Birch sap - the benefits and medicinal properties of a natural drink. Useful properties and contraindications of birch sap Useful properties of birch sap

Birch sap is a liquid that flows inside the trunk of birch trees. From the point of view of nutritional value, this is a very healthy product containing many substances necessary for the body.

Since ancient times, the Slavs have honored, respected and loved birch as a source of valuable and healing components. Birch leaves, buds, branches and sap were used in folk medicine like a powerful medicine.

Birch remains a valuable medicinal product - activated carbon, tar, and xylitol - a sugar substitute - are made from its wood. A mushroom grows on a birch tree.

Birch sap is famous for its rich vitamin and mineral composition and powerful beneficial properties. The juice contains vitamins, saponins, organic acids, tannins, saccharides, enzymes and phytoncides.

Birch sap contains salts of magnesium, sodium, silicon, potassium, calcium, aluminum, copper, manganese, iron, titanium, barium, nickel, phosphorus, zirconium, strontium. Traces of nitrogen were also found in the juice.

Thanks to the diversity useful substances, birch sap has a complex effect on the body. It is used for vitamin deficiency, to improve health and restore strength, to improve tone and cleanse toxins.

Phytoncides contained in juice increase the body's resistance to viral infections, kill bacteria and microbes, and strengthen the immune system. This is the basis for the anti-inflammatory beneficial properties of the juice.

Birch sap improves metabolism, accelerates metabolism, tones nervous system, helps cope with seasonal blues and depression.

Birch sap is used for weight loss. It’s not for nothing that they say “slim as a birch tree” - by drinking birch sap, you can easily restore your slim and flexible figure, because the nutritional value of the drink is high, and the energy value is low - 24 calories per 100 ml of juice. Birch drink is used in the treatment of obesity of varying degrees.

With regular consumption of birch sap, the blood is cleansed, hemoglobin increases, waste, toxins, decay products and harmful substances are removed. Improves healing of wounds, skin damage and scarring of ulcers.

The drink has a positive effect on kidney function, which is important for pyelonephritis and urolithiasis.

How birch sap is extracted and stored

The sap is extracted from birch trunks in early spring, as soon as sap begins to flow and the buds begin to swell. For a strong tree with a spreading crown and a trunk diameter of at least 20 cm, make a hole 2-3 cm deep and place a container into which the juice begins to drip. You can collect 1-2 liters of juice from one tree. It is not recommended to collect more to prevent the tree from dying.

Store fresh collected juice in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days; for further storage of the juice, it is frozen or canned.

Birch sap contraindications

This useful product has no contraindications for use; it can be drunk by everyone, with the exception of people suffering from an allergy to birch pollen.

Perhaps there is no drink in our country that Russian people would treat with the same trepidation as birch sap. As soon as the drops begin to ring and the buds swell on the trees, we happily rush into the forest, where the real mystery unfolds - the spring sap flow.

It’s easy to understand that a birch tree has begun to produce sap - just make a small cut on the tree trunk and the first drops will immediately appear from under the bark. As a rule, a birch tree gives 2-3 liters of this life-giving moisture per day, although the release of sap largely depends on the age of the tree and the diameter of the trunk, on the presence of sunlight, as well as on the time of day (at night the tree “rests”, and the main sap flow occurs during middle of the day). This miraculous “forest mystery” does not last long, literally a couple of weeks, and as soon as the first leaves appear on the birch trees, the sap flow stops.

Since childhood, we have loved birch sap for its consistently pleasant taste. But as we grow up, we begin to appreciate this natural gift for the incredible benefits it gives each of us. And to remind you of this once again, in this article we will talk about what healing power this drink has, we will reveal the most valuable recipes with it, and we will understand the benefits and harms of birch sap.

To fully understand what a natural storehouse this nutritious moisture is, let’s consider its chemical composition. Birch sap is truly unique, because it contains the vitamins the body needs (C, B1 and B12), minerals (sodium and nickel, magnesium and iron, manganese and potassium), tannins and acids, fructose and essential oils, saponins and phytoncides, as well as the unique organic compound betulin, which is called the “cure for death”. Is it any wonder that such a drink, which the beautiful birch trees give us, has a healing effect on the body.

What are the benefits of birch sap?

We can talk for a long time about the benefits of this unique juice. Since time immemorial, our ancestors have used birch sap as a natural immunostimulant, which perfectly restored strength and helped strengthen the body after illnesses. Modern research completely confirm the guesses of past generations. According to them, if you drink a glass of juice a day for 2-3 weeks, you can help the body cope with depression, eliminate weakness, absent-mindedness, fatigue, and again feel like a cheerful, full-of-energy person. Birch sap has diuretic, anthelmintic, and antitumor effects.

