10 Unique Benefits of Pine Needle Tea Backed By Science

Welcome to the majestic world of pines, where trees are not just about timber, but also about an aromatic, healthful brew waiting to be discovered! If you’ve ever wandered through a pine forest and savored the fresh, invigorating aroma, you’ve had a taste of the experience that pine needle tea offers.

In this article, we will look into what exactly pine needle tea is, how it’s made, medicinal uses of pine needles for certain health problems, and more!

So, grab your cup of tea and get ready for a relaxing and educational read!

What is Pine Needle Tea and How is it Made?

Pine needle tea is an infusion made from the needles of pine trees. Traditionally used in East Asian countries, this tea has been gaining popularity for its numerous health benefits. Pine needle tea can be made from a variety of pine trees including Eastern white pine, Scots pine, and red pine.

• Eastern White Pine (most commonly used for pine needle tea)
• Scots Pine
• Red Pine

For a deeper exploration of the different types of pine needle tea, do take a moment to check out our comprehensive guide on pine needle tea.

How to Make Pine Needle Tea

Here is the process to make pine needle tea using dried pine needles, tea bags, or powdered pine needles:

1. Start by boiling water in a pot or kettle.
2. Depending on the method of preparation you have chosen, proceed as follows:
   • Dried pine needles: Measure about 1-2 tablespoons. It’s a good idea to crush or chop the needles a bit to release more flavor.
   • Pine needle tea bags: Place 1 tea bag in your cup.
   • Powdered pine needles: 1 teaspoon of powder.
3. Once your water has reached a boil, carefully pour it over the pine needles or tea bag. If you’re using the dried version or powder, you can use a teapot, or you can place them directly in the cup and strain later.
4. Cover and let the tea steep to infuse the water with the pine needles’ flavor. For dried needles and tea bags, allow it to steep for about 5-7 minutes. For powder, since they’re more finely ground, you only need to let it steep for about 3-5 minutes.
5. After the steeping time, strain the tea into a different cup to remove the particles (or just remove the bag from your cup)
6. Your pine needle tea is ready to enjoy!

Pine needle tea is naturally caffeine-free, making it a great option for any time of the day.

Now, let’s move onto the health benefits of pine needle tea.

List of Benefits of Pine Needle Tea

Pine needle tea is packed with a plethora of health benefits, each backed by scientific evidence.

1. Cardiovascular Health

Cardiovascular health refers to the overall well-being of your heart and blood vessels. Drinking pine needle tea can help improve cardiovascular health. The tea has bioactive compounds that possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, providing benefits for patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) (Ren et al., 2017).

2. Neurodegenerative Disorders

Neurodegenerative disorders refer to conditions that cause progressive damage or death of nerve cells, leading to disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The benefits of drinking pine needle tea include its potential therapeutic effects on neurodegenerative disorders, thanks to the antioxidants that help protect against oxidative stress and reduce inflammation (Ren et al., 2017).

3. Anticancer Properties

When we talk about anticancer properties, we’re referring to the ability to inhibit the growth of cancer cells or suppress tumor progression. The benefits of pine needle tea include its anticancer properties, which have been linked to the bioactive compounds it contains (Liao et al., 2014).

4. Anti-inflammatory Effects

Anti-inflammatory effects pertain to the capacity to reduce or inhibit inflammation in the body. Regular consumption of pine needle tea can provide such benefits due to the presence of bioactive compounds that reduce inflammation (Liao et al., 2014).

5. Antioxidant Activity

Antioxidant activity is the ability to counteract the damaging effects of free radicals in the body. Pine needle tea is rich in antioxidants, providing protection against oxidative stress and reducing the risk of chronic diseases (Liao et al., 2014).

6. Antibacterial Effects

Antibacterial effects refer to the ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria and prevent infections. Pine needle tea is known to have such properties, contributing to its health benefits (Liao et al., 2014).

7. Anti-aging Effects

Anti-aging effects refer to the ability to slow down the aging process. The health benefits of pine needle tea include its significant anti-aging effects, thanks to the bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, it contains (Kuo et al., 2021).

8. Anti-hypertensive Effects

Anti-hypertensive effects are the ability to regulate blood pressure. The benefits of pine needle tea include its anti-hypertensive effects due to the bioactive compounds that can inhibit the activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme (He, 2017).

9. Anti-browning Agent

Being an anti-browning agent means preventing or delaying the browning of fruits and vegetables. Pine needle tea has been found to have anti-browning properties, making it beneficial not only as a beverage but also in food applications (Liang et al., 2014).

