home » Makeup » What are the benefits of birch sap and contraindications? Birch sap is called the elixir of health for its benefits to the body.

What are the benefits of birch sap and contraindications? Birch sap is called the elixir of health for its benefits to the body.

Allergy sufferers wait with fear for the birch tree to bloom, but for everyone else, early spring is nothing less than a delight. People enjoy collecting birch sap and enjoying other gifts of nature. The drink carries a lot of useful substances to the body, which is partly why many people wonder, is there any harm? Let's consider the main aspects in order.

Composition of birch sap

The drink contains no fats or proteins, everything nutritional properties allocated to carbohydrates. Also, valuable qualities are due to a complex of vitamins.

Contains a lot of ascorbic acid. The B-group also predominates, namely riboflavin, pantothenic and folic acid, pyridoxine, B10-B12.

The drink concentrates sodium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, fluorine and calcium. Thanks to this, the juice is used for the prevention and treatment of many diseases.

In a small volume there is silicon, copper, titanium, barium, and manganese. The drink contains a lot of citric acid and saccharides - glucose and fructose. This is due to sweet and sour taste birch sap.

The drug is not deprived of tannins, saponins, esters, and phytoncides. All these elements give the drink bactericidal and anti-inflammatory properties.

Depending on the tree itself, the calorie content of the drink also varies. So, birch sap has 9-21 kcal per 100 ml. For this reason, the composition is often used in dietary nutrition.

The effect of birch sap

strengthens the body's protective shell;
relieves swelling of tissues and legs;
improves food digestibility;
normalizes blood pressure;
enhances metabolic processes;
accelerates blood circulation and cleanses the flow;
fights the lack of vitamins after hibernation;
relieves the effects of stress, chronic fatigue;
suppresses prolonged depression;
improves mood and sleep quality;
facilitates menopause in women;
relieves muscle spasms during menstruation;
regulates potency in men;
strengthens the heart and blood channels;
fights cancer and carries out its prevention;
cleanses the kidneys, gall and bladder, liver;
removes cholesterol;
promotes weight loss;
accelerates wound healing;
improves the condition of nails, hair, skin.

Benefits of birch sap

The presence of potassium and magnesium ensures the correct functioning of the heart muscle and circulatory system. Birch drink is recommended for people with heart pathologies, as well as those who have recently suffered a stroke or heart attack.
Valuable substances from birch are often added to medications that are designed to overcome oncological diseases. It's all about the ability of these enzymes to block the blood flow to cancer cells and trigger the self-destruction of the tumor.
If you regularly consume the drink, you will cleanse the blood and increase the production of red blood cells, freeing the liver from toxic compounds and radionuclides. The juice is indicated for use by patients with severe intoxication, acute respiratory and chronic infections.
The value is due to the content of many B-group vitamins. All these substances have a beneficial effect on the psycho-emotional environment of a person. To calm down, relieve stress, and get out of depression, the juice is taken at night in small portions.
In the absence of individual intolerance, you can drink juice in full quantities. It will strengthen the immune system and increase the body's resistance to viruses. It is easier for a person to endure the off-season and the spread of infections.
The composition has a diuretic effect. Because of this, it is often used to combat swelling of the legs. The product quickly removes excess fluid and improves the functioning of the kidneys and bladder. These same qualities make it possible to use the drink for the treatment of urolithiasis.
Birch sap is prescribed for use by people who suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. During periods of remission or exacerbation, this drink is a real godsend. It will protect the mucous membranes and enhance the digestion of food.
The juice contains a lot of saponins, they prevent the deposition of cholesterol plaques in the blood channels. Vessels are also cleansed and their walls are sealed. It should be noted that fresh juice strengthens bones, nails and teeth.
Natural saccharides in juice are presented in the form of glucose and fructose. These substances are responsible for mental activity, positive mood, and psycho-emotional environment. Birch sap should be drunk by people who work hard with their heads and often experience stress due to their line of work.
Tannins give the drug bactericidal properties. Birch sap removes bad breath, prevents many diseases of this cavity, and strengthens the gums. It is especially useful to drink fresh juice for people with stomatitis and caries.

