Pine Needle Teaz

Pine Needle Teaz 

10 x teabags boxed all prepped and ready to stew (10min) 

£10 per box

What are the Benefits of Pine Needle Tea?

Pine needle tea is reported to have an extensive list of benefits. You may have read  that it helps with everything from treating colds, to lowering cholesterol, and improving acne. But, is this simple tea really that incredible? Let’s dig into the research to find out.

🍃An Excellent Source of Vitamin C.

When most people think of Vitamin C, they think of orange juice. But pine needle tea is another excellent source of Vitamin C. In fact, Native Americans and early explorers used pine needles and bark to treat a variety of illnesses. Jacques Cartier, a French explorer, is credited with the first documented use of pine bark extracts  as a way to treat scurvy. Scurvy is a deadly disease that causes weakness, fatigue, and bleeding from the skin. It is caused by a lack of Vitamin C.  Pine bark extract provided his crew with the vitamin C they needed to avoid dying from scurvy.

🍃High in Vitamin A.

Pine needle tea is also high in Vitamin A. This vitamin, also known as retinol, is responsible for the pigments in the retina and is important for healthy vision. It also has a role in the body’s immune system and helps your body maintain healthy teeth, soft tissues, skin, and bones. 

🍃A Natural Antiviral.

Pine needles contain shikimic acid, the key ingredient used to make Tamilflu. The main source of shikimic acid is star anise, a small star-shaped fruit from China. Pine needles also contain a significant amount of the same acid. But, pine needles  are more abundant and easier to find than star anise. Drinking pine needle tea may be an effective way to prevent seasonal influenza because of its antiviral properties.

🍃Reduces Inflammation.

When the body is attacked by foreign agents like bacteria or viruses, or it is injured, the immune system is activated. This triggers an inflammatory response. Your body sends inflammatory cells and cytokines to the area, which increases blood circulation in an effort to repair the damaged fibers or fight off the intruders. This can cause swelling and pain.

There are a lot of medications that reduce inflammation, but pine needles are abundantly available and a natural way to reduce inflammation. A study published in the Journal of Food Biochemistry found that compounds  in pine needles of the Pinus morrisonicola species have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. 

🍃Anti-Aging.

For centuries pine needle tea has been used in Eastern countries for its anti-aging effects. In the US, this is one of its lesser known potential benefits. A study on the anti-aging properties of pine needle tea from the Pinus taiwanensis species suggests that flavonoids in the tea are responsible for its effect on aging.

🍃Cardiovascular Benefits.

Pine needles contain polyphenol, a plant-based antioxidant that boosts heart health and the immune system. Polyphenol is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, which can help reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. 

Polyphenol helps to protect the body from damage by free radicals and lowers the risk of blood clotting. Drinking pine needle tea regularly may provide cardiovascular benefits  by reducing blood clotting and inflammation, which are both linked to heart attacks and strokes.

🍃May Inhibit SARS-CoV-2 (Covid) Infection.

The Eastern white pine may be a natural source of suramin. Suramin, developed by Bayer in 1922, was used as an anti-infective agent to treat African sleeping sickness. Today, it is being studied for its antiviral and antiparasitic properties, which could have the potential of inhibiting the covid infection.  Although there is not enough research to claim it can treat or cure Covid, early research suggests that it may inhibit Covid because it interferes with the replication cycle.

🍃Cancer Protection.

Pine needles are a lesser-known superfood with anticancer properties.  Although there has not been much research on pine needle tea, studies on pine needles have shown that it may be useful in preventing tumor growth and the development of cancer.  One study found that pine needles from the Pinus densiflora species have antimutagenic and antitumor effects in the body and may hold potential as a method to prevent cancer.

NB. Not to be used by pregnant ladies or those that are breastfeeding.