Pine Needle Tea has become increasingly popular over the last few years. It is an infusion of enormous potential, though there are many common misconceptions associated with it. The time has come to provide the facts.
You will find everything you need to know about Pine Needle Tea benefits and side effects in the following article, so please keep reading to discover the truth.
It’s worth noting, too, that The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company stock the finest around. This is in addition to 1,000 other types of Loose Leaf Tea and 70 types of Fresh Coffee. But our focus is White Pine Needle research right now.
While it isn’t going to be a miracle worker, it will, at the very least, offer wholesome herbaceous flavours with subtle minty undertones.
Table of contents
- What is Pine Needle Tea?
- Which Pine Needles are Best for Tea?
- Pine Needle Tea Nutrition Facts
- Pine Needle Tea Benefits
- Pine Needle Tea for Flu and Colds
- Pine Needle Tea Testosterone Levels
- Could Pine Needle Tea Health Benefits Improve Vision?
- Pine Needle Tea Effects on Weight Management
- Pine Needle Tea for Cancer
- Pine Needle Tea have Side Effects
- Pine Needle Tea and Pregnancy
- How to Brew Pine Needle Tea
- Conclusion: Pine Needle Tea Health Benefits
What is Pine Needle Tea?
This Herbal Tea comes from the Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus). The trees themselves can reach heights of up to 55 metres (180 feet). Their foliage, meanwhile, consists of fine, flexible green needle-like leaves growing five to a bundle, forming large clusters that resemble giant fan brushes. Though native to eastern North America, White Pines have since been introduced to Europe and beyond.
The production of Pine Needles Herbal Tea starts by harvesting the leaves. Workers then soak them in water for around a day before cleaning, rinsing and trimming the sharp tips.
It is most common to finally dry them in a shaded area before brewing. Most discernible is its distinct herbaceous taste with undertones akin to Peppermint Tea. Drink it enough, and you might experience Pine Needle Tea benefits.
Which Pine Needles are Best for Tea?
Are all Pine Needles safe for Tea? The simple answer is no; they’re not. Indeed, drying Pine Needles for Tea isn’t as straightforward as it might appear.
This is because some varieties contain harmful toxins. Serving any of these as a Loose Herbal Tea can lead to adverse Pine Needle Tea side effects. It is therefore best to buy Pine Needle Tea that has been safely sourced, including from us.
Pine Needle Tea Nutrition Facts
Allow us now to look into Pine Needle Tea benefits, beginning with its wealth in vitamins, minerals and other antioxidants. Among these constituents are Alpha-Pinene, Beta-Pinene, Beta-Phellandrene, D-Limonene, Germacrene D, 3-Carene, Caryophyllene and Vitamin A.
But perhaps most important is Pine Needle Tea’s Vitamin C concentration, which is the primary reason it has become so popular.
While some online outlets have endorsed the infusion for, shall we say, “other” chemical compounds, none hold any truth. It is Vitamin C that serves as an immune system supporter, and it is most useful against colds and the flu.
We’ll talk more about its ability to help ward off minor (emphasis on “minor”) illnesses momentarily. The first port of call is to establish its overarching Pine Needle Tea benefits.
Pine Needle Tea Benefits
Our family-run business is best known for packing our Loose Leaf Tea and Coffee fresh to order, ensuring quality and consistency with every cuppa brewed.
The family values that we take pride in also extend to steering clear of fake news, a phenomenon that has become hugely widespread in countless industries. The Tea industry is, of course, no exception, which is why we’re confronting it head-on.
Though Pine Needle Tea benefits the mind, body and soul in a plethora of ways, it isn’t a “fix-all” solution to your ailments. You should always listen to the advice of medical professionals, indeed over the Pine Needle Tea research discussed here.
We’re not scientists, nor are we doctors. What’s more, should you explore its potential via fringe media outlets (not us!), remember that untruths might be included.
We can now look into the good news with that out of the way. This Herbal Tea could work on a molecular level to combat free radicals in the body, thereby slowing the natural, though harmful, process of oxidative stress.
The fundamental result is that it might reduce the risk of developing several chronic conditions from cardiovascular disease to type-2 diabetes to even, potentially, cancer. And there’s more.
Pine Needle Tea for Flu and Colds
Historically, the Native Americans, particularly the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), considered White Pine Trees the “Tree of Peace.” Knowledge of its healing properties eventually garnered the attention of Eurocentric science and research, including its abundance in Vitamin C.
One of the first examples of applying Pine Needle Tea benefits was against scurvy - how the times have changed.
Vitamin C in Pine Needle Tea is today most closely associated with boosting immunity. The body’s immune system is its most crucial line of defence against seemingly endless pathogens, consisting of an expansive network of cells, organs, proteins and tissues.
These components work together to fight viruses, parasites and harmful bacteria. And Pine Needle Tea’s Vitamin C content could help the process along.
But we would be remiss if we didn’t mention that a so-called Pine Needle Tea flu treatment can only go so far. There is only preliminary evidence backing such a claim, some of which comes from questionable sources.
The same principles apply to its supposed ability to combat respiratory conditions, if not more so. The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company, as a result, recommend a cautious approach.
Pine Needle Tea Testosterone Levels
You know about the possible benefits of drinking Pine Needle Tea for coughs, colds and the flu. We shall now move onto the preliminary evidence concerning its influence on testosterone.
This is a hormone found in humans and animals alike, one that is arguably best recognised for affecting sex drive. It plays a vital role in sperm production, bone and muscle mass, fat storage and red blood cell production.
However, low testosterone levels can lead to reduced sexual desire, difficulty getting an erection, hair loss and fatigue. Could White Pine Needle Tea benefits be the answer? Not exactly, although it might, at the very least, provide support.
