How to make Pine needle Tea
Everyone knows how awful it feels to be sick and not want to go to the store to put chemically laden medicine in our already battling bodies. Our family enjoys a warm cup of pine Needle Tea during the winter months to boost our immune systems.
This is how our family enjoys our Pine needle tea.
A word of caution: some pines are toxic and it’s important to know that the needles you are harvesting are safe to use. Also there is a warning that pregnant and nursing moms should avoid it, most research doesn’t indicate why exactly but pine needles are both very high in vitamin C and vitamin A. There are warnings about too much vitamin A in pregnancy and young children Can be harmful so best to be on the side of caution and avoid or consult a doctor before consuming.
A safe alternative during this time is dandelion tea.
For my family we stick with red pine (Norway pine) which is abundant in our yard, and white pine we have by our farm a little walk away. My tip for you is to find the younger needles. They are smaller, softer, greener, and have more vitamins than older needles.

Heat up some water on the stove or in a kettle, you want it to be hot but not boiling as that can destroy the vitamins.
To prepare the needles there is really no wrong way. You can wash them first or not. If you want to break them into bits, or take off the needles from the twig, or stick the needles with the twig and all. All your choice.
I like to keep the needles on the twig because than it’s easier to clean up and I can use the softened needles later in pine needle crafts. Let the needles steep for 10-20 minutes in hot water and enjoy. We like to add honey and a cinnamon stick to our tea. Lemon juice is another good addition as it complements the already citrus-pine taste of the needles.

We hope you enjoy!
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Thank you and God bless.
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