However, such juice is useful not only for general strengthening of the body. This is a real natural healer, thanks to which you can prevent and treat existing diseases. Here are some examples of the most effective application this drink.

1. Gastrointestinal diseases

Birch sap is a real salvation for people suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This life-giving moisture perfectly relieves spasms and colic in the stomach, cleanses the liver and gall bladder. Moreover, when ingested, birch sap eliminates inflammatory processes and relieves pain, improves appetite and restores intestinal microflora.

2. Pathologies of the urinary system

It must be said that birch sap is famous for its diuretic properties, thanks to which it is considered one of the best folk remedies to remove stones from bladder. To combat this disease, healers advise drinking fresh juice 6 glasses a day. In this case, the stones will break up and leave the body with minimal pain.

3. Rheumatic diseases

Not many people know that fresh juice is effective means eliminate pain from rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Moreover, this life-giving moisture perfectly cleanses blood vessels from cholesterol plaques, preventing the development of atherosclerosis. This drink is also used externally. To do this, just warm it up a little and use it in the form of compresses, applying it to sore joints.

4. Respiratory diseases

As we mentioned above, the juice in question has a general strengthening effect, and also has an expectorant effect, which means it can be used for bronchitis, pneumonia, and even in the case of tuberculosis.

5. Diabetes mellitus

Birch sap is also prescribed to “diabetics”, although in this case it must be taken in combination with other medicines and following a strict diet. For this purpose, a medicinal drink is prepared, which contains 70% birch sap (infused for two days), and 30% juices of blackberries and currants, blueberries and raspberries, taken in equal proportions. Only a qualified doctor has the right to prescribe the dosage and duration of taking the medicine. Let's just say that the treatment diabetes mellitus herbal medicines must be carried out under medical supervision with regular laboratory tests.

6. Losing weight

IN Lately Birch sap can often be found in diets aimed at losing weight. This drink really helps get rid of fat deposits, since it itself is a low-calorie product that has a large range of useful substances, and also improves metabolism in the body, speeding up metabolism.

7. Anemia

Such a serious problem as anemia (or anemia) can be perfectly eliminated with the combined intake of birch sap and iron supplements. Practice shows that it is enough to drink two or three glasses of juice daily, so that after 2 weeks you will forget about unpleasant symptoms this disease.

8. Intoxication of the body

We have already mentioned the diuretic properties of birch sap, which, in addition to solving problems of the excretory system, help the kidneys cleanse the body of waste and toxins. Due to this, birch sap is recommended to be drunk when food poisoning, as well as in case of intoxication with salts of heavy metals. In this regard, for residents of contaminated areas of our country, there is simply no better drink than sap taken from a birch tree.

9. Colds

But this natural wealth not only cleanses the blood. It increases sweating, thereby reducing high fever (if used together with rosehip and lemon juice). Having these properties, birch sap is ideal for treating colds, as well as for preventing respiratory diseases and flu.

10. Vitamin deficiency

It must be said that valuable birch sap contains all the diversity chemical elements, which means that such a drink is ideal for preventing spring vitamin deficiency and combating existing deficiencies of vitamins and minerals.

Finally, let's say that in addition to internal use, birch sap is also used externally. They can be used to gargle, nose or mouth (in case of gingivitis, stomatitis, periodontal disease and other diseases of the oral cavity).

Birch sap in cosmetology

Hair strengthening

Healing forest moisture perfectly strengthens hair follicles, fights the cause of dandruff and eliminates excess sebum on the head. To do this, simply rub fresh juice into your hair and skin. You can also prepare hair masks from this liquid; just add castor oil and honey to it in a ratio of 5:1:1.

Also, to prevent hair loss, make it silky and shiny, significantly improve the structure, and remove dandruff, the hair is washed with birch sap for 2 weeks and rinsed with infusion of birch leaves.

Skin problems

Birch sap is no less effective in the case of neurodermatitis and psoriasis, eczema and ulcerative lesions. In this case, lotions with a slightly warmed drink will help. The same applies to non-healing wounds. If you are faced with acne, suffer from scabies, or cannot get rid of age spots, wipe your skin with the juice in question every morning and evening. And in parallel with external use, be sure to take birch sap internally, because this is an excellent remedy that will fight skin diseases “from the inside.”

