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Can someone tell me the care of sassafras? We have a lot of it out in the woods, and I would like to get some in before the winter.
Would it be best to dry in it in a food dryer? The only thing I have ever heard about it, and we have done is my sassafras tea. They say it is for thinning the blood.
Is there more that I can use sassafras for?
Thanks.
Hey Kamama,
I found this on a gardening/food site:
Dehydrator drying is a fast and easy way to dry high quality herbs because temperature and air circulation can be controlled. Pre-heat dehydrator with the thermostat set to 95°F to 115°F. In areas with higher humidity, temperatures as high as 125°F may be needed. After rinsing under cool, running water and shaking to remove excess moisture, place the herbs in a single layer on dehydrator trays. Drying times may vary from 1 to 4 hours. Check periodically. Herbs are dry when they crumble, and stems break when bent. Check your dehydrator instruction booklet for specific details.
Some herbalists use the leaves for tea. You can also infuse it in an oil to make into a salve for your skin. You can also pulverize the dried leaves to make file powder for gumbo. I believe the Choctaw (or was it the Chickasaw?) take credit for culinary trick.
Thank you Red Metis!
I would like to find how to make the oil, and also drink it. They say it thins the blood- is that true?
We never tried to make an oil from it but I do enjoy it as a hot drink. You can dig the roots wash them and cut or shred them up and experiment as to how much meets your taste when boiled in water and strained. Some people use the bark in making their tea, stripping it off branches and drying as with the roots for future use. I don’t have to tell you how aromatic the aroma of just the leaves crushed in your hand is. I prefer my sassafras tea served as a cup of tea and sweetened with honey. That is just my taste as sugar does not do anything for it for me and I don’t like it served as cold sweetened tea. Maybe some folk would think that strange but stranger still I learned to like it with another addition. The Nutritional Store had all kinds of herbal capsules and variences for alternate medicine. I was buying capsules with a mixture of various ingredients for arthritis. I broke one open and emptyied it in my cup of sassafras tea and you know what it added a zing in that cup of tea. I believe there were things in it like cayene pepper, burdock, alfalfa and other things but it made that cup of tea and honey absolutely wonderful. Yes it does have the effect of thinning the blood. I had a pastor friend who took himself off coumadin and refused to use anything more powerful than sassafras. I have heard of more folk uses but not familiar with them. ED
To all who like myself enjoy the many good things our Creator has placed around us, I need to share this present day knowledge with you also. I have become aware of a danger, even a poisoning from Sassafras primarily from the Safrole Oil that does become a part of tea or herbal remedy. Modern science has noted a great risk of cancer and other physical damage even to kidneys when the product is used at a rate that would amount to an overdose. There is a web site “www.lifescript.com” and then search the dangers of sassafras-know the facts…. you can basically google sassafras and do enough search to make up your own mind. You may know it was a main ingredient in “root” beer and there are concentrates available on market to make the tea. All market sold products with sassafras in them are supose to be safrole free with the oil extracted out . A good search would be sufficient to educate, inform and allow a person to make their own decision in using the product or producing their own. Remember one good piece of advise, dont let anyone convince you to use herbal products or only herbal remedy just because it is natural and safe. Use your own information and search out every “natural” or otherwise cure all. Hemlock is a natural herb but it is a deadly poison and KILLS YOU so just one PROVEN example it pays to know and don’t just take someone’s word for it. Aspirin has been used for ages and began from natural sources but there are millions of people allergic to aspirin and I conducted the funeral of a dear friend and churchmember who died from one aspirin given in a hospital. It was listed as his cause of death on his death certificate. Would I ever drink a cup of natural sassafras tea again, probably yes, what I have had over the last years is made from concentrate with safrole oil extracted and I do not regularly drink it, only on ocassion. But google it and you might be amazed at the early uses and information available. ED
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