Where Can I Buy Sassafras Tea

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Jared Schubert —The Monkey Wrench, Louisville** **

I use it with almost every aged spiritwhiskey, añejo tequila, rums, and gins. The older the better. Sassafras has a woody quality, with a high note like mint or absinthe. It’s a rock star in a mint julep and brings more depth to a Sazerac. Just a little dash will do youtrust me.

I love this product. My grandmother used to make sassafrass tea for us as children. Pappy’s is an easier and safer version of the tea we drank from the boiled root. I drink it plain mixed into my water bottle and I do love the flavor. I appreciate the fact it is a family made product produced right here in the USA.

How To Make Sassafras Tea

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Root beer gets its name from the oil extracted from the root of the sassafras tree. If you live in a region where this tree grows in the wild, you may be able to make your own drink from this same plant. Here is how to make sassafras tea.

Key Id Features Look For The Distinguished Sassafras Leaf

Sassafras is a deciduous tree that is often seen in groups of saplings but single trees can get to be up to 85 tall. This plant has a couple very good identification features: the first one is that a sassafras leaf can have 1,2, or 3 lobes all on the same plant. Younger plants often have more 2-3 lobed leaves than older plants. On mature trees it may be hard to spot 2-3 lobed leaves. The second great identification feature is the smell. Scratch and sniff the roots and branches, you will notice similar but distinct fragrances. Both fragrances are strong, the roots smell somewhat like root beer and the stems are slightly more citric smelling. This makes Winter identification possible. You can purchase a live sassafras sapling HERE for planting, this will ensure correct identification.

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Is Sarsaparilla Root Beer And Where Can I Buy Sarsaparilla Soda

Even though it is thought that sarsaparilla has anti-cancer properties and works as oxidative stress, rheumatism, and anti-inflammatory relief, tests by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration also showed that a compound in sassafras called safrole caused cancer cells in mice. For that reason, in 1964 the FDA banned safrole, ruling that sassafras could not be sold as a commercial food ingredient .

It’s a safe assumption that the ban led to the drop off in the use of sarsaparilla as a soft drink.

Originally, root beer also used sassafras as the main ingredient, adding licorice root, wintergreen leaves, vanilla bean, ginger root, and other aromatic flavorings like cinnamon sticks and star anise to round out the bitter sassafras taste. Although it didn’t contain alcohol, Charles E. Hires, the American pharmacist who first created root beer, called it “beer” because he thought the name would appeal more to the Pennsylvania miners who were his primary customers. And he was right when they started to buy it by the keg.

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Root beer was first sold in 1876 as a dry extract customers would mix the package of roots, spices, and herbs up with sugar, yeast, and water to make the fermented drink. In 1880, Hires then decided to sell it brewed as a concentrated syrup. It wasn’t until 1893 that he brewed and bottled root beer and sold it as a ready-to-drink product.

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Cooking With Sassafras Bark

Since the sassafras tree is native to Louisiana, its leaves and bark are a popular ingredient in Creole cuisine. Sassafras can be found in three basic forms:

• Sassafras bark: Sassafras bark typically sassafras root bark is cut up, dried, and steeped to create sassafras tea. It can also be chopped into small pieces and simmered in water with a few other ingredients to make root beer syrup. For tea, start with a ratio of 1 tablespoon of sassafras bark to 3 cups of tea, then adjust to taste.

• Sassafras leaves: Recipes calling for sassafras leaves are not as common as those calling for sassafras bark. However, they are sometimes used in sassafras tea. The leaves can also be dried and ground to create filé powder, which is a key ingredient in Creole gumbo recipes. This powder is added right after the heat is turned off, to help thicken and flavor the gumbo.

• Sassafras oil or extract: Sassafras oil comes from the trees roots and bark. You probably wont find many recipes that call for it, but it makes an appearance in some Creole dishes. Unfortunately, sassafras oil naturally contains a high amount of safrole, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not consider safe for human consumption. If you want to stay on the safe side, some companies produce sassafras oil or extract from which the safrole has been removed.

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Sarsaparilla Root Tea Health Benefits

• Contains phytosteroids
• 18 Bleach Free Tea Bags / Box

• Non GMO
• No Artificial or Natural Flavors
• No Artificial Sweeteners

• Cover and steep to taste.
• Remove tea bag and enjoy!

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Special Precautions & Warnings

UNSAFE

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Don’t use sassafras if you are pregnant. There is evidence that sassafras oil might cause a miscarriage.

Children: Sassafras is UNSAFE for children. A few drops of sassafras oil may be deadly.

Surgery: In medicinal amounts, sassafras can slow down the central nervous system. This means it can cause sleepiness and drowsiness. When combined with anesthesia and other medications used during and after surgery, it might slow down the central nervous system too much. Stop using sassafras at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

Urinary tract conditions: Sassafras might make these conditions worse.

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About Our Sassafras Bark

Sassafras bark from Burma Spice comes in four different sizes. The 1.1-ounce flip-top glass bottle looks great on a kitchen shelf or counter, while the 4-ounce resealable rice paper bag fits conveniently into cupboards. If youre looking to buy in bulk, we also offer an 18-ounce plastic restaurant-style container or a 32-ounce plastic gallon container.

