I grew up drinking sassafras tea with my grandmother and loved it! Glad I can go back to drinking it, but one warning. It can really turn a white enamelware pot bright orange!
Hey, EatTheWeeds. Can you please check out sassafras on JimmyDationStudios. I think you would really like it. We even mention you in it. please leave a comment so we know that you saw it. Thank you for your time.
@JimmyDationStudios Thanks guys. I'm sure it was fun and you even mentioned Eat The Weeds. Ya know... putting plant's latin names to music would be unique, and sound real different. Again, thanks. Folks, please visit their video.
A word on the "health issues." Sassafras has been shown to have acute liver toxicity and carcinogenity in rats, and it's most bioactive chemical safrole, is the
@APBiologyNerd a 2002 study by the Dr. Duke shows that the safrole in a can of rootbeer was/is less cancer-causing than the alcohol in a can of beer. The rat study was a pretext in that safrole was being used in the 60s to induce abortion which were illegal then.
@Omnignosis Sassafras likes openings and or edges. The USDA maps say Sassafrass doesn't grow in northern Illinois, but is rather abundant in the lower two thirds of the state.
Thanks for the reply! I've been in the Shawnee Natn'l Forrest in the Southern part of the state and plan to go back. I will be on the lookout for the 'Sas!
Hey Dean, would Sarasota be too far south to find the sassafras? I've done some research and founding varying maps of the distribution of this tree. Some note it as growing all the way to the southern tip of Florida.
The USDA says it stops mid-state with Hernando and Orange counties. I'm in Seminole County and I don't see it too often. Here it is a spindly small tree.
That's crazy- we used to live by SO MANY of these trees and my friend told me they were ghost trees and if I picked the leaves my hands would fall off. So of course I did it and nothing happened.
Also... if theres one thing anyone interested in foraging or herbalism should have realized its that the government does not know what is good or bad for us. The reasons for that are, however, unsuitable for a fine series of videos that does not need to be marred with politics.
While I like and respect science and empiricism I have lived long enough to know that experts can use science to be dogmatic and very wrong. Ancel Keyes and our hysteria about eating fat is an excellent example. Dr. James Duke showed in 2002 that safrole was essentially hamless in small amounts. By the way, there is old but good research that shows those who drink sassafras tea suffer far less colds than others.
I know- I wasnt meaning to say you were wrong. There have been lots of hypes... and what's okay for us to eat today might tomorrow be decreed a poison due to silly reasons
I am a very strong advocate of eating like our great grandparents. It was a way of eating (and quality of food) that was proven to work over thousands of years.
Thank you for all the vids you posting for publics. IT'S REALLY WORTH !! , EattheWeed, i wonder if you can tell me which of the edible plant is specifically can decrease the minus eye, please, if there is with their Latin name, thanks.
I dont know if there is a plant that will actually IMPROVE eyesight.. once its bad it seems to stay that way, unfortunately. But you could look up foods good for eye health to try and stop it from getting much worse. Honestly I'm not sure about those claims though cause I was a carrot-eating kid and I still have poor eyesight. I'd need proper coke-bottle glasses if we still used plain glass lenses.
Sassafras Tea needs new study s, I think they banned it because of Taxing laws. it made billions of dollars & the government wanted peace of that. so they made story's up. they need new study's done because who know it actually might be good for u in the next study. I LOVE It its Herbal & every knows Herbal is good for you.
In 1960, the FDA banned the use of sassafras oil and safrole in foods and drugs based on the animal studies and human case reports. Subsequently, both Canada and the United States have passed laws against the sale of any consumable products (beverages, foods, cosmetics, health products such as toothpaste, and others) that contain more than specific small amounts of safrole.[
Yes but.... that was a political decision not a medical one per se. The amount of safrole in a can of root beer was less cancer causing than the alcohol in a can of beer. Duke, 2002, showed the ban was a farce from a cancer point of view. However, in large doses it was used back then to induce abortions which were illegal then. And that is why it was banned. The cancer element was a scare tactic to get the legislation passed.
