Sassafras tea

[fatoldfool]

The couple of warm days got me to thinking about sassafras tea. Any one on here make it? How about Birch tea? is it made the same way as sassafras, using the root, or is it made from the bark?

[Blaine]

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Sassafras-Tea

Be careful.

[AJMD429]

Good stuff. We have more 'spicebush' (shrub relative) than sassafrass, but I'm not sure you can make tea from that. Rootlets work better than larger root stock; the flavor seems to come from the outer 'skin' of the root.

Contains traces of anti-oxidants (everything seems to), but also traces of carcinogens (again, everything seems to), so I figure 'everything in moderation' and have some now and then if you like it.

[rhead]

I have 3 trees in my yard. The dried and powdered leaves and bark make good seasoning also. Just to save walking there is plenty of it growing wild in the area.

[piller]

As far as everything having carcinogens, I think that someone once said that the most common cause of death is living.
By the way, what does sassafrass taste like?

[Blaine]

As far as everything having carcinogens, I think that someone once said that the most common cause of death is living.
By the way, what does sassafrass taste like?

It's the root in rootbeer.....

[fatoldfool]

I know how to make Sassafras tea. Been drinking it since I was about 3 or so. My Grandmother's favorite spring tonic.
So does anyone know anything about the birch tea?
I know they used to boil birch sap down like maple to make sugar. Never had any of the sugar.

[76/444]

Man, talk about a FLASH from the Past!!!

As a child on the east coast, I would roam the swampy woods around our home. Finding young birch trees, I would cut off a section and chew off the bark. I can still taste it to this day.

Thanks for the flash back!

[FLINT]

Just to comment on the whole carcinogen thing.

That study was done using some synthetically derived version of safrole (sassafras oil). The study also used absolutely ridiculously high concentrations and quantities and even still it was found to be only a weak carcinogen in rats. It would be virtually impossible to consume the quantities necessary to have that affect on humans - if indeed humans even metabolize that compound in a similar way.

I personally don't think there is any danger whatsoever in enjoying some real sassafras tea

enjoy!

[Blaine]

Doesn't birch bark have asperin in it?

[fatoldfool]

Chewing birch bark was a normal thing for us country kids. Same for sassafras bark. I have chewed spicewood, but seemed like it was bitter. I saw a post here or MO where someone used spicewood sticks to season meat dishes. I still want to know about birch tea/drink!

[76/444]

Doesn't birch bark have asperin in it?

I believe the original source of aspirin was from the Willow tree family, Blaine.


And I think that as little children what WE called Birch Bark, ... for chewing, could very well have been what others in the south called Sassafras.

The Birch Bark I chewed as a child was a dark amber/brown in color with little cream or white colored nubs/bumps. The outer bark layer was very paper thin with a bright green inner layer.

[fatoldfool]

Birch is brown, has small serrated leaves, sassafras is green and has a large 3 lobed leaf. Both of them made a hungry kid feel a little better when there was a bunch more rows to how before quitting time.

[rhead]

Doesn't birch bark have asperin in it?

Yes, birch and willow are both sources of salicylic acid. As are wintergreen berries and leaves. Wintergreen contains methyl salicylate as esther which smells and tastes better than the willow bark. Both are effective anti inflammatory agents and pain killers.

May be wrong but I think aspen bark also contains it but in lower quantities.
My hard drive is getting old.