How To Make Pine Needle Tea?

Pine needle tea is a refreshing and delicious beverage you can make from the needles of certain pine trees. It has a unique flavor, with hints of citrus and mint, and it’s a great alternative to the more common herbal teas. The best part is you only need a few simple ingredients and a little patience to make it. So how to make a tasty cup of pine needle tea?

Get a handful of fresh or dried pine needles, and put them into a heat-resistant container or an infuser. Boil some water and pour it over the needles. Cover it and allow the tea to steep for 15-20 minutes. Then, strain the tea into a cup and add a sweetener or a few drops of lemon if you like. 

Not only is pine needle tea delicious, but it’s also packed with powerful health-boosting nutrients. It can help improve the immune system, reduce the risk of eye diseases, promote bone health, and balance hormones. But you have to use the right kind of pine needles—not all of them are edible. So let’s take a closer look at what kind of pine needles are good and how to prepare them.

How Do You Make Pine Needle Tea?

Pine needle tea

Making pine needle tea is super easy and just requires a few simple steps. You can make it with just two ingredients: fresh or dried pine needles and boiling water.

But a few tips can help make a great cup of pine needle tea. Here’s your step-by-step guide to making a cup of pine needle tea:

Step 1: Gather Pine Needles

You can use fresh or dried pine needles for tea. However, fresh, young pine green needles are the best—you can pick these right off the branches of a pine tree. But make sure it’s an edible pine tree species, like Eastern white pine or Mandarian pine.

You’ll need at least half a cup of pine needles to make three cups of pine tea, but you can adjust the ratio depending on how strong you like your tea.

If you’ve fresh pine needles, give them a good wash to get rid of any dirt or pesticide that may have been used on the tree. If using dried pine needles, get them from a reputable source.

Step 2: Boil Water

Add 3 cups of filtered water to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Using filtered water is recommended as it will not leave any impurities or off-tastes in the tea.

Step 3: Steep Pine Needles

Add the pine needle into a heat-resistant container or an infuser, and then pour the hot water over it. Cover the container and let the tea steep for 15-20 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea.

Pine needles make a very light and subtle tea, so if you want more flavor, you can add other herbs like lemon balm, hibiscus, or mint to enhance the flavor.

Never boil the needles directly in the water, as this can make the tea bitter and murky. You can also lightly press the needles with a spoon to help the flavor come out.

Step 4: Strain Tea

Strain the tea in a cup and add a sweetener like honey, sugar, or agave syrup. Squeeze in a few drops of lemon if you like. And enjoy your cup of pine needle tea.

Pine needle tea is usually served hot, but you can also enjoy it over ice for a refreshing summer drink. To make iced tea, just follow the same steps above, then put your tea in the fridge until chilled. Or you can freeze half of the tea in ice cube trays and then use those cubes to make your iced tea.

What are the Health Benefits of Pine Needle Tea?

Pine needle tea in a cup on a white textured background

Pine needles are packed with a punch of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and when you make tea from them, you reap all the benefits of pine needles. Here’s a rundown of some of the most impressive health benefits:

Fight Flu and Cold

The most abundant nutrient in pine needles is vitamin C—freshly grown light green pine needles have three times more vitamin C than lime juice.

Vitamin C is a potent anti-inflammatory that helps boost immunity and relieve the symptoms of cold, cough, and flu. That’s why it’s also a suitable tea to consume if you have a Covid-19 infection.

A few cups of hot pine needle tea can also relieve congestion, relax muscles, and calm your overworked immune system.

Improve Vision

Pine Needle Tea is rich in carotenoids, compounds that are essential for good vision. It also helps protect your eyes from the oxidative damage caused by free radicals, helping to prevent age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

Boost Testosterone Levels

Pine needles are also a great source of zinc; combined with vitamin C, it works as a hormone balancer. Especially for men, pine needle tea can help boost testosterone levels, a vital hormone for maintaining sexual health and muscle growth.

It also plays a vital role in bone health and can prevent conditions like infertility and osteoporosis.

Detoxification

All the antioxidant flavonoids and Vitamin C found in pine needles can help your body flush out toxins. This can aid in digestion and promote healthy, glowing skin. In turn, you also get a boost in energy and overall health. Some detoxifying components are also known to prevent cancer and other chronic illnesses.

Weight Management

Many everyday drinks we consume are packed with sugar, artificial sweeteners, and other unhealthy ingredients.

Pine needle tea is a great substitute to help you manage your daily calorie intake—an average cup of pine needle tea contains zero calories unless you add any sweeteners.

Combined with its detoxifying and fat-dissolving properties, pine needle tea can also become an effective weight-loss aid.

Remember that all the benefits of pine needle tea is in no way a substitute for proper medical treatment and advice. It may help to promote your general health, but it’s not a replacement for professional medical care. So, always seek help from a qualified healthcare practitioner.

What Kind of Pine Needles are Safe to Use?

Pine is a vast genus of evergreen trees, many of its species contain toxins that can cause adverse effects if consumed. So it’s imperative to pay attention to what type of pine trees you are using for your tea.

The safest species to use for tea is the Pinus Strobus, also known as Eastern White Pine or Soft Pine. You can also use Korean red pine or Manchurian red pine, Blue Spruce, and Coastal red pine needles in small amounts.

If you’re foraging pine needles from the wild, be 100% of the species before using them for tea. And pick only the young, yellow-green needles; they are much milder and nutrient-rich than mature needles.

Which Ones to Avoid

Some species you should avoid include Lodgepole, Common yew, Monterey Cypress, Norfolk Island Pine, Australian Pine, and Poderosa Pine. Some of these are simply too bitter for tea, while others can be toxic.

Ponderosa Pine, also called Western Yellow Pine or Blackjack, is especially toxic, and all of its varieties should be avoided. It’s known to cause spontaneous abortion in pregnant women and can be highly damaging to human health. Other side effects of consuming the wrong species are nausea, vomiting, headache, and sometimes skin irritation.

Also, beware of pine-like trees such as juniper, yew, and hemlock trees; they are simply not suitable for making tea infusions.

Do Pine Needles Need to Dry Before Being Used for Tea?

No, you can use fresh or dried pine needles to make tea. If you have a suitable pine tree around your home, you can simply pluck a few needles, wash them and use them to make tea on the same day. Fresh pine needles give a milder and sweeter flavor.

But if you want to store your pine needles for later use, you can dry them in the sun or dehydrator and store them in an air-tight container.

Many herbal tree brands also offer dried pine needles for tea. Dried needles give the tea a more intense flavor and a slightly yellow shade. But both methods work well and impart beneficial nutrients to the tea.

Can You Drink Pine Needle Tea Every Day?

Yes, pine needle tree is a light and nourishing beverage that is safe to consume daily. A healthy person can drink two to three cups a day to reap the benefits of this magical beverage. 

However, if you take any medications or have any allergies, you should consult your doctor before adding pine needle tea to your daily routine. Better avoid it altogether if you’re pregnant or planning to get pregnant.

And, of course, like all teas, too much pine needle tea can cause some side effects like nausea, headaches, diarrhea, and sleep disturbances. So it’s always wise to stick to the recommended amount.

To Wrap Up

Pine needle tea in a glass on wooden table

Overall, pine needle tea is a great way to get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals and keep your body and mind healthy.

So, if you have access to a suitable pine tree, give this tea a shot and enjoy the fantastic health benefits of this powerful herbal infusion.

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