...just a small glass of Pine for me thanks!

Did you know that Pine needles are a good source of vitamin C?
As well as vitamin A and Iron.

Extracting all the vitamin C as easily as with a citrus fruit isn't quite as straight forward though and it also depends on which type of Pine tree needles you go for as some are higher in the vitamin than others. Pine sap too also has its benefits, primarily as an antibacterial agent and can help make coughs clear quicker than normal.

You could simply chew on a few needles, extract the juices and spit out the remainder. Or, boil some water and add needles to it. Only steep the needles for ten minutes or so after the water has been removed from the heat otherwise the boiling process will destroy the majority of the vitamin C. Drinking the infusion will boost the immune system and help to fend off colds and flu too.

A Pine tree (along with a few other trees, including Birch) can actually provide you with much needed carbohydrates and other nutrients. The cambium layer which is between the bark and the heartwood is a thin, whitish fibrous layer that can be eaten raw, boiled or better still, fried into 'chips'. I don't suggest you all go out and start chipping large sections of cambium from Pine trees as it can kill the tree, especially if you 'girdle' the whole way around (effective cutting off the tree's 'blood-supply').

Of course, in a survival situation and with very little sources of sustenance available (during the winter months perhaps), a Pine tree could offer you a life-saving option.

Something worth bearing in mind I guess.

TTFN,
Rob.