Anti-aging skin

To maximize the youthfulness of your skin, you need to prepare birch ice. Just freeze the liquid in small square molds and wipe your face and décolleté with these ice cubes every day.

Nourishing facial mask

First, wipe your face with a cotton swab vegetable oil. Then you need to mix two tablespoons of birch sap, one tablespoon of sour cream, one teaspoon of honey, mix thoroughly, apply to the skin and leave for 15 minutes. Then rinse the mixture with boiled water, the effect will pleasantly surprise you.

How to take birch sap

Despite its apparent harmlessness, taking birch sap in medicinal purposes should only be done after consultation with a specialist. Moreover, in the event of any side effects(such as digestive problems or allergic reactions), treatment with this drug should be stopped immediately.

For all diseases for which the individual dosage of birch sap is not indicated, a “universal” dosage should be used, namely 3 glasses/day. Some recipes require diluting the juice before use, for example, in the case of diabetes or exacerbation of chronic diseases. For prevention purposes, birch sap should be drunk one glass at a time, but for a long time. Treatment courses are shorter in duration, but the dosage in this case is higher, and a break is required between courses. More specific dates and dosages are prescribed by the attending physician, depending on the existing ailment.

Who is this juice contraindicated for?

It must be said that birch sap has practically no contraindications for use. Of course, you should not drink it if there is an exacerbation of stomach and duodenal ulcers. Acute urolithiasis is also a contraindication to taking this drink, as it can worsen the patient’s already poor condition. Finally, people with an allergy to birch sap should refrain from drinking this drink.

Useful "tricks" when collecting juice

Those who go to extract forest food resources (that is what juice is called according to the law) should know that it is better to start collecting it from the southern part of the forest, gradually moving deeper. It is better to make cuts on the tree from the north side, this will allow you to get more juice. An incision is made on the trunk at a level of 50 cm from the ground. Moreover, there is no need to make too deep a cut or drill deeply into the trunk - moisture moves between the wood and the bark, which means that to get it, you just need to overcome the bark layer.

Finally, remember that when collecting sap, you damage the trees, and therefore, after collecting this valuable liquid, the cut must be covered laundry soap, wax or garden varnish to prevent rotting and damage to the wood.

How to store birch sap

It is better to collect raw birch directly into glass containers. But even if you collect the juice in plastic bottles or plastic bags, upon returning home it should be poured into glass containers. Without processing, extracted birch sap can remain in the refrigerator for no more than three days, because then he begins to wander. This means you need to figure out how to store it so you can drink it several months from now. The best solution would be to can the sap or make delicious birch kvass.

How to roll up birch sap for the winter

Canned birch sap without sugar

The easiest way to preserve the drink is to filter all the collected liquid (passing it through several layers of gauze), pour it into an enamel pan and heat it to 80-90°. The heated juice is poured into washed and sterilized jars and immediately sealed. The rolled up jars are wrapped in a warm blanket and left to cool completely. It is advisable to store it in a cool place.

Canned birch sap with sugar

If you want to get a sweet birch drink, then, as in the previous recipe, filter the valuable liquid and put it on the fire. As soon as the juice approaches boiling point, a yellowish foam will appear on its surface. Remove it and remove the juice from the stove without bringing it to a boil. Add 2 tbsp to the hot liquid. sugar for every kilogram of juice and citric acid(at the tip of the knife). Pour the juice into sterilized jars and roll up the lids, wrapping the jars until they cool completely.

By the way, when rolling up birch sap, you can experiment by adding oranges, lemons, currants, rose hips or mint sprigs. And also, birch sap makes excellent birch kvass(perfectly cooling in the summer heat).

Birch kvass

To prepare real kvass from birch sap, you first need to strain the collected sap and let it steep for a day in an enamel bowl. After this, add 100 g of rye crackers, 50 ml of sugar (for every 1 liter of juice) to the liquid and, pouring the mixture into a glass bottle, leave it for 4-5 days, after putting a rubber glove on the neck. The glove will inflate and stand up, which will indicate the ongoing fermentation process. And when the gauntlet falls, you can safely filter the kvass and bottle it. Delicious refreshing kvass is ready!

This also opens up a real field for experimentation, because kvass based on birch sap can be prepared not only with bread, but also with barley, raisins and dried fruits. Each drink will have an individual taste, but they will all benefit the body.

From now on, you know the benefits and harms of birch sap, and you also have unique recipes for canning and making kvass based on it. This means that you have another opportunity to strengthen your body and fight the most various diseases with a very tasty drink.

