Tag: Spruce tea

Captain Cook brewed spruce beer on his sea voyages to combat scurvy, thanks to the needles' high vitamin C content. While modern diets typically don't require this, spruce needles, particularly the soft new growth known as 'tips', offer a unique citrus and pine flavor that can elevate your cooking and foraging experience.

For centuries, Indigenous cultures have utilized spruce needles for their medicinal and nutritional properties, most notably for preventing scurvy. With proper identification, you can make tea out of spruce needles to enjoy a refreshing, forest-inspired beverage rich in Vitamin C.

Pine and fir needles can contain significantly more vitamin C than an orange, a fact known by indigenous peoples and early explorers who used evergreen tea to cure scurvy. This raises the question: can you drink evergreen tea safely for its health benefits?

Spruce tips are an incredible source of Vitamin C, with a single cup of spruce tea historically used to prevent scurvy. Knowing how long to steep spruce tea is crucial for unlocking its bright, citrusy, and earthy flavor, ensuring you get the most from every mug.