Sasafrass

[Star1pup]

Okay so I can;t spell it, but does anyone still make tea in the spring? I used to love it until they found it could cause cancer.

[Shamrock1121]

Like a lot of herbs, too much of a "good thing" can be damaging or dangerous. Sassafras was a tonic used to stimulate the action of the liver and to clear toxins from the system (spring tune-up, so to speak). It was also used after childbirth. The Indians used an infusion of Sassafras roots to bring down a fever. It was traditionally used with purpose, not as a beverage.

This is where people screw-up with herbs - by assuming they are perfectly safe without actually knowing anything about the scientific validation. I've used a lot of herbs over the past 20 years after taking classes and studying the subject, but the more I studied, the more caution I used when I took them.

Safrole, which is the main component (75-80%) of sassafras essential oil, is now recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture as a potential carcinogen.

Me, I've loved the flavor ever since I drank some as a young child.

You can get a safrole-free concentrated liquid - I've seen it in health food store - http://www.sassafrastea.com/.

I'd still use extreme caution and only consume it occasionally. Too bad because it's such a unique flavor. The last time I had some was when we served Pappy's at an opening at our local museum for a Native American exhibit and we used "native" foods and drink.

-Karen

[Smoky]

Shamrock1121 , you're right about not going overboard with any herb till you have some knowledge/experience with it.
Saffrole can also be found in small amounts in other plants like Nutmeg, so it's not like the tiniyest amount will make a person keel over right away.
I have noticed tho, that every spring (for me, spring starts when I start thinking spring, which is right after xmas, lol) there is some discussion of sassafrass, pro and con. I agree, use it as a spring tonic, not a daily thing.
The sassafrass tree has another flavor besides the root beer flavor of the bark of the root. In spring, the tips of the branches (cut 2-3 inches long) have a vanilla/orange scent and flavor, make a fair addition to an herbal cup o' tea or as a Potpourri. Again, used sparingly.

[bookwormom]

oooh, did not know that about the sassafrass twigs, have lots of sassafrass, will try that.

[Smoky]

Then of course, the most common use for sassafrass is for grinding up the leaves to make File (fee-lay) powder. It's used to thicken soups and File Gumbo. There are 2 schools of thought on when to pick the leaves; in spring just as they reach full size, or fall when they turn red. I would suggest you try both and see which you prefer.
Dry in the shade, grind in a wooden mortar and pestle.

[bookwormom]

well I'll be, does file make an appearance in a Hank Williams song, the one about all the food, jambalaya and the like? I think file gumbo is mentioned. correct me if I am wrong. have you tried that and what does it taste like, like sassafrass?

[Smoky]

I use it, hard to describe the taste, not too strong and not like root beer, lol. Just have to taste it I guess.
Of course the first buds of spring usually signal the best time for a cup of sassafrass tea, so I usually go out and dig up a whole tree (very small one) It's hard to get down and get ALL the roots anyway. I use the whole thing if it's just a seedling about 1/2 diameter inch or so. Cut off the top, spray hard with water, then boil a few minutes to kill bacteria etc. The bark of the roots is where the taste is, but I don't peel unless it's a bigger root.
Another tea can be made with the tips of the branches and early buds, not bad.

[bookwormom]

would you believe, I went to the Amish salvage store yesterday and what did I find, a small container of file. Now I just have to figure out what to do with it.

[Smoky]

To get rid of the "Winter blahs" yeaterday I went out and dug some sassafrass root to make tea. Sweetened with a little honey.
While I was out walking I did notice they have ground wood chips and left them in piles along one of the elec power lines near here, hmmm.....I might gather a few buckets of these for mulch. Guess that goes in "frugal" tho.

[docjered]

The 21st. century is a carcinogen. I love sassafrass tea, and crave it a couple of times a year... just getting harder to find the root. Some of the online tea stores (like coffeam.com) carry a sassafrass tea, but it just doesnt taste the same as boiling a good root.

I dont worry too much about natural carcinogens... cant get away from them anyway. Besides, who would want to be 95 years old, lying in a hospital bed, and dying from absolutely nothing??

Jered