Contents
History of sea buckthorn
Sea buckthorn is a small shrub or tree with small bluish leaves. The plant is covered with thorns, and during fruiting, all branches are strewn with orange berries. They tightly stick around the branches, sitting in bunches, from this the name “sea buckthorn” came from.
Also, sea buckthorn is called the “northern pineapple”, because for many people the smell of this berry resembles pineapple. Not all varieties of sea buckthorn are edible.
Sea buckthorn is native to East Asia. The berry was also known to the Greeks, Romans, and was widely used in Chinese and Tibetan medicine. But gradually they even forgot the berry and began to destroy the bushes, since they grew very actively and were extremely prickly. After the XNUMXth century, the situation returned to normal, but at first sea buckthorn was grown only as an ornamental hedge. And only after a while the berry and the oil from it were again appreciated.
Officially, sea buckthorn was included in the pharmacopoeia only in the 70s, although in ancient China this plant was known precisely as a medicinal plant. In Greece, horses were fed with sea buckthorn, noticing that the quality of their skin and mane becomes much higher. The Greek name for this berry was translated as “glossy (or shiny) horse.” More recently, in Japan, sea buckthorn was used to produce energy drinks for athletes.
Currently, sea buckthorn grows throughout Eurasia, even in Altai and Siberia. Sea buckthorn is also found in the tropics of India and Pakistan.
The composition and calorie content of sea buckthorn
| Caloric content for 100 grams | 82 kcal |
| Proteins | 1,2 g |
| Fats | 5,4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 5,7 g |
The benefits of sea buckthorn
Sea buckthorn is one of the richest berries in vitamins and microelements. At the same time, it is one of the few berries that retains vitamin C even after heat treatment and freezing.
Sea buckthorn relieves inflammation and promotes wound healing. Vitamins E and A stimulate tissue regeneration, improve tissue metabolism and strengthen blood vessels. Just a few teaspoons of sea buckthorn oil will satisfy the daily requirement for vitamin E. Infrequently there are foods in which vitamin E was in such a high concentration and simultaneously with carotenoids (vitamin A).
A lot of sea buckthorn and vitamins B, K and R. The berry has a sour taste due to the abundance of various acids: malic, citric, tartaric and others. They stimulate digestion, the production of gastric juice.
The properties of sea buckthorn are known to stimulate the immune system. This is due to the high concentration of vitamin C and phytoncides. Although the latter are few, they still have a positive effect on the immune system.
Berries and even sea buckthorn bark itself contain serotonin. This is the “hormone of happiness”, which is necessary for the functioning of the nervous system and good mood. The leaders in the content of serotonin are chocolate, bananas, although in fact it is several times more in sea buckthorn.
Sea buckthorn harm
The laxative effect of sea buckthorn fruits is known, so you should not lean on these fruits if you have a tendency to diarrhea or have recently had food poisoning. If there are no contraindications, it is optimal to eat no more than 50 grams of berries at a time. Children from one year old can be given a little diluted sea buckthorn juice. With a tendency to allergies up to 3 years, it is better not to risk it.
– Sea buckthorn oil is extremely useful for peptic ulcer disease, but berries and juice are contraindicated. The acids in the composition of the berries greatly increase the secretion of gastric juice, which can provoke an exacerbation. For the same reason, sea buckthorn should not be eaten with gastritis with high acidity. Berries are prohibited during exacerbation of diseases of the liver, pancreas. In the presence of kidney or gallbladder stones, sea buckthorn berries should be eaten with caution. There is also a risk of allergies, warns nutritionist Yulia Pigareva.
The use of sea buckthorn in medicine
Sea buckthorn oil, which can be found in any pharmacy, is very well known. It is prepared by squeezing the seeds from the berries, although there is also some oil in the pulp.
The oil is used both in its pure form and added to cosmetics and pharmaceutical preparations. Sea buckthorn oil has bactericidal properties, preventing the development of infection in damaged areas of the skin and mucous membranes. Also, this tool promotes skin regeneration, therefore it is widely used to recover from burns, wounds.
Cosmetologists recommend sea buckthorn oil and gruel from berries as face and hair masks – they nourish cells and heal microdamages.
Inside, the oil is practically not used, although they can be supplemented with the treatment of gastritis and ulcers. Inhalations with sea buckthorn oil are used to treat the lungs, and they also lubricate the affected tonsils.
The use of sea buckthorn in cooking
Sea buckthorn is rarely eaten fresh because it is rather sour and bitter. But this berry is perfect for fruit drinks and various preparations with sugar and honey.
There are quite large seeds in sea buckthorn, but you don’t need to take them out – they are very useful, and it’s impossible to get everything from each berry. Contrary to the myth about the risk of appendicitis due to the use of seeds, nothing terrible will happen, the appendix becomes inflamed for completely different reasons.
Sea buckthorn marmalade
A healthy sweet and sour treat. Agar-agar can be replaced with gelatin, in the amount indicated in the instructions
| Beetroot (juice) | 250 ml |
| Sugar | 80 g |
| Agar-agar | 5 g |
| Water | 100 ml |
Extract juice from frozen or fresh sea buckthorn by mashing the berry with a pusher and squeezing the cake through cheesecloth. Mix juice with sugar and slowly bring to a boil on the stove. Then remove from fire.
Soak agar-agar in water at room temperature. You can immediately use a saucepan or pan in which marmalade will be prepared. Bring agar-agar to a boil, and keep on low heat for a couple more minutes, stirring. Get a viscous mass. Pour warmed juice with sugar into it, mix and immediately pour into molds.
You should not simultaneously heat the juice along with agar – due to the acid of the berry, the marmalade may not “grab”.
As forms, you can use forms for baking, silicone for ice, sweets, muffins. Leave the marmalade to cool, gradually it will become dense. Cut into pieces or pull out of molds and you can eat immediately. For storage, you can roll marmalade in a mixture of powdered sugar and starch, or in sugar.
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Sea buckthorn juice with honey
This fruit drink does not require heat treatment, therefore it retains all the useful substances of the berry. It is drunk immediately, it can be stored literally for a day
| Sea buckthorn (fresh or frozen) | 100 g |
| liquid honey | 60 g |
| Water | 300 ml |
Defrost the berries and drain the water. If the sea buckthorn is fresh, then you just need to rinse it. Next, mash the berries with a crush, add honey and mix.
After adding cool drinking water, mix with berry puree and strain through a sieve or cheesecloth.
How to choose and store sea buckthorn
Sea buckthorn season in Our Country is at the beginning of autumn. At this time, it is harvested, and it is important to keep the berries intact so that they do not spoil too quickly.
If you buy sea buckthorn, pay attention to the elasticity of the berries – they should be soft and at the same time tight. Size is not so important, since there are very small varieties that are just as good as large ones in terms of taste. The aroma of sea buckthorn is also important – a good berry has a characteristic strong smell.
Fresh sea buckthorn is stored in the refrigerator for up to a month, longer than most berries. The main thing is to keep it dry.
Frozen, sea buckthorn does not lose most of its vitamins and beneficial properties, so it can be safely frozen in containers or bags. The berries will lie perfectly all winter.