Birch sap for children

Children need to consume birch drink. Its composition has a general strengthening effect. The drink will protect the child’s body from seasonal vitamin deficiency and common viral infections.
Young children are more susceptible to various diseases, so the inclusion of birch sap in the diet should be mandatory. Gradually accustom your body to the new product by giving small portions. Mix 50 ml. juice and water in equal proportions. Let's start from 1.5 years with the onset of spring.

Currently, there is no exact statement that birch drink is indicated for consumption by pregnant girls. Some argue that juice is completely contraindicated during pregnancy. Official medicine completely refuted such a myth.
Birch product is enriched with an innumerable amount of useful substances. Regular consumption of the drink helps pregnant girls cope with severe toxicosis. To achieve a positive result, drink 200 ml. 3 times a day.
If you suffer from unstable blood pressure against the background of pregnancy, juice will be your salvation. This universal product helps hypotensive and hypertensive patients equally. To do this, it is enough to drink 250 ml. drink one hour before meals.
The birch composition has shown itself well in the fight against edema. Drink 3-4 glasses of juice (230 ml each) throughout the day. In the near future you will feel a significant improvement in your health. Swelling will no longer bother you.
The drink perfectly keeps your weight at the desired level and prevents you from gaining extra pounds. The juice has a positive effect on natural metabolism and promotes gentle weight loss. If you take the juice in the last trimester, you will stimulate lactation in advance.
By correctly consuming birch sap during the lactation period, you ensure the production of high-quality milk. In order not to encounter intolerance to the product, it is recommended to start drinking juice with minimal portions, about 50 ml. in a day. Carefully monitor the reaction of your body and your baby.
Birch drink is indicated for consumption after childbirth. This way you will not face the problem of being overweight. The product should not be drunk only if the baby has allergies or urolithiasis.
During the lactation period, it is important to drink only fresh juice. The canned composition is not capable of storing the amount of useful elements that are contained in their original form. Most healthy juice is considered in the first hours after collection.
To keep it as long as possible useful qualities birch drink, you need to add raisins, cloves and currant leaves to it. Juice is beneficial for humans in combination with other fresh juices. Depending on the proportions, you can get a vitamin cocktail.

Harm of birch sap

It is forbidden to take the drink if you are allergic to birch pollen or directly to the juice itself.
The canned product is contraindicated for diabetes.
If you have kidney problems, consult your doctor.
It is prohibited to drink juice collected near industrial facilities and highways.

Listed beneficial features birch sap is not the entire list of positive actions that affect the human body. It all depends on individual characteristics and the functioning of specific organs and systems. The main thing is to make sure there are no contraindications before use.

Video: benefits and uses of birch sap

Birch sap (birch tree) is a clear liquid that is collected in the spring from a tree trunk, after cutting the bark in advance. Our ancestors noticed its beneficial qualities: it was believed that it had healing powers and could cure many diseases.

Berezovitsa has not lost its relevance today: most people, especially those living in forested areas, try to replenish their supplies of a refreshing and tasty drink with the arrival of spring.

Many people think: “What is the use of Birch juice, and what effect does it have on the body? In fact, this product has practically no contraindications and can be safely used by both adults and children.

When is the juice collected?

The exact time for collecting the unique drink has not been established: in warm regions it is mid-spring, and in cooler and more humid regions it is early May. As a rule, “birch blood” begins to flow during the period of dripping, and swollen buds are a clear sign that it is time to cut the bark and place a container into which the drink will be filled.

To find out whether sap has appeared in the tree, it is enough to pierce the bark with a thin awl (about 8-12 millimeters). If transparent droplets appear at the puncture site, then you can begin extracting juice.

Useful properties of birch sap

According to medical observations, taking at least one large cup of fresh birch a couple of times a day for two to three weeks will help the body cope with spring blues, acute vitamin deficiency, apathy and loss of strength. In addition, the drink helps improve material metabolism and has positive influence on the function of the digestive system.

Tree sap contains a sufficient amount of sugar, organic acids, enzymes, calcium, magnesium and iron salts. It is recommended for diseases of the skin and hematopoietic system, osteoarticular pathologies, as well as inflammation of the tonsils, bronchial tree and lungs. It also breaks down stones in the bladder and kidneys, and removes poisons from the body.

