Sumac lemonade and why it’s so good for you

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.”