Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills
Sassafras
Hillbilly:
I would interpret that as being illegal to sell foods containing safrole to the public, not being illegal to brew yourself a cup of sassafrass tea. The FDA is generally in the business of checking/regulating the food you buy before it gets to you, not checking to see what's on your plate or in your glass.
Beleg813:
I think you are right Hillbilly. I think I remember seeing something more specific about it being illegal to sell sassafras (with the saphrole intact) for the purpose of consumption. Just remember all--we should all feel safe when we eat foods that have the FDA's approval :sarcasm off:
>:D
Glenn R.:
I got on this thread late but if anyone is interested here's what little I know, Yes the FDA made it illegal for consumption but as far as I know there is no law preventing a person from digging/drinking it themselves.
Sasafrass should only be dug in a month with the letter 'R' in it. This way the sap is in the roots.
I drink Sasafrass tea all the time--seems to make me feel better. I have an old book on cures and natural medicines that says drinking the tea is a natural blood thinner.
Yes its a natural mosquito repellant--our woods are choked with it--my neighbor said the ol' timers always said if you got sasafrass trees in your woods the sceeters stay out.
And one of my friends (Dave Sawyer) had a grandfather (as he says) who died from drinking sasafrass tea--he must have consumed too much-----he was 97 when he passed.
I'M IN NO WAY CONDONING THE DRINKING OF SASAFRASS TEA--I just think its hard to believe a natural herb/root could be more harmfull for us than all the cr&p they shove in our processed foods these days.
Hillbilly:
Also, the classic cajun "file gumbo" is seasoned and thickened with dried, powdered sassafrass leaves. I'd guess that tons of leaves are used by people in Louisiana for seasoning every year, and you don't hear about anything bad happening to them because of it. They apparantly learned to use it from the Choctaws, who undoubtedly used it for hundreds of years.
Sidewinder:
All this talk about sassafrass is making me want to get some and try it. Danny
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