In addition, birch sap contains microelements that are beneficial for the heart and blood vessels - potassium, sodium and calcium. They take an active part in neuromuscular excitability of tissues, blood clotting, and also give strength to teeth and bones.

It is believed that you can also rinse your hair with birch sap. Thus, direct intensive nutrition of the bulb and scalp occurs. This promotes increased hair growth, shine and silkiness.

The wood drink contains a number of other microelements that have beneficial influence on the human body (we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the table).

Microelement	Beneficial features
Aluminum	Promotes recovery and regeneration processes, has a positive effect on the activity of the parathyroid glands.
Manganese	Takes part in the production and exchange of neurotransmitters in the brain, enhances carbohydrate metabolism, forms muscle tissue, and takes part in hormone synthesis thyroid gland– thyroxine, reduces the level of fatty acids and utilizes lipids.
Iron	Responsible for storing and transporting oxygen from blood vessels in fabric. Also involved in cholesterol metabolism and redox reactions. Iron is necessary for the production of thyroid hormones. The trace element accelerates growth, prevents iron deficiency anemia, and increases resistance to infectious diseases.
Silicon	It is part of collagen, which gives connective tissue strength and elasticity. Silicon also improves protective immune responses, strengthens the thickness of vascular walls, and has a positive effect on the growth and formation of bone tissue.

At the same time, birch sap improves potency in men and improves the quality of seminal fluid. It is especially recommended for women during menopause - its use normalizes the quality of sleep, relieves anxiety, irritability and groundless stress.

Benefits for humans

Indeed, even doctors recommend drinking birch sap for certain diseases. At the same time, it is important to remember that the healing drink plays only a supporting role, so they need to be “treated” in parallel with pharmacological drugs.

Useful properties of birch sap in different cases:

Kidneys. Helps get rid of phosphate and carbonate stones, has antibacterial properties, actively removes toxins and sand, and reduces the feeling of pain after renal colic. It is recommended to drink a glass of juice daily with the addition of liquid honey.
For pancreatitis. The drink relieves spasms and inflammation, eliminates pain. Treatment promotes the synthesis of biogenic stimulants and enzymes, which is necessary to establish metabolic processes in the pancreas and liver. It is recommended to use exclusively fresh juice, without adding sweeteners or water.
Diabetes. A person suffering from diabetes must adhere to a strict low-carbohydrate diet. Birch sap is one of the few products allowed for endocrine diseases. The fact is that it contains fruit sugar, the breakdown of which does not require insulin. For diabetes, the wood product can be drunk even in combination with medications. For achievement maximum effect You can add a few raisins and lemon zest (half a teaspoon) to half a liter of juice. Mix everything and drink at once.
Losing weight and maintaining your figure. Birch sap is considered low-calorie, so it can be safely consumed by those who are on a diet. The juice enhances the breakdown of food and the burning of fats, removes toxins - by drinking two liters of a unique drink a day, you can lose up to five kilograms in a few months.

About the dangers and contraindications of juice

Can birch sap harm the body? Balance of benefits and harms, how much can you drink a day of a miracle drink? ABOUT positive properties We talked above, now about the rules and contraindications - there are few of them, but they still exist:

Exacerbation of a stomach ulcer or duodenum, threatening perforation of these sections and communication with the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, birch sap can expand the walls of the mucous membrane, which will subsequently lead to perforation.
Exacerbation of allergies. If a person has a pronounced reaction to an irritant (symptoms such as itchy nose, coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, skin rash), then it is better to temporarily abstain from the drink. Otherwise, allergic manifestations may worsen significantly.
Pregnancy. For expectant mothers who suffer from edema (especially in the third trimester), the doctor may limit the amount they drink. It should be borne in mind that the drink is also included in the absorbed liquid, so you should not get carried away with it during pregnancy.
Lactation. The juice of the “slender tree” increases lactation. Women who are breastfeeding should take this fact into account. If the child’s mother has an excess of milk, then it is better to abstain from the healing drink so as not to encounter lactostasis. Do not forget that liquid from wood can cause allergies in a child, so the maximum daily amount for a woman is 200 ml. If the baby has red spots on his cheeks or body (as a sign of diathesis), then you should completely abandon the juice.
Childhood. It is not recommended to give the drink to children under three years of age. From three to five years, the maximum daily dosage should not exceed 50 ml.

