Not all Spruce Needles are Equal (in nutrition)
When the snow covers the ground, and necessary plant nutrition is sparse (one way or another), the spruce tree will provide antioxidants, fiber, magnesium and other phytonutrients. One of the top skin cancer medications is derived from the spruce tree; this should come as no surprise as the trees cells must guard from the suns rays beating down on it all year long. I pulverize the branch cutlet, pick out the woody cores, and simply eat the mashed needle and bark raw. There may be toxins in the plant, but the benefits outweigh any toxic effects. Not all spruce needles are equally as nutritious. The brighter, plumper, fresher, and "juicer" appearing needles have far more nutrients than the dark, dry, thin, ones that usually grow behind the former. In spring, the light green fresh growth is chock full of sour vitamine C. At this stage, they have yet to develop the defensive tanins and other bitter chemicals of mature growth. The whole bud is also soft and easly chewed with you