It is no coincidence that the birch sap collection season causes a stir among lovers of this valuable drink. This sweetish natural elixir, which has many beneficial properties, has long been popularly called “living water.” This article is about the beneficial properties and contraindications of birch sap.

Minerals in birch sap

Birch sap contains many valuable substances, the list of which can be compared with the latest vitamin and mineral complexes. It contains such well-known elements as magnesium, nickel, sodium, copper, manganese, aluminum, potassium and iron. And also quite rare components - phytoncides, tannins, fruit sugars, saponins, betulol, more than ten types of organic acids.

It is no coincidence that nature gives birch sap in the spring, when after winter the body is weakened and needs special support. The drink is especially useful for people with weakened immune systems and those who have suffered from colds during the cold weather.

Useful properties of birch sap

Birch sap contains a lot of phytocytes, which are a natural “antibiotic”. That is why it is useful for sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, and also serves as a good restorative agent in the treatment of tuberculosis and cancer.

Birch sap – good remedy with anemia. For greater effectiveness, it is mixed in equal parts with carrot and apple juices and drunk before meals from 50 to 100 milligrams at least three times during the day. Apple juice You can replace it with beetroot, and then the cocktail will help cope with high blood pressure.

Hypertensive patients can “rescue” from swelling, dizziness, headaches and heart pain if they drink a glass of birch sap in two doses every day.

You can relieve heartburn and alleviate the symptoms of pancreatitis and gastritis by taking 50 milligrams of the drink 20 minutes before meals.

The juice's cleansing properties are also known. It relieves swelling, removes waste and toxins from the body, as well as sand from the kidneys and gall bladder.

Birch sap is indispensable for blood diseases and anemia, improves metabolism and liver function, regulates the acidity of the gastrointestinal tract, and serves as a prevention of vitamin deficiency and scurvy.

Birch sap is used for bone diseases - gout, arthritis, radiculitis, varicose veins and rheumatism. In such cases, experts advise drinking the drink before meals three times a day, half a glass. It is also used as a local medicine in case of skin diseases and wounds.

To increase immunity, birch nectar is mixed with milk, adding half a teaspoon of starch to the cocktail. Nutritionists advise in such cases to take the prepared mixture for as long as possible.

For sore throat, pharyngitis and tonsillitis, birch sap is not only drunk, but also gargled with it.

This is one of the few drinks that overweight people can afford, because 100 grams of juice contains only 25 kilocalories.

Who is contraindicated for birch sap?

Birch sap is an ideal diuretic and choleretic agent when it comes to the presence of sand in the kidneys and bile ducts. If stones form in these organs, you should stop drinking the drink.

Duodenal and stomach ulcers are also on the list of contraindications, so you should drink juice with great caution without consultation and permission from a doctor.

Allergy sufferers who suffer from individual intolerance to birch pollen are also at risk.

Experts also advise not to rely on the beneficial properties of a product purchased in a store. Research has shown that such natural juice products contain a very small percentage. Everything else is water and flavorings. You should not collect “living water” from birch trees that grow near highways - there will be more harmful substances in such a drink than useful ones.

When and how is birch sap collected?

The season for collecting healing juice lasts two months - from March to April. More precisely, before the appearance and during the period of swelling of the kidneys. At this time, the tree can produce up to three liters of sweetish liquid per day. The most valuable drink is considered to be collected from sparsely growing birch trees, which are well lit. sun rays. Thin-trunked species are not suitable. You need to choose trees with the largest diameter.

The hole for collecting nectar is made with an awl at a distance of 20 centimeters from the ground. As soon as the liquid comes out, it is necessary to enlarge the puncture and insert a tube or groove towards the prepared container. The depth of the hole should not exceed five centimeters. Best time For collection, the period is from noon to 17:00, because during this period the juice circulates most actively. As soon as the liquid stops running, the “wound” on the tree should be filled with a wooden peg or covered with wax.

How to store birch sap

The collected juice should not be kept in the refrigerator for more than three days. After this time, it may ferment. Therefore, folk craftsmen came up with several ways long-term storage nectar. One of the most common methods is freezing the healing liquid, but for this you need to have a very large freezer.

Less effective, but still in an effective way considered canning. In such cases, three dry mint sprigs for taste, half a teaspoon of citric acid and up to 10 tablespoons of sugar are added to 7 liters of juice. When the liquid begins to boil over low heat, a reddish coating will appear on top. It must be carefully removed. Otherwise, a dark sediment will appear in the container during storage. You need to boil the juice for about ten minutes, after which the drink is poured into sterile jars and sealed with an iron lid. In the process of preparing canned juice, many vitamins are destroyed, but useful minerals are still partially preserved. However, such an aromatic drink is also very tasty.