The roots of Sassafras can be steeped to make tea and were used in the flavoring of root beer until being banned by the FDA. Laboratory animals that were given oral doses of sassafras tea or sassafras oil that contained safrole developed permanent liver damage or various types of cancer. In humans liver damage can take years to develop and it may not have obvious signs
Thank you so much. this video was one of the best I have ever seen on the Internet today !!!!!!!! taking herbs & u will feel really heathy. no more sickness go to your natral foods & try some of the gourmet Root beer & they have more then 1 brand I got 3 differnt Root Beer so I could see witch one I liked the most & one of the root beers out of all of them had The Sassafras & it tasted the best. we need more Root Beer Tasting rooms. like wint tasting rooms . rootbeer capital tasting ?
I wanted to say some more about this, Root bark, it said to boil & simmer 20 minutes on the bag & 8oz water & 1tsp of sassafras . more videos please on this. very Important plant & I looked every where for this. Very hard to find. none of the Natral food places have it, Amazon dident really have it. is like theremoved it of the market like they said. I herd it eats up your Liver & too much is really bad for u. little wont hurt. talk about it being bad & thats why the removed it. good for u
I think it is illegal now to sell sassafras root. However, file powder for file gumbo is sassafras leaf. I think the reasons for its ban were political not medical (a can of beer is more threat to your liver than sassafras. Duke 2002) Safrole is used in many products and drugs and that is why it is controlled. However, the trees are very abundant in the South and very easy to come by.
this is a very Important plant, where can u find this plant in the USA are they in Northern California ? Please make more videos , I had hard time finding this , Eureka California we have place that sell herbal supplements ( Humboldt Herbals )Old Town Eureka & bot some (sassafras Root Bark ) albidum & Ethically Wildcrafted ) whats the difference between this one & the leave version. Growing locations in Usa would be helpful. Co-op dident have it .& natral food dident have it eather more vids
It grows naturally in Eastern North America, Texas to Ontario. However, you can plant some and they will grow in California. I have no idea how commercially made products differ. There is only one species of sassafras so any sassafras is sassafras.
I found sassafras leaves with an extra two little knobs on each side.. 5 lobes in all (two are very small). They were about 6 inches long; surely sassasfras though.
Great Vid Green Deane, one thing you didn't mention. If you rub a sassafras leave on your skin it will repel mosquitos and other biting insects. Further if you drink sassafras tea regularly you will have this natural insect repellent eminating from your pores and be much less bothered by the skeeters chiggers and such. I can personally attest to the drinking of the tea helping but I've never tested the leaf to skin method.
Wow great history on the lady and tree that were pardoned. Could you do a video on the Creeping Cucumber Melothria pendula? I've seen these as a kid and never knew if they are poisonous or not. But they are very cute plants.
I went rummaging around out side and found one plant still flowering, so maybe I can get one in this season after all. But, it will be a while before the fruit is large enough to photograph.
Ooh that's great new! I'll be here watching. Don't worry take your time. I'm very patient. BTW I read your article and loved it. I had read those conflicting articles too and was even more confused and let me still cautious.
It's a true story. Her name was Grace Rash. Her husband was a doctor and he worked hard to get the tree named the national champion. He passed on and it happened just as I said about six years later. They were going to take it down and she met them with a shotgun...
I really enjoy this video. I think because this one showed a plant that grows up my way. Had no idea that this plant was around for the dinosaurs. Cool!
Wonderful video!!!
jr14103 3 months ago in playlist how too ... home health care 2
Thanks for being such a fine teacher!! Love your vids.
leftunattended 8 months ago
I grew up drinking sassafras tea with my grandmother and loved it! Glad I can go back to drinking it, but one warning. It can really turn a white enamelware pot bright orange!
cdechterling 10 months ago
Hey, EatTheWeeds. Can you please check out sassafras on JimmyDationStudios. I think you would really like it. We even mention you in it. please leave a comment so we know that you saw it. Thank you for your time.
