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Sometimes vitamins are hidden in the most unexpected places. In the spring, they can be found under the bark of an ordinary birch, albeit for a short period. This is a real elixir of health that can cheer up the body and fill it with the life-giving energy of nature. Today we will talk about the healing properties of birch sap, how it is extracted with their own hands, stored at home and used in cooking.
A drink for cheerfulness and health
The taste of birch sap, just collected in the forest, gives off characteristic woody notes with pronounced sweet shades. This is because it contains a lot of fruit sugars. Phytoncides destroy pathogenic bacteria, and tannins have a powerful antibacterial effect. Organic acids and essential oils play an important role in metabolic processes.
The benefits of birch juice do not occupy. It tones the body well, helps to fight weakness and spring vitamin deficiency. With regular use, the drink strengthens the immune system. Doctors recommend drinking birch juice with a seasonal exacerbation of allergies, because it cleanses the blood. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect and stimulates the production of digestive enzymes. So for the prevention and treatment of gastric ulcer, it can and should be included in the menu.
In the right place, at the right time
Birch sap is collected in the spring — everyone knows this. But when exactly is it best to do this? As soon as the snow finally came down, the night frosts stopped, and buds bloomed on the trees and bushes. That is, when the widespread thaw began. The most favorable period is from mid-March to the end of April. Moreover, it is best to collect the juice from noon to six o’clock in the evening, because at this time it is produced most intensively.
Real birch sap can be found only in a birch grove. To do this, you should leave the urban civilization for at least 15-20 kilometers and walk deep into the forest. Trees located near highways, large landfills, industrial facilities and other sources of pollution absorb harmful substances from the atmosphere. It is clear that in this case, birch sap loses its valuable properties and becomes useless, if not harmful.
Measure it seven times — drill it once
The first step is to find a suitable tree. It must be an adult birch with a trunk diameter of at least 25-30 cm. The young trees have not yet gained strength and after taking the juice they can dry up. The crown should be thick and lush, the branches should be powerful and flexible. Check whether the tree has obvious signs of being affected by any pest. Take note — most of the juice is in free-standing birches in open areas illuminated by the sun.
To make a hole in the bark, it is most practical to use a manual electric drill with a 5-10 mm drill or a thick nail. But you should not take an axe in your hands in any case. Do not make a hole in the bark too deep — 2-3 cm will be enough. Remember, even a large powerful barrel should not be drilled more than 3-4 times. In this case, the “marks” should be located no closer than 15-20 cm from each other. If you do not follow these rules, the birch will not be able to recover, will become sluggish and “sick” and will eventually die.
We benefit correctly
How to properly collect birch sap? Experts recommend standing up to the tree from the south side. Measure about 30-40 cm from the ground along the trunk, put the drill with the drill at a slight slope down and make a shallow hole. Then a straw with a flexible corrugated bend or a dropper is tightly inserted into it. In order not to lose precious drops, cut off a fragment from it at an angle of 45 degrees. Some people use gauze-the juice flows directly through it into a bottle or jar. But after that, it will take a long time to clean the drink from bark particles, dust and other small debris.
The maximum volume of birch sap that can be taken from one tree is a liter. If you work hard enough, you can collect up to 20 liters of useful liquid from different trees. After all, do not forget to properly treat the hole in the bark. You can plug it with moss, wax or insert a twig of the appropriate diameter. If this is not done, harmful bacteria will penetrate into the trunk and destroy the tree.
You can’t keep it or leave it
Vitamins in birch sap are preserved for a maximum of 48 hours. In the future, it becomes useless. Throughout this period, it is better to keep the drink in the refrigerator and drink it as soon as possible. Juice from the store in large glass jars is usually sterilized and saturated with citric acid. This helps it to preserve its taste and useful qualities for many months.
Birch juice, which was brought from the forest, can also prolong life at home. To do this, mix 10 liters of birch juice with the juice of 4 large lemons, add 35-40 g of honey, 10 g of sugar and 45 g of yeast. All the ingredients are completely dissolved, poured into jars with tight lids and left in the refrigerator for 10 days. After the deadline, you can taste birch juice. It can be stored in a cool, dark place for about 2 months.
Drink birch juice should be on an empty stomach and before meals, no more than three times a day. The harm of the drink is possible only with individual intolerance. Therefore, if you try it for the first time, take a few sips and observe the reaction of the body.
Kvass with forest spirit
You can make different drinks from birch juice, for example, homemade kvass. To do this, you will need:
- rye bread-3-4 pieces
- birch juice — 3 liters
- kvass wort — 3 tbsp. l.
- sugar — 200 g
- yeast — 2 tsp.
We cut rye bread into slices, dry it slightly in the oven, put it in a three-liter jar. Bring the birch juice to a boil, filter, pour the crackers and dissolve the sugar. We give the drink to cool down, we dilute the leavened wort in it. Then we put the breadcrumbs, yeast and stir thoroughly again. We leave the preparation for 3-4 days in a cool, dry place, then filter the finished kvass and pour it into bottles with tight stoppers. It is perfect for spring okroshka!
Porridge with pure vitamins
Try to cook an unusual rice porridge on birch juice. Let’s take:
- dried fruits — 1 handful
- pumpkin — 100 g
- kruglozerny rice — 100 g
- birch juice — 300 ml
- butter – to taste
- orange and nuts for decoration
Pour a handful of raisins or any other dried fruits with boiling water. After 5 minutes, drain the water and dry it on paper towels. Finely chop the pumpkin pulp. We wash the rice, fill it with birch juice, gently bring it to a boil. Then put a pinch of salt, chopped pumpkin and cook until all the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat, mix the rice with steamed dried fruits and a piece of butter. Close the pan tightly with a lid and let it brew for 10 minutes. Serve an unusual rice porridge, garnished with sunny orange slices and finely chopped nuts. You can cook any cereal on birch juice, whether it’s oatmeal, buckwheat, millet or couscous.
Pancakes on the”birch”
Pancakes on birch juice also turn out very tasty. They will require the following ingredients:
- sugar — 100 g
- birch juice-400 ml
- chicken egg — 1 pc.
- flour-250 g
- baking powder — 1 tsp.
- salt — to taste
We dissolve the sugar in warm birch juice. We drive an egg here, sift flour with baking powder and a pinch of salt, knead a thick dough. Fry the pancakes as usual-in a preheated frying pan with vegetable oil until golden brown.
You can serve pancakes with honey, maple syrup, berries or sour cream. A great option for breakfast on a weekend.
Birch sap is a benefit from nature in its pure form. The main thing is not to miss the moment and have time to get it to the last drop. If you have never tried this drink, right now you have such an opportunity. Look for even more unusual recipes with birch juice on the website “We Eat at Home”. Write about your own signature dishes based on it in the comments. And when was the last time you drank birch juice?