You can also make carbonated kvass from birch sap. To do this, add a half-liter jar of dried fruit, a handful of raisins and a glass of well-roasted barley to a 20-liter container with “living water.” The mixture is placed in a cold place for a month. Cereals can be replaced with a crust of rye bread by toasting it in the oven.

They stock up on kvass for the winter using this recipe. The crusts of rye bread must be placed in a bag made of natural fabric and dipped in a container with birch sap for two days. After this, oak bark, which acts as a natural preservative, cherry leaves, various berries and dill are added to the drink. You need to infuse kvass for two weeks. With the right ingredients, it can be stored all winter in a cold place.

Juice lovers often prepare a drink called “Berezovik”. To do this, you need to place a 10-liter container with birch nectar in a dark, cold place for three days, and then add 60 grams of rye crackers and barley heated in the oven. After collecting all the ingredients, infuse the juice for another day.

Birch cocktail for children is prepared according to a special recipe. Place 4 large spoons of canned fruit syrup, 100 grams of ice cream in two glasses of juice and mix everything thoroughly in a mixer. Before the drink is served, the same portion of ice cream is added to it.

During the period when the bright spring sun begins to melt the cold snow, Russian birch trees begin to wake up from hibernation. Along their trunks, nutrient fluid with minerals, acids and vitamins necessary for the growth and flowering of the tree reaches the smallest branches and swelling buds. Birch produces so much of this liquid that a person can use the “extra” for his own purposes. Moreover, the benefits of birch sap for the body can hardly be overestimated.

The cheapest and healthiest way to quench your thirst with this juice is to get it directly from the tree itself. In no store you will find that healthy birch drink that our parents remember. How to properly collect sap without damaging the tree itself, we described in the article ““, and now let’s talk about the rich chemical composition this miraculous drink.

Real birch sap can provide the human body with the enzymes necessary to maintain immunity. This is especially important in the spring, when we are most susceptible to colds.

In addition, even if you did not have time to strengthen your immune system, but managed to catch a treacherous cold, the tannins contained in large quantities in birch sap will help you easily overcome the onset of inflammation and speed up the recovery process.

Potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which are important for the heart, also occupy a place of honor in the composition of birch sap.

This drink is not only useful, but in some cases it can help save someone's life. Special substances contained in birch sap can remove toxins from the body in a short time, which is very important in case of poisoning. This also includes alcohol intoxication. So, instead of artificially created “hangover pills”, it is better to use a natural medicine - birch sap. Although it’s even better not to bring your body to a hangover.

Birch sap also has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. For example, people suffering low acidity stomach, birch sap is not just one of the few permitted products, but also a drink that stimulates the production of acid in the stomach.

In addition to its effect on the internal vital systems of the body, birch sap is successfully used in the treatment of various skin diseases such as neurodermatitis, eczema, acne and furunculosis, and the like. Enough, evening and morning water procedures carry out with it, and not with water. Cosmetologists have long adopted this drink, and thanks to it, they relieve their patients of dandruff and strengthen their hair. For achievement good result you can simply rinse your hair with this valuable liquid.

Contraindications

In addition to its benefits, birch sap can, in a small percentage of cases, cause harm to the human body. Those whom doctors call allergy sufferers, if they are allergic to birch tree pollen, are not recommended to drink this juice. The body's reaction can follow immediately. Also, urolithiasis will be considered a contraindication for drinking this drink. By causing active urination, birch sap can cause the movement of stones, which will manifest itself in severe pain.

The place where the drink was collected is also of great importance. Trees growing in close proximity to highways and busy highways will produce sap “contaminated” with heavy metals. Contaminating your body with such elements is simply unsafe for any person, therefore, before buying birch sap, it is advisable to inquire in which areas it was collected.

Drinks based on birch sap

The syrup, which is obtained by evaporating the juice itself to a certain state, is extremely popular in the United States. To get one liter of syrup, you need to use about 100 liters of valuable birch tree moisture. But in this state, birch sap can be stored for more than one month.

In the USSR, in 1968, a recipe for making birch kvass was developed, and a little earlier, birch wine was invented from this sap, but today the Russian industry does not produce anything like this, and only homemade recipes for making drinks from the sap of the Russian tree itself remain.

Svetlana Frantseva

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