JimmyDationStudios 11 months ago
@JimmyDationStudios Thanks guys. I'm sure it was fun and you even mentioned Eat The Weeds. Ya know... putting plant's latin names to music would be unique, and sound real different. Again, thanks. Folks, please visit their video.
EatTheWeeds 11 months ago
Do you have a video on the mullberry bush
123JumpingJacks 11 months ago
@123JumpingJacks Yes, a couple of them.
EatTheWeeds 11 months ago
A word on the "health issues." Sassafras has been shown to have acute liver toxicity and carcinogenity in rats, and it's most bioactive chemical safrole, is the
precursor to MDMA or Ecstacy.
APBiologyNerd 1 year ago
@APBiologyNerd a 2002 study by the Dr. Duke shows that the safrole in a can of rootbeer was/is less cancer-causing than the alcohol in a can of beer. The rat study was a pretext in that safrole was being used in the 60s to induce abortion which were illegal then.
EatTheWeeds 1 year ago 4
@EatTheWeeds Well, it just goes to show everything in moderation.
APBiologyNerd 1 year ago 2
I just discovered your videos! I have been a fan of eating 'found' weeds since I was a kid. It's great to see some more ideas!
SuperMassagediva 1 year ago
it also has a leaf that has no "thumbs" or "fingers"...just straight oval.
AcrossTheRiverStix 1 year ago
i have this all over in the wood behind my house!!!
mikejazz22 1 year ago
@mikejazz22 sell the saplings with this video.
TravelerWhereof 7 months ago
Man, I can;t find this tree anywhere. I live in northern IL. Does it like forests or open areas? I spend most the time in the woods.
Can't find Pawpaws either :( lol.
Omnignosis 1 year ago
@Omnignosis Sassafras likes openings and or edges. The USDA maps say Sassafrass doesn't grow in northern Illinois, but is rather abundant in the lower two thirds of the state.
EatTheWeeds 1 year ago
@EatTheWeeds
Thanks for the reply! I've been in the Shawnee Natn'l Forrest in the Southern part of the state and plan to go back. I will be on the lookout for the 'Sas!
Maybe Sasquatch eats Sassafras?
Omnignosis 1 year ago
There IS A TREE NEAR ME IN CAPE MAY, LEAF LIKE A SHAMROCK ALMOST, IN SOMEONE'S YARD SO IT WAS ORNAMENTAL I GUESS. ANY IDEA WHAT IT IS?
speckspeck 1 year ago
i did a line of sas yesterday
pretty mild
Dylans503 2 years ago
Hey Dean, would Sarasota be too far south to find the sassafras? I've done some research and founding varying maps of the distribution of this tree. Some note it as growing all the way to the southern tip of Florida.
nwood1311 2 years ago
The USDA says it stops mid-state with Hernando and Orange counties. I'm in Seminole County and I don't see it too often. Here it is a spindly small tree.
EatTheWeeds 2 years ago
I live in central florida but have never seen this awesome tree
AresCassell 2 years ago
There's some along the Wekiva Seminole bike trail.
EatTheWeeds 2 years ago
Really?? I live right down the road from wekiva state park. I'll have to keep my eyes open.
AresCassell 2 years ago
@AresCassell
you sure? ive seen tons just driving through there
Farvadude 1 year ago
@Farvadude Seriously? Where specifically?
AresCassell 1 year ago
@AresCassell
All sorts of road edges and openings just southeast of tallahasse
Farvadude 1 year ago
@Farvadude OK thanks. That's pretty north of me though as I love outside of orlando. But if it grows there it must be growing here too.
AresCassell 1 year ago
That's crazy- we used to live by SO MANY of these trees and my friend told me they were ghost trees and if I picked the leaves my hands would fall off. So of course I did it and nothing happened.
Also... if theres one thing anyone interested in foraging or herbalism should have realized its that the government does not know what is good or bad for us. The reasons for that are, however, unsuitable for a fine series of videos that does not need to be marred with politics.
HeatherC19 2 years ago
While I like and respect science and empiricism I have lived long enough to know that experts can use science to be dogmatic and very wrong. Ancel Keyes and our hysteria about eating fat is an excellent example. Dr. James Duke showed in 2002 that safrole was essentially hamless in small amounts. By the way, there is old but good research that shows those who drink sassafras tea suffer far less colds than others.
