Something I look forward to the most every July is sumac season. These brightly colored, tart berries not only make a delicious lemonade, but they’re also loaded with vitamin C. So brew a batch and sip away!

Isn’t it poisonous?!

You may have only ever heard the word sumac in conjunction with the phrase “poison sumac,” but this is grossly misleading. Poison sumac has off white berries and can only be found in very wet, marshy areas, so it takes some trying just to even find it. Staghorn and other varieties have red berries and aren’t at all poisonous.

How to harvest sumac

Even if you’re not a pro at identifying wild plants, it’s super easy to tell the two apart. I’ve never actually seen poison sumac myself, even though I’ve seen hundreds of staghorn sumac trees. Just look for the distinct red berries from June to August. You’ll want to harvest them before the rain, as this will wash off the flavor.

There are many different varieties of edible sumac. You can see some of the most common ones and how to identify them here. In my area of the Midwest, the staghorn sumac is what’s available, while in the south, shining sumac is more common.

Health benefits of Sumac

So now that we’ve clarified it’s definitely not going to kill you and how to find it, let’s talk about what makes it so good for you. If you get the juice from the berries on your fingers, you’ll notice a distinct sour taste, which is because of the malic acid on the berries. This acid is tangy, but it’s also great at boosting the immune system.

Sumac is high in antioxidants that help fight inflammation in the body and disease causing free radicals. All parts of the plant can be used medicinally. The bark and leaves are both astringent due to the amount of tannins, while the berries are high in Vitamin C. It was used by the Native Americans as a gargle for sore throats, other natural remedies, and as a tea.

“It was also used medicinally by North American native people in the treatment of bacterial diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea, dysentery, and gangrene.” (source)

Confession time

I can attest to the fact that sumac really does work well as an immune booster and cold fighter. When I was working as a nanny full time, I felt a cold coming on, but didn’t have any of my usual remedies with me that day. I walked across the street and gathered some sumac to make lemonade. After 3 quarts of the stuff, I felt fantastic, and that cold never did rear it’s ugly head!

How to make sumac lemonade

There are a few different ways to make sumac lemonade, but this method is my favorite. You don’t want to use water that is too hot for this, or it will release the tannins, making your lemonade bitter.

1. Start with clean sumac berries. You can remove them from the stems, or just use the whole head. I don’t bother removing the berries to save on time. You’ll want to use about 5 medium sumac clusters for every ½ gallon of water.
2. Heat your water just until it’s warm, then remove from the heat and add in the sumac clusters. Use a potato masher or a wooden spoon to smash them apart in the water. Cover with a lid and let it steep for 15 minutes or so.
3. Strain the berries from the water. I like to use a large colander, and then a smaller sieve to get out the smallest pieces.
4. Sweeten to taste with raw honey, maple syrup or stevia and serve cold.

How to preserve sumac for later (3 ways)

Since the berries are only available for a short time, you’ll want to preserve a few for a refreshing winter lemonade.

1.You can hang the sumac clusters upside down by their stems in a cool dark place for a few weeks until completely dry. Be sure to store these in an airtight container away from moisture and heat.

2. You can also remove the berries from the cluster, and spread them out on a tray to dry in a dehydrator.

3. Another method that makes for faster sumac lemonade, is to freeze some concentrated sumac lemonade into ice cube trays. Then store the ice cubes in a freezer safe bag in your freezer. Drop a few into a glass of warm water, and voila, sumac lemonade.

Resources:

• More than just native lemonade
• Native plants to know
• The health benefits of sumac spice

Have you ever enjoyed sumac before, or would you like to try it? Tell us about it in the comments below!

The post Sumac lemonade and why it’s so good for you appeared first on The Herbal Spoon.