You should also know that if at least once in a person’s life a allergic reaction juice, then in the future it is not recommended to drink the drink at all. As for long-term storage, there is a certain nuance here: if improperly preserved, the use of such a product can lead to poisoning.

Birch sap with orange and lemon

The natural drink can be obtained from the tree only in the spring, which is why many housewives preserve it for the cold period of the year, since other methods of preparation ensure its preservation only until the end of June. To make the drink even tastier, you can use natural additives, for example, combining birch sap with orange and lemon.

The recipe is simple - you need to take three liters of natural juice, one orange and one lemon, a quarter cup of sugar, one and a half teaspoons of pharmaceutical mint and one of citric acid.

First you need to pour the juice into an enamel pan, put it on the fire and boil for several minutes. Sterilize a three-liter bottle, put all the above ingredients on the bottom (cut the orange and lemon together with the peel into rings). Carefully pour the birch liquid into a container, roll it up, turn it upside down and place it in a dry, warm place for several days.

Citrus notes will give an undeniable taste and aroma to spring birch sap.

Another tasty and healthy drink

Kvass is one of the popular drinks in Russian cuisine. But not many people know that it can be made from birch sap - you get a tasty and healthy refreshing drink without any chemicals.

Classic recipe for homemade kvass made from birch sap with raisins (step-by-step description):

Strain ten liters of freshly collected wood drink several times through cheesecloth folded in four.
Rinse the raisins thoroughly and place them on a dry towel to dry thoroughly.
It is best to prepare kvass in wooden barrels. If these are not available, then glass or enamel dishes will do.
Add 0.5 kg of sugar and 50 raisins to the strained juice, stir everything thoroughly.
Cover the vessel with the starter with a clean towel and leave in a warm place for three days. When finished, pour into small containers. The resulting fermentation product is stored in the refrigerator.

As we can see, it is very easy to make kvass from birch sap at home. Some housewives add oranges, mint, honey, coffee and other ingredients to the drink in addition to raisins.

At the end of the article, we can summarize and add that birch sap is not a panacea for diseases, but just a useful and unique tree liquid. Be content taste qualities, drink in small sips, feel the forest note of pleasure and always stay healthy!

Today, reliable scientific data on the beneficial properties of birch sap either does not exist at all, or they are hidden away from human eyes. Independent extraction of sap is treated as a crime, and if you ask a person what birch sap is, then the first thing he remembers will be a sweet and sour liquid, “packed” in a glass jar or tetra pack.

Of course, later, perhaps someone will remember trees with black and white bark, but that will be later. And this is somewhat alarming.

On the other hand, today is a time when a person learns about natural food products not in the forest, in a clearing or near a river, but in a store, studying the colorful labels of semi-finished products.

Well, what kind of health are we talking about here...

However, we have deviated greatly from main topic articles. After all, our the main task– find out what birch sap is, how it can be useful to us, how to prepare it and whether it should be stored for a long time.

So let's get started...

The benefits and harms of birch sap

Birch sap is a tree elixir of life that nourishes the birch throughout its existence.

This definition is far from scientific or even generally accepted, but we believe that it reflects the essence of birch sap, its main purpose and value. At the same time, despite such clearly defined biological role birch sap, it can nourish not only the tree, but also the human body. And with no less efficiency.

At first glance, birch sap is very similar to water, but it is not water at all. And the point here is not at all in the sweet taste, which is a peculiar “ business card» birch sap. In fact, the two liquids have different chemical compositions.

The maximum that water is capable of is saturation with minerals. Birch sap, in turn, contains minerals, vitamins, enzymes, phytoncides, fructose, tannins, organic acids, essential oils and, most likely, much more. Because even in our advanced age, not everything is visible through a microscope.

