What is sassafras tea?
Health benefits about sassafras has been known to native Americans for over centuries. They have used the roots, leaves and bark in various forms to cure a number of ailments. As soon as the Europeans got to know about the various uses of this tree, its popularity soared all over the world. Although the various parts of the tree are consumed, there has been a recent spurt in interest in sassafras tea health benefits.Sassafras Tea Health BenefitsTo make sassafras tea, roots or leaves of the tree are brewed in water for about 20 minutes. Lemon and sugar are added by some, however, this is optional. Some even brew the root in maple syrup to make tea. This can also be concentrated into a jelly instead of being consumed as a beverage. Sassafras tea recipe is simple, some drink the tea for its flavor whereas others consume it for its medicinal use. Read more on basic facts on tea.Sassafras tea is believed to purify blood. It is also claimed to be a blood thinner. Hence, it finds use in treating high blood pressure. One of the sassafras tea benefits is that it helps in eliminating toxins from the body. It may also be useful as a diuretic. It is claimed that sassafras tea leaves have active ingredients that help those who suffer from arthritis and rheumatic conditions. Sassafras tea is known to provide relief during cold and flu. The tea is believed to be effective in providing relief to those suffering from bronchitis. The tea has shown result in working against gastrointestinal problems, kidney ailments and skin eruptions.Despite its various uses, one must also bear in mind that this tea may cause allergic reactions that will manifest as itching, inflammation of the skin and difficulty in breathing. Other side effects include loss of mental balance, confusion, vomiting and dip in body temperature to name a few. In case of any discomfort, discontinue the consumption of the tea and call your physician immediately. You may also be interested in herbal tea and herbal tea recipes.Controversy Over Sassafras Tea Health BenefitsThe active ingredients of sassafras are safrole, tannins, mucilage, asarone and alpha-pinene. However, there are some safety concerns regarding the consumption of safrole. This is something that has tainted the image of this tree that has been popularly used in the traditional medicines of the native Americans. Experiments on mice revealed that safrole triggered liver cancer in the animals. It is feared that it may have the same effect in human beings. Hence, the FDA has banned sassafras tea and also the use of sassafras in foods and beverages. However, herbalists are of the opinion that isolated experiments where purified compounds from the tree were injected into mice cannot be accurately relied upon to determine the toxicity of the plant. Nevertheless, many people do drink the tea. However, prolonged consumption of the tea is generally discouraged. Also pregnant women, nursing mothers and also, those with heart and kidney problems are advised against drinking sassafras tea.There are many who profess sassafras tea health benefits. But due to the controversy surrounding safrole, it is always useful to do a thorough research before starting to drink this tea.