What Is Sassafras Good For

There are so many things sassafras has been used for throughout history and not just for culinary or medicinal purposes. The wood from the tree has been used to build furniture and ships in Europe, China and the U.S. Even the twigs were used as toothbrushes.

Sassafras root tea is a popular beverage made from this plant and the ground leaves are used in Creole cuisine, as well as a thickening and flavoring agent in gumbo. Perfumes and soaps were once made with sassafras for its aromatic qualities.

Commercially produced root beer no longer uses sassafras oil for flavoring due to the regulated use of products that contain safrole which is believed to be carcinogenic in large amounts.

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Sassafras Bark: At A Glance

Sassafras is a type of tree native to the bayous of Louisiana. Its root bark, or sometimes just its bark, is often used to make sassafras tea. The oil from its bark, meanwhile, has been used in medicine or candy or in perfume . Most famously, until a few decades ago, it was used to provide the distinct flavor of root beer.

Sassafras leaves have a sweet smell that many people compare to Fruit Loops. Its bark has a pleasant flavor that is often described as spicy or earthy.

Sassafras bark contains many natural compounds that have been used in medicine, cosmetics, fragrances, and food. These compounds include anethole, apiole, asarone, boldine, caryophyllene, elemicin, eugenol, mucilage, myristicin, safrole, tannins, and thujone.

What Is Sarsaparilla Tea

Smilax officinalis it climbs up trees in the Amazon, and spreads throughout the forests of Southeast Asia hoping to capture any light it can. Craving the dark, humid forest climate, this unusual and medicinally relevant plant is one youll want to get to know.

However, if you really want to know whats the deal with sarsaparilla were going to have to get a little technical with you. Why? Because when you taste this sensational tea, you wont believe that something so delicious could actually be good for you. Thus, we want you to understand the whys behind the health claim truths.

Sarsaparilla contains a class of chemicals called Saponins this component is what makes water foam up when shaken, kind of like soap. Bacteria and fungi create toxic waste in our bodies. Saponins work within the veins and arteries of our bodies to actually clean out toxic waste. This chemical binds and neutralizes the waste within the blood, allowing the accumulated toxins to be flushed out.

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What Does Sarsaparilla Tea Taste Like

Yummy! Amazing, actually. Smooth, sweet, like the soft drink, really, without the detriments of added sugars, colorings, preservatives, and all the other undesirable ingredients that go into making the commercially produced drink. If you like the taste of cream soda or root beer, youre going to love this tea.

Stunning Shade And Color

Why Sassafras Trees?

Sassafras Trees have bold colors across all seasons, kicking off the spring with tons of bright yellow blooms to brighten up the scenery. The iconic three-lobed lush sassafras leaves grow to create a thick, full green canopy all summer long.

In the fall, the green leaves turn stunning shades of yellow and red for blazing beauty in both urban and countryside settings. Dark berries hang off of bright red stems for striking color contrast that’s second to none.

Once the vibrant leaves drop, they reveal the Sassafras Trees stunning wrinkled white bark that stands out amongst the winter landscape. And the best part? You get this visual interest nearly anywhere in the country.

Whether you’re in an icy area up north or hot, humid climate down south, you can grow this carefree tree. And you can even make root beer from this multi-purpose must-have! Simply plant two Sassafras Trees, and reap the benefits of your own homemade beverage brew.

Why Fast-Growing-Trees.com is Better

It’s nearly impossible to find a Sassafras this healthy and robust from your local garden center or big-box nursery.

In fact, most big-box retailers sell their plants bare-root, giving you a lower chance of long-term success in your own garden.

But when you order from Fast Growing Trees, we ensure that your tree is planted, grown, and meticulously nurtured from day one.

Sassafras Trees are one-of-a-kind trees that sell out fast. Be sure to order yours before they are all gone!

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Benefits Of Sassafras Tea

Sassafras root tea contains safrole, tannins, mucilage, asarone and alpha-pinene. A combination that will provide you several health benefits when taken in small amounts.

Cleansing Tea

• If you wish to maintain your liver healthy and normalize hormonal function, sassafras bark is your answer. It will offer you a liver cleanse, by stimulating the liver, balancing your hormones which in turn may prevent cramps during menstruation.
• Proper liver function will also help with hangovers. So remember this tea when you feel like you have had a little too much to drink the night before.
• This tea will also clear congestion in the gallbladder and remove toxins from your body, so if you suffer from gout, rheumatism or arthritis, drink sassafras tea to ease your pain.
• Sassafras bark is also a great herb for enhancing flavour and healing properties of drinks for the male body, which can be used to deal with hormonal imbalances in men, the recovery of potency and vitality issues, liver congestion and the disruptions in the genitourinary system.
• A cup of sassafras root tea can also relieve adrenal stress, which exacerbates the symptoms in menopause.