EatTheWeeds 2 years ago
I know- I wasnt meaning to say you were wrong. There have been lots of hypes... and what's okay for us to eat today might tomorrow be decreed a poison due to silly reasons
HeatherC19 2 years ago
I am a very strong advocate of eating like our great grandparents. It was a way of eating (and quality of food) that was proven to work over thousands of years.
EatTheWeeds 2 years ago
Thank you for all the vids you posting for publics. IT'S REALLY WORTH !! , EattheWeed, i wonder if you can tell me which of the edible plant is specifically can decrease the minus eye, please, if there is with their Latin name, thanks.
MrEeone 2 years ago
Thanks for writing. I'm not sure what you mean by "decrease the minus eye." Got a definition?
EatTheWeeds 2 years ago
i mean the one that should wear eyeglasses wether it minus or plus.
MrEeone 2 years ago
I dont know if there is a plant that will actually IMPROVE eyesight.. once its bad it seems to stay that way, unfortunately. But you could look up foods good for eye health to try and stop it from getting much worse. Honestly I'm not sure about those claims though cause I was a carrot-eating kid and I still have poor eyesight. I'd need proper coke-bottle glasses if we still used plain glass lenses.
HeatherC19 2 years ago
Sassafras Tea needs new study s, I think they banned it because of Taxing laws. it made billions of dollars & the government wanted peace of that. so they made story's up. they need new study's done because who know it actually might be good for u in the next study. I LOVE It its Herbal & every knows Herbal is good for you.
camboy1132 2 years ago
James A. Duke made an extensive study of it in 2002. Consuming sassafras does not worry me at all.
EatTheWeeds 2 years ago
In 1960, the FDA banned the use of sassafras oil and safrole in foods and drugs based on the animal studies and human case reports. Subsequently, both Canada and the United States have passed laws against the sale of any consumable products (beverages, foods, cosmetics, health products such as toothpaste, and others) that contain more than specific small amounts of safrole.[
camboy1132 2 years ago
Yes but.... that was a political decision not a medical one per se. The amount of safrole in a can of root beer was less cancer causing than the alcohol in a can of beer. Duke, 2002, showed the ban was a farce from a cancer point of view. However, in large doses it was used back then to induce abortions which were illegal then. And that is why it was banned. The cancer element was a scare tactic to get the legislation passed.
EatTheWeeds 2 years ago
The roots of Sassafras can be steeped to make tea and were used in the flavoring of root beer until being banned by the FDA. Laboratory animals that were given oral doses of sassafras tea or sassafras oil that contained safrole developed permanent liver damage or various types of cancer. In humans liver damage can take years to develop and it may not have obvious signs
camboy1132 2 years ago
Thank you so much. this video was one of the best I have ever seen on the Internet today !!!!!!!! taking herbs & u will feel really heathy. no more sickness go to your natral foods & try some of the gourmet Root beer & they have more then 1 brand I got 3 differnt Root Beer so I could see witch one I liked the most & one of the root beers out of all of them had The Sassafras & it tasted the best. we need more Root Beer Tasting rooms. like wint tasting rooms . rootbeer capital tasting ?
camboy1132 2 years ago
I wanted to say some more about this, Root bark, it said to boil & simmer 20 minutes on the bag & 8oz water & 1tsp of sassafras . more videos please on this. very Important plant & I looked every where for this. Very hard to find. none of the Natral food places have it, Amazon dident really have it. is like theremoved it of the market like they said. I herd it eats up your Liver & too much is really bad for u. little wont hurt. talk about it being bad & thats why the removed it. good for u
camboy1132 2 years ago
I think it is illegal now to sell sassafras root. However, file powder for file gumbo is sassafras leaf. I think the reasons for its ban were political not medical (a can of beer is more threat to your liver than sassafras. Duke 2002) Safrole is used in many products and drugs and that is why it is controlled. However, the trees are very abundant in the South and very easy to come by.
