Pine needle tea is made from, you guessed it, pine needles. The drink is loaded with vitamin C and vitamin A, it acts as a decongestant, and it also quenches thirst. Learn how to make pine needle tea and add it to your growing list of survival skills.
Gather Needles
Pick one or more cups of fresh pine needles. The greenest ones are best. Rinse the needles with clean water to remove all dirt before chopping them into pieces with a clean knife or any other applicable tool you have.
Boil Water
Heat water to a rolling boil in a saucepan or (again) whatever you have that works. Place pine needles in your mug or cup and pour the water over them. Make certain all faded and damaged needles are removed before you pour the water.
Stir and Steep
Stir the needles until they pale in color, or allow them to simmer on a low temperature for about 20 minutes if you have the resources. Cover the mug and let the tea steep for another 20 minutes.
Add Lemon and Enjoy
Add lemon or honey to your tea and enjoy once it once it’s cooled a bit! You may want it to steep overnight, as it will be stronger and more nutritious. Steeping pine needle tea overnight turns the liquid a reddish color.
There you have it: an easy way to make pine needle tea!
Do you have any tips to add? Share them in the comments section!