Pine Needle Tea for a Warm Heart & Healthy Body

Winter is almost here and the accompanying cooler temperatures can often hinder healthy immune support. A cup of hot tea can warm our hearts and bodies when it is cold outside, providing powerful antioxidants to help strengthen our illness-resisting immune systems. A personal favorite of mine is pine needle tea, which provides additional therapeutic benefits to boost vitality when we are susceptible to illness. In Scandinavian countries, pine needle tea has been consumed for millenia due to its valuable medicinal properties. Pine needle tea is rich in vitamins, most notably vitamins A and C. In fact, one cup of pine needle tea may yield five times more vitamin C than one cup of orange juice! Research has shown that vitamin C has a comprehensive variety of health benefits, including treating colds and urinary tract infections, and assisting dietary iron assimilation. The aromatic qualities of pine needle tea have a number of therapeutic benefits, such as its use as an expectorant – relieving congestion associated with the common cold, cough, and sore throat. Preparing a bath using pine needles is said to soothe minor body aches and pains. Pine needle tea has also been noted for its antiseptic properties when used as a cleansing agent. Sources have even identified pine needle tea as an anti-depressant!

I enjoy white pine needle tea, often harvested from my own backyard! *Avoid toxic Norfolk Island, Yew, and Ponderosa Pine. Pine needle tea is not recommended to women who are pregnant or may become pregnant.

Preparation: (1) pick a handful of pine needles (2) separate green needles from brown coverings, twigs, etc. (3) chop the needles into pieces (4) pour a cup of hot water, below boiling point, over about one tablespoon of chopped needles (5) infuse for about 10 minutes (6) strain (7) sweeten with honey if desired (8) enjoy!

Warmly,

Maggie Fekete, RDN, LD, CHC, RYT

Contact Information

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Email: MFekete@ArenaAthletic.com

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