EatTheWeeds 2 years ago
this is a very Important plant, where can u find this plant in the USA are they in Northern California ? Please make more videos , I had hard time finding this , Eureka California we have place that sell herbal supplements ( Humboldt Herbals )Old Town Eureka & bot some (sassafras Root Bark ) albidum & Ethically Wildcrafted ) whats the difference between this one & the leave version. Growing locations in Usa would be helpful. Co-op dident have it .& natral food dident have it eather more vids
camboy1132 2 years ago
It grows naturally in Eastern North America, Texas to Ontario. However, you can plant some and they will grow in California. I have no idea how commercially made products differ. There is only one species of sassafras so any sassafras is sassafras.
EatTheWeeds 2 years ago
I found sassafras leaves with an extra two little knobs on each side.. 5 lobes in all (two are very small). They were about 6 inches long; surely sassasfras though.
facemouth 2 years ago
My friend Dick Deuerling said he found a sassafras tree once that had all five-lobed leaves. He also said he found a tree once with no aroma.
EatTheWeeds 2 years ago
My grandfather and I used to pick sassafras root. Great video.
mike29571 3 years ago
thanks for doing a great video on my lifelong friend.chewed twig always makes me think"marshmallows"
mucktractorboy 3 years ago
Wished we had these trees up North, but one can still have his root beer and drink it too!
PaulyCracker 3 years ago
sassafras grows up here in new england-- where are you?
medicinesocks 3 years ago
Northern Midwest - no sassafras around here.
PaulyCracker 3 years ago
Great Vid Green Deane, one thing you didn't mention. If you rub a sassafras leave on your skin it will repel mosquitos and other biting insects. Further if you drink sassafras tea regularly you will have this natural insect repellent eminating from your pores and be much less bothered by the skeeters chiggers and such. I can personally attest to the drinking of the tea helping but I've never tested the leaf to skin method.
hoosierarcher 3 years ago
Wow great history on the lady and tree that were pardoned. Could you do a video on the Creeping Cucumber Melothria pendula? I've seen these as a kid and never knew if they are poisonous or not. But they are very cute plants.
destroyahdes 3 years ago
I think they are past season, but if not I will try. If so, then in the spring. I do have an article on them at my website eattheweeds
EatTheWeeds 3 years ago
Ok thanks. I'll check out your site.
destroyahdes 3 years ago
I went rummaging around out side and found one plant still flowering, so maybe I can get one in this season after all. But, it will be a while before the fruit is large enough to photograph.
EatTheWeeds 3 years ago
Ooh that's great new! I'll be here watching. Don't worry take your time. I'm very patient. BTW I read your article and loved it. I had read those conflicting articles too and was even more confused and let me still cautious.
destroyahdes 3 years ago
It's a true story. Her name was Grace Rash. Her husband was a doctor and he worked hard to get the tree named the national champion. He passed on and it happened just as I said about six years later. They were going to take it down and she met them with a shotgun...
EatTheWeeds 3 years ago
***** Stars!
yardsnacker 3 years ago
i love old-school root beer, hard to find
odin422 3 years ago
I can remember the real stuff... I used to love root beer... now it seems closer to bubble gum in taste than root beer.
EatTheWeeds 3 years ago
I really enjoy this video. I think because this one showed a plant that grows up my way. Had no idea that this plant was around for the dinosaurs. Cool!
Shyguyx12 3 years ago
Great... it also does not grow too fast. I think mine put on .25 of an inch this year... just think... It could be around in 3000 AD...
EatTheWeeds 3 years ago
my favorite wild edibles videos! thanks
Tidnull 3 years ago
My pleasure... though I'm running out of seasonal material...
EatTheWeeds 3 years ago
Yasou, Dinos!
Delightful as ever.
thanrose 3 years ago
Efharisto poli...
EatTheWeeds 3 years ago
Wow, a thousand years. Great video!
AirForce194 3 years ago
Thanks... it would be nice to see one that old... I'd even hang around to see it...
EatTheWeeds 3 years ago