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does anyone have any first hand experience with tea made from evergreen needles, or cedar tips. winter green leaves. thanks
Hey Sweede
Ya I have been known to enjoy a cup of Bush Tea when I can.
Everyone has their preferred way to prepare it but for me I will clip the tips from a Pine or Spruce tree, break them up a little and toss everything, branches included into a pot of water and bring it to a boil, then let it steep as it cools to drinking temperature, straining it into a mug. I find that Pine is a little sweeter than Spruce.
aven't had a cup of Wintergreen tea in years and in Algonquin only seem to come across the plant on portages. Great little treat to chew on while enjoying the walk and in this case, it is OK to spit when you are done. Swallowing wintergreen will give most people a slight upset tummy.
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swedish pimple wrote:
does anyone have any first hand experience with tea made from evergreen needles, or cedar tips. winter green leaves. thanks
All the time! I drink spruce tip tea at home almost every day and actually wrote an article on it.
I regularly make tea from wild mint as well, and sometimes chew on Wintergreen. Coincidentally, I actually have a blog post on my website this afternoon with a description and picture to help identify Wintergreen.
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Wintergreen tea contains a drug, methyl salicylate IIRC, that works as a pain reliever like aspirin, aspirin being the synthetic form (acetylsalicylic acid). The herbal version in wintergreen seems to have sedative effects like aspirin, but feels different if you want to spend a quiet moment being mindful of it's effects. Try not to fall asleep, though.
Opposite in it's effects is mint tea, a stimulant, which might make it difficult to sleep. OTOH maybe worth brewing if you have an especially active day ahead or if you are feeling tired and something to sharpen you up is needed. Again IIRC, mint tea can be used as a coffee substitute.