By Dr. Edward F. Group
Guest Writer for Wake Up World
Pine bark, botanical name Pinus pinaster, is a maritime pine native to southwest France that also grows in countries along the western Mediterranean. Pine bark contains a number of beneficial compounds that are extracted from the bark in a way that doesn’t destroy or damage the tree.
History
The use of various tree barks for health reasons is thought to date back to 1535 when French explorer Jacques Cartier landed in what is now modern day Quebec, Canada. Being winter, no fruits or vegetables were available. Ship crew became ill and began dying from what we now know as scurvy, a deficiency of vitamin C. Natives taught explorers to use local tree bark as a tea for the scurvy. Apparently it worked. As it turns out, the tree bark is rich in vitamin C and other nutritional phytochemicals.
