Sassafras Tea

**vthompson** · 02-13-2009, 09:58 PM

Does anyone here like to drink sassafras tea? I love it, and I plan on going out tomorrow and digging a few roots and make me 2 gallons of it tomorrow. I like it best after I have let the roots sit in the water and steep overnight after I have taken the heat away. Then add some sugar and drink up.
They claim that it has medicinal properties to it also. I don't know about that for sure, but since I have been drinking it for the past couple of years I haven't been sick. I just drink it because I like the taste of it. My wife loves to smell it but she doesn't like to drink the tea. I don't say anything because that leaves more for me.

**crashdive123** · 02-13-2009, 10:06 PM

When I was in the scouts we used to make sassafras tea all of the time. That was before

Sassafras should not be taken internally or used for healing except for topical applications. In the 1960s scientists determined that the volatile oil derived from sassafras root contains safrole as its chief component. Safrole is a known carcinogen in animal studies. Safrole in concentrations of 80-90%, similar to its concentration in the volatile oil, produced tumors in the livers of laboratory animals. In 1960 the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned sassafras volatile oil as a food and flavoring additive. In 1976 it prohibited the interstate shipment of sassafras bark for making tea. A safrole-free sassafras extract is now available; however, there are questions about its potentially cancer-causing properties.

Taken from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_2603000644

**vthompson** · 02-13-2009, 10:20 PM

I have heard that about sassafras before but I wonder if there is much truth to it or not. I wonder if the use of sassafras tea was cutting into the pharmaceutical companies profits so the government came up with the cancer story.
Bottom line, I like it and I will drink it.

**Ole WV Coot** · 02-13-2009, 11:12 PM

Most of WV drinks it and KY also. We kicked this around last year and I totally agree with you. Next thing posted will be moonshine is bad for your health. Bunch of people who believe what they read on here, I had almost given up on them.

**vthompson** · 02-15-2009, 01:36 PM

You can also use sassafras on bug bites by crushing the leaves and rubbing them directly on the bite, and you can keep no-see-ums away by crushing the leaves and then roll them up and place them behind your ears.

**CreekWalker** · 02-15-2009, 03:14 PM

The FDA is the same organization that tried to have Vitamin C declared a drug subject to prescription only distribution.

Dug up a old medicine bottle a few years back it was Dr. McGillicutty Swamp Root Medicine (yes sassafras extract)

**vthompson** · 02-15-2009, 03:26 PM

You can get all of the vitamin c that you need from a cup of pine needle tea.
Plus it's free.

**Barefoot** · 02-18-2009, 11:17 AM

yup, i grew up on sassafras tea here in ky and love it.

i met a 97 year old indian who took me on a walking tour of his farm in smithland ky. man he was in good shape at 97 yrs old. he told me his secret to health and longevity was a cup of sassafras tea every morning and evening. he said he had been drinking it like that for 50 yrs.

another use for sassafras is to chew the leaves like bubble gum. of course, it tastes more like gum if you are 5-10 years old

enjoy!

**nell67** · 02-18-2009, 11:41 AM

Yea,the governmaent banned it a few years ago,but a few weeks ago,I was in the local grocery,and they had a small jar of sassafrass syrup on the shelf,so can't be all that bad,right?