Blood Thinner

• When drinking sassafras herbal tea in small quantities, it can be used as an anticoagulant and a blood purifier.
• If you suffer from high blood pressure, enjoy its diuretic properties as it eliminates toxins from the body, strengthening your immune system.

Treating Respiratory Illnesses and Infections

Other Uses

Why Is Sassafras Banned

The roots and barks of the sassafras tree contain a high concentration of the chemical named safrole. Safrole was listed as a carcinogen in rats by the Food and Drug Administration and is hence banned at present. The risk of developing cancer increases with the amount consumed and duration of consumption. Safrole is also used in the production of an illegal drug called Ecstasy .

Sassafras was once used to manufacture root beer, a common beverage. Today, the manufacturers have started removing safrole during processing to make safrole-free sassafras. Some scientists claim that even safrole-free sassafras can increase the risk of tumors. The following reasons seem to make sassafras unsafe:

• The safrole in sassafras root and bark can cause cancer and liver damage.
• Consuming 5 mL of sassafras can kill an adult.
• The side effects of sassafras include:

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Sassafras Bark: History And Origination

Sassafras is often cited as the first spice imported to Europe from the New World. Native Americans supposedly introduced it to early European settlers as a medicinal plant. Since then, it has been consumed as a cure for syphilis, as a diuretic and diaphoretic, to relieve fevers and rheumatism, and to treat urinary tract infections. Although it has been used to treat a variety of ailments, Its effectiveness has not been proven. Sassafras was also used in several medicines to improve their taste.

In the 1960s, the FDA decided to ban the use of safrole in commercial food products. Its decision was based on studies that suggested safrole may be carcinogenic. Unless the safrole has been removed, products containing sassafras bark or oil can only be sold for topical or aromatic use in the U.S.

Although sassafras is still commonly used in Asia, North America, and Europe, it is not as popular as it once was. Regardless of its medicinal value, sassafras is appreciated for its aroma and flavor.

Sassafras Tea Health Benefits

The health benefits of sassafras tea are reported to be numerous. The tea has a long history of medicinal use. Native Americans reportedly believed that sassafras was a miracle cure and promoted the tonic to European explorers who were less impressed with it.

The purported benefits of sassafras include:

• Improved urinary tract health
• Reduced itching or swelling from bug bites or stings
• A boost in immune health
• Improved circulation
• Improved digestion
• Reduced fevers

Although you probably won’t find medical doctors promoting the use or benefits of sassafras tea, some herbal practitioners still use it, believing that it is safe to consume in moderation. However, none of these reported benefits has been proven with high quality, published scientific research. The effectiveness of sassafras cannot be confirmed because the health concerns over sassafras make human research unlikely.

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Special Precautions And Warnings

When taken by mouthPOSSIBLY SAFEPOSSIBLY UNSAFEcancerLIKELY UNSAFEmouthliversweatinghot flashesvomitinghigh blood pressurehallucinationsWhen applied to the skinLIKELY UNSAFEskinskin rashesskinUNSAFEPregnancy and breast-feedingLIKELY UNSAFEmiscarriageChildrenLIKELY UNSAFESurgerycentral nervous systemmedicationsUrinary tract conditions

Sassafras Tea A Cup Of History

Sassafras tree bark has been used in North America for centuries. According to an old Appalachian folk legend, those who carried sassafras bark in their pockets or drank sassafras root tea were protected against the evil eye, malevolence and envy.

It was also used by the Cherokee people as a blood thinner to purify blood, to treat skin diseases, rheumatism, among other ailments.

In 1512, American Indians introduced the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon to the bark and years later the same happened to pioneers, who settled on the continent. Whether or not this is true, looking back, we can trace the word sassafras as to probably deriving from the 16th century Spanish term saxifrage.

Interestingly, Sassafras was one of the first forest products to be exported from what are now the Mid-Atlantic states, in 1603, when England sent two vessels to the New World to bring back, among other things, cargoes of sassafras bark.

Once introduced to the Europeans, they used Sassafras as a medicinal tonic in the 17th and 18th century to treat everything from rheumatism to gout. The marvels of this blood thinner helped to heal many ailments.

Later in the 19th century, sassafras extract was used to flavour one of the first soft drinks in the US root beer.

Despite the ban on safrole, some people still enjoy sassafras herbal tea today, using it as an herbal remedy, a cooking additive to thicken soup and to season dishes, or even to create perfumes.

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Who Should Avoid Using Sassafras

It is unsafe for anyone to use sassafras in medicinal amounts. However, there are certain populations who should completely devoid themselves from using sassafras, which include the following:

• Pregnant or breast-feeding mothers: Theres a risk of miscarriage.
• Children: A few drops of sassafras oil can be lethal.
• Planned surgery: It is advisable to stop using sassafras 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery. Sassafras can slow down the central nervous system and cause drowsiness. When combined with anesthesia, sassafras might affect the central nervous system.
• People with urinary tract conditions: Sassafras might exacerbate the symptoms of urinary tract disorders.
• People taking sedatives: Taking sassafras along with sedatives might cause too much sleepiness.