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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.
Ingredients
- Sassafras roots, dried
- Water
- Sugar
Steps
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It has been estimated that one cup of strong sassafras tea could contain as much as 200 mg [milligrams] of safrole, more than four times the minimal amount believed hazardous to humans if consumed on a regular basis". [1] X Research source Aromatic oil derived from the sassafras root bark was formerly much utilized in flavoring confections, soft drinks, and pharmaceutical products. [2] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Such use was banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1960 after safrole was found to be hepatocarcinogenic (liver-cancer-causing) in the rat. [3] X Research source
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Find a sassafras tree. It is found in cool damp shady areas in the southern United States. It is a thin tree, usually with few limbs, and leaves that have three unequal lobes opposite the leaf stem. When the sap is down (the tree is dormant for winter), the bark and roots have a distinctive root beer odor when scraped. [4] X Research sourceAdvertisement
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Get permission from the landowner before going onto private property to search for sassafras trees. Tress-passing and removing trees, or anything else from private property is a criminal offense.
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Dig or pull the tree up with its roots, remove them, and wash and cut them into 2 to 3 inch (5.1 to 7.6 cm) pieces.
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Allow them dry for a week or so. Keep them in a cool, dry place during the drying time to prevent them from rotting.
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Strip the bark (or skin) from the roots after they have dried, cutting it slightly into the woody part of the root. The bark is where the tree stores its sap during the dormant, winter months. Store these strips of root skin in airtight containers like zipper freezer bags until ready to use.
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Boil about 2 to 4 ounces of this bark in a quart of water for twenty minutes or so and then allow it to steep until it cools. [5] X Research source
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Add the same amount of sugar you would for regular Iced Tea adjusting it to your personal tastes.
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Add more water to make it a gallon and enjoy.
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To make your tea stronger or sweeter add more or less roots / sugar.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionCan I use the sticks, twigs or leaves to make sassafras tea?Community AnswerNot the leaves, but in high summer when the sap is running, small twigs can be used. It's stronger, though, and you need about three times the water as shown above.
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QuestionWhere can I find sassafras tea in the store?Community AnswerOn the tea aisle. It's usually pre-made and bottled.
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QuestionWhat is the best time of year to dig up roots?Community AnswerThe late fall or early winter, after the leaves have changed color, but before the stored sugar is used by the tree.
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Tips
- Keep the pot used to boil the roots loosely covered to prevent the sap from evaporating out while boiling, and maintain only sufficient heat to simmer the root material.Thanks
- Sassafras trees commonly grow in the edges of fields and clearings, and are considered a nuisance by many farmers, so you may be able to simply ask for permission to harvest them from these areas.Thanks
- Because sassafras trees are usually thin and fairly straight, the trunk of trees you remove are suitable for making walking sticks.Thanks
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Warnings
- Sassafras is a blood-thinner (AKA: A Detoxification Agent for the Body) Use in small amounts. Make your blood too thin and it will come through the skin. Ask an old farmer and he'll tell you how much.Thanks
- Sassafras contains agents that are known to cause liver damage and cancer according to FDA of the USA.Thanks
- Do not eat the small, white berries of the sassafras tree. Use any herbal ingredients with caution, as their toxicity may be unknown.Thanks
- Never remove any plant growing on state or national parks, or any other property without permission.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Shovel for digging larger sassafras trees
- Sharp knife for skinning the roots
- Containers for various steps
References
- ↑ https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-674/sassafras
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2504026/
- ↑ https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/content/profiles/safrole.pdf
- ↑ https://sciencing.com/sassafras-trees-7787850.html
- ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/sassafras-tea-381372
About This Article
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Reader Success Stories
- "When I was growing up, we always had access to sassafras and drank tea made from it. I recently visited my brother, who owns this same property. He gave me some roots, but I had forgotten how to make the tea. This article was very clear and detailed and reminded me of how my mother made it for us." ..." more
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"When I was growing up, we always had access to sassafras and drank tea made from it. I recently visited my brother, who owns this same property. He gave me some roots, but I had forgotten how to make the tea. This article was very clear and detailed and reminded me of how my mother made it for us."
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"I enjoyed watching your video and I learned it doesn't take much to make sassafras tea. I would like to add pine needles are an excellent fire starter. I live in South Carolina and pine needles are readily available in my yard."
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