PINE NEEDLES

PINE NEEDLES

Pine needles are said to have many health benefits, including boosting immunity against colds and flu, with pine needle tea having high levels of vitamin C & A, suramin, and shikimic acid.

The benefits of pine needle tea:

• The leaves have up to four times more vitamin C than oranges. Be careful not to boil your tea, though, as this will destroy the vitamins.
• Vitamin A - good for vision, hair, skin and blood cell formation.
• Anti-cancer properties - a 2006 study on mice given pine needle extract found that the needles have cancer and tumor prevention potential.
• Excellent for colds and flu , because it helps decongest and soothes sore throats.
• Helpful for allergies - like drinking chamomile tea, taking pollen helps your body learn not to treat pollen as a foreign invader, reducing your reaction to allergic rhinitis.
• It can lower blood pressure.
• It slows down oxidative stress , which is ideal for post-workout and can slow down aging.
• There may be antidepressant properties in tea (but it has only been studied in mice).

How to use / dosage
As an infusion: Add 2-3g. pine needles to a cup of freshly boiled water and let it steep, covered, for 10 to 20 minutes. It is best served plain, but honey or lemon can be added.

Special precautions
Not recommended during pregnancy
Some types of pine are not safe for consumption: