Birch juice

Birch sap began to be especially popular in the middle of the last century on the territory of the former USSR. Now in the post-Soviet space they talk about it much less, but this product is in great demand in the United States and European countries.

So, many cosmetic brands in Sweden have introduced it into their products, in Finland its beneficial properties are compared with those of aloe vera, and in South Korea, based on it, drugs have been developed to treat the symptoms of multiple sclerosis and migraine. In addition, in the US, birch sap has recently supplanted another popular natural tonic – coconut water.

General characteristics

In fact, birch sap is an amazing substance with high biological activity. This is the name of the liquid that flows from specially made cuts on the trunk or branches of a birch under the influence of root pressure.

The collection of nectar begins in early spring, in early March, and ends in mid-April, when leaves appear on the trees. On average, one tree brings 2-3 liters of healing fluid.

The natural product has a sweetish taste and a rather pleasant, very specific aroma. They use it both in its “natural” form, and prepare various drinks from it, and also canned it.

Calorie and chemical composition

According to its chemical composition, birch sap is a substance with high biological activity. At the same time, its energy value is very low, 100 g of liquid contains only 22 kcal. The composition of the nutrients in the drink is as follows: 0,1 g of proteins, 5,8 g of carbohydrates, no fats.

The product contains phytoncides – natural plant antibiotics, substances with a powerful antibacterial effect. It is also rich in organic acids, tannins and essential oils.

If we talk about vitamins, then the nectar of the “white-skinned” tree is a storehouse of vitamin C, known for its ability to increase the body’s resistance to viruses and bacteria, as well as accelerate the process of tissue regeneration. In addition, vitamin C is an active participant in the synthesis of an important collagen protein, which is necessary in order to maintain healthy hair and skin, and also has a beneficial effect on the activity of the pancreas. In addition, the drink contains vitamins B6 and B12. The first is an active participant in the synthesis of nucleic acids that prevent aging, helps prevent skin diseases, and strengthens the nervous system. Vitamin B12, in turn, is essential in order to maintain normal cell division. It takes part in energy metabolism, helps to endure mental and physical overload more easily, and prevents the development of anemia.

The mineral composition of the product is quite impressive. First of all, it contains potassium (27,3 mg), which is necessary to normalize the heart rhythm, helps to equalize the water balance in the body, which helps to reduce the load on the kidneys and helps to avoid edema. In addition, potassium improves the supply of oxygen to brain tissues.

Sodium (1,6 mg) is involved in the production of gastric juice, helps to normalize the activity of the digestive system. It also has a vasodilating effect, improving blood flow.

Calcium (1,3 mg) is necessary in order to maintain healthy dental and bone tissue, has antihistamine properties, reducing the intensity of allergy symptoms. In addition, it has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Magnesium (0,6 mg) is involved in energy metabolism, is necessary to prevent the formation of stones in the gallbladder and kidneys, helps to eliminate toxins from the body, including even heavy metals, and normalizes the activity of the endocrine system.

Manganese (0,1 mg) stimulates the production of ascorbic acid, helps to significantly reduce blood glucose levels, and stimulates cognitive activity. Also, this element contributes to the normalization of the pancreas and the synthesis of cholesterol. In addition, it is a hepatoprotector that prevents fatty degeneration of the liver.

Iron (25 mcg) is necessary for the production of hemoglobin, the main element of the blood formula. It also has bactericidal properties and is an active participant in the synthesis of thyroid hormones. In addition, it is necessary for the normal absorption of B vitamins that enter the body with food.

Copper (2 mcg) is essential for maintaining healthy skin and hair. In addition, this element helps prevent emotional and intellectual overload, is a prophylactic that prevents the development of anemia.

Finally, nickel (1 mcg) helps to normalize blood sugar levels, has the ability to lower blood pressure to an acceptable level, and also enhances the action of insulin.

Useful Properties

As noted above, birch sap is a product with high biological activity. It is recommended to use it for people of all ages, since this drink has a wide range of useful properties:

It is very beneficial for the gastrointestinal tract. The product stimulates the digestion process, as well as the secretion of enzymes and gastric juice, which are necessary for food to be digested normally. In addition, since it does not irritate the mucous membranes, in moderation this juice can be taken for gastritis and peptic ulcers. It is useful for “lazy” intestines and a tendency to constipation.
The product is endowed with the ability to bind and remove toxins and toxic substances. It also effectively promotes the dissolution of sand and stones from the kidneys and bladder. Due to the pronounced diuretic effect, it helps to avoid the appearance of edema.
Nectar increases the overall resistance of the body, helps to resist a variety of infections, and therefore it is recommended to drink it during the traditional “cold season”.
The product is useful for sore throats, flu and SARS, accompanied by high fever, as it helps to avoid dehydration.
“Birch tears” help reduce the intensity of pain in arthritis, sciatica and rheumatism. Also, the drink is very useful for the joints.
It is recommended to use this product for intellectual overload, since glucose and fructose in its composition stimulate cognitive abilities.
Birch sap is a product that helps to “disperse” the metabolism, thereby contributing to weight loss.

Recipes of traditional medicine

Birch sap has long been used in folk medicine. It is the main component of many recipes designed to speed up recovery from a number of serious diseases.

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Taking a drink twice a day, 250 ml each, will help to cope with constantly elevated blood pressure.

With anemia

To combat low levels of iron in the blood, mix equal parts birch, carrot and apple juices. Take a mixture of 100 ml three times a day, before you start eating.

With inflammation of the joints

The following recipe will help to cope with inflammation and pain in the joints: take 100 ml of fresh juice three times a day and drink it with a glass of milk.

With gastritis, heartburn, inflammation of the gallbladder

Take 50 ml of nectar three times a day before you sit down to the table. With increased acidity, dilute the drink with water in a ratio of two to one.

Another recipe that will help cope with diseases of the digestive system: pour a glass of oatmeal with 120 ml of birch sap. Leave the mixture overnight in a cool place, and in the morning boil in a water bath until the volume is halved. Take a glass three times a day for a month.

For colds and sore throats

Drink slightly warmed juice and gargle with it. Also, with an increase in body temperature, you can use compresses with birch sap, applying gauze soaked in it to the elbows and forehead.

With sand and kidney stones

Take 150 ml of birch sap on an empty stomach in the morning and before going to bed in the evening. The duration of the course is three months.

With beriberi and reduced immunity

Mix in equal quantities (half a glass) birch sap and milk. Add 0,5 teaspoon of starch to the mixture. Mix thoroughly and take this mixture in half a glass three times a day.

Another recipe is as follows: mince three lemons with their peel and pour 500 ml of birch sap over them. Leave the mixture in a cool place for 48 hours. After that, add a teaspoon of honey and again let it brew for two days in the cold. Take this remedy three times a day, a quarter of an hour before meals. The dose is 100 ml.

With caries and stomatitis

Use birch sap to rinse your mouth. It is noteworthy that, unlike the bulk of fruit juices, this drink does not have a negative effect on tooth enamel.

Use in cosmetology

Birch sap has found wide application in cosmetology. It is used as a topical treatment for a range of cosmetic problems and also helps restore healthy hair and skin.

For skin beauty

First of all, it should be noted that birch sap is effective in combating various skin imperfections. To get rid of unaesthetic “black spots”, peeling and irritation, wipe your face morning and evening with cotton swabs soaked in juice.

A mask of 30 g of birch sap, 15 g of sour cream and 10 g of honey will help moisturize dry skin. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and apply the mask on the skin. A quarter of an hour later, wash your face with room temperature water.

Also, a lotion prepared as follows will help soften dry skin: bring a glass of birch sap over low heat to a boil, then add a teaspoon of liquid honey to it. Gently stir, cool and rub it on the skin of the face three times a day.

If you notice that the skin has lost its tone and new fine wrinkles have appeared, pour 10 g of dry yeast into 100 ml of warm milk. Add a pre-beaten egg there, add 60 g of rice flour, 30 g of oatmeal and pour in 12 g of corn oil. Wrap the mixture and let it brew for an hour. After that, add 100 ml of slightly warmed birch sap and two tablespoons of crushed birch buds to it. Apply gruel to problem areas, and after half an hour rinse with lukewarm water.

To whiten the skin, give it a truly aristocratic look, mix white and blue clay in a 1: 1 ratio. Dilute the composition with juice until it acquires the consistency of a cream. Apply the mixture on your face for twenty minutes, then rinse with birch sap. Please note that after this procedure, you should not go out in the sun for two hours.

A versatile mask is useful for both dry and oily skin. To prepare it, mix a tablespoon of cottage cheese with half a tablespoon of honey, beat a raw egg into the mixture and add two tablespoons of birch nectar. The mass must be homogeneous. Apply it on previously cleansed skin of the face, and after twenty minutes, rinse with water at room temperature.

An express method for restoring a fresh look to the skin: a birch sap compress. Prepare double folded cheesecloth. Soak it in fresh birch sap and apply on your face. The duration of the procedure is twenty minutes. In addition, excellent cosmetic ice is obtained from the juice of the “white-skinned” beauty, which is then used for rubbing.

In order to refresh the skin, you can prepare a scrub from two tablespoons of celandine grass, three tablespoons of liquid honey and a tablespoon of wheat groats. Dilute this mixture with birch sap until it acquires the consistency of a rather thick cream. Moving along the massage lines, carefully apply the scrub and massage a little.

For hair beauty

To ensure the beauty and healthy shine of curls, rinse your hair with birch sap after each shampoo for fourteen days.

To restore freshness to oily hair, prepare a mixture of two tablespoons of birch sap, a tablespoon of honey and a teaspoon of salt. Pour 250 ml of vodka into this mixture, and then pour it into a dark glass container, close tightly and shake thoroughly. The remedy should be infused for ten days in a dark place. After this, before each shampooing, rub the lotion into the skin, wrap your hair with a terry towel and keep this mask for an hour and a half. After that, wash your hair using your regular shampoo. After several procedures, the hair will look fresher and well-groomed.

A mask of two tablespoons of burdock oil and six tablespoons of birch sap will help stimulate hair growth. Apply it to your hair for half an hour, during which the head should be wrapped in a film and a terry towel. After that, wash off the mask using your regular shampoo.

Harm and contraindications

Compared to other juices, the list of contraindications for birch sap is very limited. It is allowed for use by pregnant women, and it is worth refusing to use it only in case of individual intolerance, as well as in case of an allergic reaction to birch pollen. In addition, nutritionists recommend caution in using birch sap for people who have been diagnosed with diabetes.

However, one more important fact must be taken into account. Birch, like a sponge, absorbs all the toxins from the environment. Therefore, juice should be collected only from trees located in ecologically clean places, away from the roads. Otherwise, this drink will not only not bring any benefit, but may even be hazardous to health, since it will contain heavy metals that have entered it from exhaust gases.

How to collect birch sap

In the event that you decide to go “hunting” for birch sap on your own, several important factors should be considered.

You can collect juice only from those trees that grow far from industrial enterprises and highways. The most delicious and healthy is the juice that is extracted from old trees. The thickness of the birch trunk should be at least twenty centimeters. In young birches, the juice is very watery, and in addition, they do not tolerate manipulations to extract juice very well and may die.

After you have chosen a suitable tree, drill a hole 2-3 centimeters deep from the south side at a height of about half a meter. It should slope downwards, approximately at a 45 degree angle. Insert a piece of a plastic tube into this hole, and place a container under it into which the juice will drain.

The maximum amount of liquid that one tree can give is two liters per day. However, you should not get too carried away, because the loss of a large amount of juice is fraught with the death of the tree. Therefore, it is better to collect juice from several birches, and do not seek to “bleed” one.

After you have finished collecting, close up the wound in the trunk with moss, plasticine or cover it with felt.

How to store the product

With all the undeniable advantages, birch sap has one very important drawback: it spoils very quickly. In the refrigerator, this drink will “live” for no more than three days. After that, although the taste may remain the same, the beneficial properties will wane.

Therefore, if you want to keep the product for a longer period, you can preserve it. However, it should be borne in mind that the composition of useful substances in this case will decrease somewhat as a result of heat treatment.

Another way to preserve birch sap is to freeze it. In this case, the concentration of useful substances will not change, and the shelf life of such an ice blank will be a year. You can store it in the freezer and use it as needed, thawing the juice just before drinking.

Use in cooking

In cooking, birch nectar is used both in pure form and as a component of mixed juices. In particular, it is often mixed with rosehip decoction and mint infusion.

In the USA, birch sap is used to make syrup, which is prepared according to the same principle as maple syrup. From 100 liters of juice, only a liter of syrup is obtained. It is light golden in color, tastes like honey with a slight aroma of wood.

In addition, kvass and wine are prepared from birch sap.

Cooking birch kvass with raisins

To prepare the drink, you will need the following ingredients: 10 liters of birch sap, 0,5 kg of sugar and 50 raisins.

Wash and dry the raisins. Strain the juice.

Add sugar to the juice, add the raisins and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. After that, cover the pan with gauze folded in several layers and leave it in a room with a temperature of about 22 degrees.

In three days kvass will be ready. Once again carefully strain it and you can bottle it.

Canned juice with lemon

In order to prepare delicious and fragrant birch juice with lemon, you will need the following ingredients: 7 liters of juice, three sprigs of mint, half a lemon and ten tablespoons of sugar.

Strain the juice and pour into a large saucepan. Pour in sugar and squeeze the juice of half a lemon. Put on low heat and bring to a boil, removing the foam.

After the syrup boils, add mint and simmer over low heat for ten minutes.

Pour the juice into pre-sterilized jars and roll up. Turn upside down, wrap and leave to cool completely. After that, you can clean the jars for storage in a cool place.

Canned orange juice

To prepare this drink, you will need 3 liters of birch sap, three tablespoons of sugar, one sweet orange, half a dessert spoon of citric acid and a dessert spoon of dry mint leaves.

Pour the juice into an enamel saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat.

Sterilize a three-liter jar, pour sugar, citric acid into it and put an orange sliced uXNUMXbuXNUMXbwith peel on the bottom. Put some mint leaves in there too.

Using a strainer, strain the hot birch sap into a jar. Roll it up and turn it upside down, then wrap it carefully. When the preservation has cooled, send it to storage in a cool dark place.