10. Gut Health

Improving gut health means maintaining a healthy balance of gut bacteria, which is essential for overall health. The benefits of pine needle tea include the potential to modulate the gut microbiota, making it a beneficial natural supplement for overall health (Barene et al., 2023).

The benefits of pine needle tea are abundant and diverse. If you’re curious about other types of teas and their health benefits, don’t forget to check out our comprehensive article on the

The benefits of pine needle tea are abundant and diverse. If you’re curious about other types of teas and their health benefits, don’t forget to check out our comprehensive article on the ”health benefits of drinking tea”.

What’s the Best Way to Take Pine Needle Tea?

The benefits of drinking pine needle tea can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. It can be sipped as a hot tea, or you can cool it down for a refreshing iced tea. Pine needle tea also pairs well with meals, especially breakfast or lunch. For a creative twist, you can use pine needle tea in your cooking, especially in sauces or as a marinade.

pine needle tea side effects

Like all foods and beverages, it’s essential to consume pine needle tea in moderation. Some people may be allergic to pine, and consuming the tea could lead to allergic reactions. Pregnant women should also avoid drinking pine needle tea as it can potentially lead to miscarriage. Always source your pine needles from unpolluted areas and make sure they come from a safe variety of pine.

Conclusion on the benefits of pine needle tea

The benefits of pine needle tea are both numerous and impressive, spanning from cardiovascular health to antibacterial properties and anti-aging effects.

We encourage you to give pine needle tea a try and discover these benefits for yourself and let us know in the comments what you’ve experienced!

Don’t forget to check out our review post about the best pine needle tea, and share your experience with us!

References

• Barene, I., Daberte, I., Liepa, L., Malniece, A., Starkute, V., Zokaityte, E., … & Pugajeva, I. (2023). Application Of Baltic Pine (Pinus Sylvestris) Needle Extract As a Gut Microbiota-modulating Feed Supplement For Domestic Chickens (Gallus Gallus). Plants, 2(12), 297. Link Here
• Dziedziński, M., Kobus-Cisowska, J., Stachowiak, B. (2021). Pinus Species As Prospective Reserves Of Bioactive Compounds With Potential Use In Functional Food—current State Of Knowledge. Plants, 7(10), 1306. Link Here
• He, J. (2017). Bioactivity-guided Fractionation Of Pine Needle Reveals Catechin As An Anti-hypertension Agent Via Inhibiting Angiotensin-converting Enzyme. Scientific Reports, 1(7). Link Here
• Kuo, P., Li, Y., Kusuma, A., Tzen, J., Hwang, T., Ye, G., … & Wang, S. (2021). Anti-inflammatory Principles From the Needles Of Pinus Taiwanensis Hayata And In Silico Studies Of Their Potential Anti-aging Effects. Antioxidants, 4(10), 598. Link Here
• Liang, X., Wu, Y., Qiu, J., Zhong, K., Gao, H. (2014). A Potent Antibrowning Agent From Pine Needles Ofcedrus Deodara:2r,3r-dihydromyricetin. Journal of Food Science, 9(79), C1643-C1648. Link Here
• Liao, C., Chen, C., Chang, Y., Liu, G., Hung, H., Hsieh, T., … & Lin, C. (2014). Pine (pinus Morrisonicola Hayata) Needle Extracts Sensitize Gbm8901 Human Glioblastoma Cells To Temozolomide By Downregulating Autophagy and o6-methylguanine-dna Methyltransferase Expression. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 43(62), 10458-10467. Link Here
• Nash, L. and Ward, W. (2015). Tea and Bone Health: Findings From Human Studies, Potential Mechanisms, And Identification Of Knowledge Gaps. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 8(57), 1603-1617. Link Here
• Qiu, B., Jiang, W., Qiu, W., Mu, W., Qin, Y., Zhu, Y., … & Qu, Z. (2017). Pine Needle Oil Induces G2/m Arrest Of Hepg2 Cells By Activating the Atm Pathway. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. Link Here
• Ren, P., Ren, X., Cheng, L., Xu, L. (2017). Frankincense, Pine Needle and Geranium Essential Oils Suppress Tumor Progression Through The Regulation Of The Ampk/mtor Pathway In Breast Cancer. Oncology Reports. Link Here
• Zhou, X., Zhao, M., Zhou, L., Yang, G., Huang, L., Yan, C., … & Guo, J. (2016). Regionalization Of Habitat Suitability Of Masson’s Pine Based On Geographic Information System and Fuzzy Matter-element Model. Scientific Reports, 1(6). Link Here