Is it safe to drink sassafras tea? The crucial health risks explained

December 17, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), consuming traditional sassafras tea is considered unsafe due to the presence of safrole, a carcinogenic and toxic compound. This potent chemical has led to a ban on sassafras for human consumption in the United States, raising serious health and safety concerns for those considering brewing this traditional herbal beverage.

Quick Summary

This article discusses the serious health risks and FDA regulations concerning traditional sassafras tea, detailing the link between the compound safrole and cancer. It also outlines the difference between banned traditional tea and modern, safrole-free extracts.

Key Points

Safrole is a Carcinogen: Traditional sassafras tea contains safrole, a compound linked to liver cancer in animal studies.
FDA Ban: The U.S. FDA banned sassafras for human consumption due to the dangers of safrole.
Toxic in High Doses: The oil from the sassafras plant is highly toxic and can cause severe side effects like hallucinations and vomiting.
Not for Everyone: Pregnant women, children, and individuals with liver issues should avoid sassafras entirely.
Safrole-Free is Different: Modern commercial products, like some root beers, use a processed, safrole-free sassafras extract, which is not the same as the traditional tea.
Boiling May Not Be Safe Enough: Attempts to remove safrole by boiling are not scientifically proven to eliminate all risks.

The question of whether it is safe to drink sassafras tea has a complex and cautionary answer, largely centered on a chemical called safrole. While historically popular for its distinct flavor and purported medicinal properties, health concerns in the mid-20th century led to strict regulations. The key issue lies with the volatile oil found in the root bark, which contains high concentrations of safrole, a compound the FDA classifies as a carcinogen.

The Safrole Problem: Why Traditional Tea is Dangerous

In the 1960s, a series of studies on laboratory animals revealed that large doses of safrole caused liver cancer in rats and mice. These findings prompted the FDA to ban the use of safrole as a food additive in 1960, a ban that was extended to include sassafras tea in 1976. A single cup of traditional sassafras tea can contain amounts of safrole significantly higher than what is considered safe, making it a dangerous substance for human consumption. Furthermore, sassafras oil, which is concentrated from the plant, is even more toxic, with even small amounts potentially being lethal.

Carcinogenic Properties and Health Risks

The most significant risk associated with traditional sassafras tea is its potential to cause cancer. The National Toxicology Program's Report on Carcinogens identifies safrole as a substance that is "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen" based on animal data. The compound is metabolized in the body, and some of these metabolites can damage DNA, potentially leading to tumor formation. Beyond its carcinogenic effects, safrole can also cause direct liver damage and a host of other severe side effects in high concentrations, including vomiting, hallucinations, and increased blood pressure.

Can You Detoxify Sassafras Tea?

Some herbalists and foragers suggest that boiling sassafras root for a prolonged period, especially in an open pot, can remove the volatile safrole. The theory is that safrole is not heat-stable and evaporates with the steam. While this method might reduce the amount of safrole, there is no reliable scientific evidence to confirm it eliminates the risk entirely. Furthermore, the exact concentration of safrole varies from plant to plant, and even in safrole-free extracts, there are concerns about other potential carcinogens and adverse effects.

The Difference Between Traditional and Modern Sassafras Products

Today, any commercially available product that uses sassafras for flavoring, such as modern root beer, must use a special safrole-free extract. These products undergo a specific manufacturing process to remove the harmful compound, ensuring their safety for consumption. However, the distinction is critical and should not be confused with brewing tea from the raw root bark. The potential health benefits often cited for sassafras, such as anti-inflammatory or diuretic effects, have not been sufficiently proven in human trials and do not outweigh the established risks of consuming the traditional tea.

Side Effects of Sassafras (Even Safrole-Free)

It is important to note that even safrole-free sassafras extracts are not without risk, especially when used in medicinal amounts. Potential side effects can include:

Sweating and hot flashes
Increased heart rate
Higher blood pressure
Central nervous system depression (drowsiness) when combined with sedatives
Skin rashes from topical application

Furthermore, certain groups of people should avoid sassafras entirely due to specific health risks.

Who Should Avoid Sassafras Tea?

Pregnant or breastfeeding women: Sassafras oil may cause miscarriage.
Children: Extremely toxic, with a few drops of the oil being potentially deadly.
Individuals with liver conditions: Given its known effects on the liver, it is highly inadvisable for those with existing liver problems.
Those scheduled for surgery: Can slow the central nervous system.
People taking certain medications: Can interact with sedatives.

Comparison: Traditional Sassafras vs. Modern Extract


Feature	Traditional Sassafras Tea (Homemade)	Modern Sassafras Extract (Commercial)
Safrole Content	High; contains toxic levels of safrole.	Safrole-free; the toxic compound is removed.
Safety for Consumption	Considered unsafe and potentially carcinogenic.	Considered safe for consumption as a flavoring agent.
Legality	Illegal for commercial sale as a food item.	Legal for commercial food use if safrole-free.
Associated Health Risks	Potential for liver damage, cancer, and other severe side effects.	Minimal risk in small amounts, but medicinal doses can have side effects.
Regulation	Not regulated for personal, at-home use, but consumption is strongly advised against by health experts.	Closely monitored by the FDA to ensure all safrole is removed.

Conclusion: The Final Verdict

Is it safe to drink sassafras tea? For traditional, homemade tea made from the root bark, the answer from medical and regulatory bodies is a resounding no. The carcinogenic properties and high toxicity of safrole, its primary component, present a significant health risk that outweighs any unsubstantiated benefits. While safrole-free sassafras extracts are used safely in modern food production, consuming wild-harvested or traditionally brewed sassafras tea is an unnecessary and dangerous gamble with your health. For those interested in herbal remedies, numerous other safe and well-researched alternatives exist. Always prioritize safety and consult with a healthcare professional before incorporating any new herbal remedy into your routine. For further reading on the FDA's stance on food additives, you can visit their website.

Visit the FDA website for more information on food additive regulations.

Frequently Asked Questions

The FDA banned sassafras for human consumption because it contains high levels of safrole, a compound found to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) in laboratory animal studies during the 1960s.

No, it is not safe to drink homemade sassafras tea brewed from the root bark. The tea can contain dangerous levels of safrole, and attempts to remove the toxin through boiling are unreliable and not scientifically proven to be effective.

Yes, safrole is found in small amounts in some other spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper, but the quantities are significantly lower and generally considered harmless compared to the concentration in traditional sassafras tea.

The side effects of traditional sassafras tea, due to its safrole content, can include liver damage, liver cancer, sweating, hot flashes, high blood pressure, and hallucinations.

Traditional sassafras tea is made from the root bark and contains high levels of the toxic compound safrole. Safrole-free extract is a commercially processed form of sassafras where the safrole has been removed, making it safe for use as a flavoring agent in controlled amounts.

It is extremely dangerous for children and pregnant women. A few drops of sassafras oil can be lethal to a child, and the oil can also induce miscarriage in pregnant women.

Modern root beer does not use traditional sassafras or its oil. Following the FDA ban, manufacturers switched to using either synthetic flavoring or safrole-free sassafras extract to recreate the flavor profile safely.