This is because some scientists suggest it functions as a hormone balancer. Research from the University of Athens supports the claim - to a degree. We remain sceptical.
Could Pine Needle Tea Health Benefits Improve Vision?
While Pine Needle Tea’s Vitamin C content potentially improves immunity, its Vitamin A content helps improve vision. The way it works is by maintaining a clear cornea, the outside covering of the eye.
Additionally, Vitamin A could support rhodopsin, a protein in the eyes that allows people to see in low-light conditions. There is a chance, too, of it benefitting heart, lung and kidney health.
Pine Needle Tea Effects on Weight Management
It turns out that Pine Needle Tea calories are minimal at best, which is excellent news among those looking to cut down their intake. The average serving will likely contain no more than two calories, if even that.
Consider it, in other words, the perfect alternative to sugary, fatty soft drinks. But that might not be all it can offer as, according to early research, it might also boost the metabolism of fat cells.
Metabolism is where the body converts the fuel in your food into energy. This then powers almost everything you do. Helping the process along through Pine Needle Tea consumption could lead to your body burning fat quicker and more efficiently.
But there’s a catch. Drinking it for weight loss only works when you’re burning more calories than you consume through your diet and physical activity.
Pine Needle Tea for Cancer
Research published in the peer-reviewed medical journal, Nutrition and Cancer, has found that Pine Needles Tea might (once again, emphasis on “might”) have some cancer-fighting abilities.
It noted that it exhibits “strong antioxidant, antimutagenic, and antiproliferative effects on cancer cells.” It then went further by explaining how its “anti-tumour effects… [have] potential usefulness in cancer prevention.”
These findings nevertheless come from laboratory trials only, with little to no evidence of its efficacy taking place outside of such conditions. Long Leaf Pine Needle Tea’s capacity to fight cancer in everyday life, then, remains speculative at best.
More research is, undoubtedly, required before any confirmation can be made. It is therefore paramount that you recognise its limitations before brewing.
Pine Needle Tea have Side Effects
Few studies exist surrounding Pine Needle Tea side effects, unlike Pine Needle Tea benefits. However, like most Types of Tea, indeed like pretty much anything, you can have too much of a good thing.
What remains most essential to note is that you should avoid brewing up leaves from almost any other pine species that isn’t Pinus strobus. This includes, but is not limited to, the following Pine Tree species:
- Ponderosa Pine (also known as Blackjack, Western Yellow, Yellow and Bull Pine).
- Lodgepole or Shore Pine.
- Common Juniper.
- Monterey Cypress.
- Common Yew.
- Norfolk Island Pine.
- Australian Pine.
The varieties above contain harmful toxins that could cause adverse side effects. There have been reports of irritation in the mouth and throat, inflamed patches on the skin, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headaches, diarrhoea and more.
Should you experience any of these issues, we urge you to seek medical consultation. Never take risks with your health - buy safely sourced Pine Needle Tea from us.
Pine Needle Tea and Pregnancy
Drinking Herbal Tea while pregnant can cause complications as well. If you’re an expecting mother interested in Pine Needle Tea, we would recommend that you err on the side of caution.
This applies not only to during pregnancy but also while breastfeeding as it might negatively influence milk supply. An alternative could be health beneficial Raspberry Leaf Tea, though only at the 32-week mark of pregnancy.
How to Brew Pine Needle Tea
Now that you know the facts - and maybe managed your expectations - it’s time to try the brew. You’ll be pleased to know that the instructions concerning how to make Pine Needle Tea are relatively straightforward.
Apart from the Tea itself, all you need is either an Tea Infuser or Filter, both of which are available here. You can then follow these easy steps below to start enjoying a cuppa:
Time needed: 10 minutes.
1, Use a Tea Filter / Infuser.
Put Loose Tea into one of our Tea Filters / Infusers.
2, Boil the Kettle.
Brew fresh water using either filtered or bottled water.
3, Add Filter or Infuser to your Cup.
Place the Tea-filled accessory into a cup or mug.
4, Pour Freshly Boiled Water.
Fill the cup or mug with hot water.
5, Allow it to Infuse / Steep.
Let it steep for 5-10 minutes (the longer you leave it, the stronger it tastes.)
6, Time to Indulge.
Your Loose Leaf Tea is ready to enjoy at your leisure.
Conclusion: Pine Needle Tea Health Benefits
Recent reports have led some to believe that Pine Needle Tea is a miracle cure. It isn’t, but it could offer some nevertheless remarkable Pine Needle Tea benefits, including boosted immunity, improved eyesight and even weight loss.
It tastes great, too, and is available here at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company. Be sure to browse our vast selection to find some absolute delights!
Author: Richard Smith
Partner at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company
Richard Smith is a Tea expert, entrepreneur, and owner of The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company. Part of a family of renowned Tea planters dating back four generations, he was born in Calcutta (Kolkata), India, where he spent his childhood between Tea Estates in Assam and Darjeeling.
In the late 1970s, having accumulated years of knowledge in the industry, Mr Smith and his mother, Janet Smith, moved to Kent, South East England, to establish a Tea business in the village of Pluckley. Their early days of packing Tea Bags by hand from chests of 10,000 prompted the creation of the company’s flagship infusion known as Pluckley Tea. It remains our most popular product today.
Mr Smith, who studied economics at London Polytechnic, has since specialised in over 1,000 types of Loose Leaf Tea - in addition to around 70 varieties of Roast Coffee - from around the world. These are now available at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company, where everything is still packed by hand and fresh to order, not only to honour tradition but to ensure the utmost quality and consistency.
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