post on the benefits of vitamin C. Pine needles have 4 times as much vitamin C as freshly squeezed orange juice. 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