Thanks to such a rich composition, birch sap benefits everyone who is able to drink it. And this, not more, not little, is practically the entire population of our huge planet. The only exceptions are two categories of people:

those who were not lucky enough to “get at their disposal” an allergy to birch catkin pollen
healthy children under the age of six months who have the opportunity to feed on their mother’s breast milk (no one will give birch sap to sick children at this age either, but hypothetically it can help them too)

For everyone else, birch sap will be a good help in life, as it improves metabolic processes in the body, and with regular use can quite quickly remove a huge amount of toxins from the gastrointestinal tract and blood of a person.

In addition, birch sap is susceptible to all kinds of inorganic deposits (salts, trans fats, etc.), which are waiting in the wings in joints, internal organs, connective tissue and under the skin.

This effect on the body allows us to say with confidence that birch sap will be useful to everyone who has one or more diseases from the following list:

radiculitis, arthritis, rheumatism, gout
stones in the kidneys, urinary and gall bladder(it is imperative to start with small volumes of juice and constantly monitor the size and position of the stones)
functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys and other internal organs and systems
cardiovascular diseases
sore throat, cough, chronic runny nose, tuberculosis, acute respiratory infections and other diseases associated with the release of mucus and pus through the upper and lower respiratory tract
any oncology
any inflammatory processes in the body, and especially in the organs of the genitourinary system
intoxication of any origin
chronic fatigue, drowsiness and even depression

This is not a complete list of diseases and conditions for which raw, fresh birch sap is indicated. However, what we have here is not a medical encyclopedia, but just a small article about health. Therefore, this is where we will probably end the conversation about beneficial properties and diseases.

Let us only note that fresh, raw birch sap has the greatest healing cleansing power. Frozen raw juice will bring a little less benefit, and you will get very little benefit from all kinds of kvass, tinctures, industrial drinks called “Birch sap” and other products of industrial and home processing of this wonderful elixir.

How to collect birch sap

Getting acquainted with the technology of independently collecting birch sap should begin with answering the question WHERE it can be collected. Although, of course, purely physically, birch sap can be stored anywhere, including the Chernobyl “reserve”. Only the only juice that can benefit the body is juice that was collected away from any factories, cities, major roads (including railways) and agricultural fields.

Only in this case will birch sap be pure (without heavy metals, radionuclides, pesticides and other harmful chemical compounds), safe and nutritious.

You can collect birch sap from the moment the first buds swell on the birch trees until the first leaves appear. At the same time, in sunny meadows, collection can begin a little earlier than in the depths of the forest. True, the leaves bloom faster here than in the wilderness. Therefore, start from the clearings and gradually move to darker places.

You can check whether the juice has flowed out using a thin awl - pierce the bark and see if a drop of juice appears. If it appears, you can start collecting.

Trees should be selected based on the following parameters:

trunk thickness at chest level of an adult – at least 20 cm
developed “lush” crown

To cause minimal harm to the birch tree, a hole in the trunk should be made at an angle of about 45 degrees (to make it easier for the sap to drain), with a thin drill - no wider than 1 cm, no more than 3 cm deep. Curved pieces of tin, wood and plastic can be used as a groove tubes, medical systems etc. The main thing is that these grooves do not “enrich” the tree and the collected sap with harmful chemical elements and connections.

Each birch tree that meets the above criteria is capable of producing an average of 1 to 7 liters of sap. At the same time, the holes made are tightened over time, and we get less and less juice. We recommend not making the hole deeper, but simply changing the wood. Just be sure to treat the damaged area - seal the hole with garden pitch, wax or clay.

How to preserve birch sap (before winter, at home)

Fresh raw birch sap can be stored in a cold place for up to 2 days without compromising quality. After this time, and also when stored in a warm place, birch sap very quickly begins to sour. And here methods of long-term storage of birch sap come to our aid...

The ideal option for preserving birch sap until winter is to freeze it. Moreover, the juice needs to be frozen quickly, then everything useful will remain in it.

If there is no freezer, then you can “roll” birch sap into sterilized glass jars. To do this, it is heated to 80 °C, poured into jars and sealed with tin lids. After that, the sealed jars are kept in 85-degree water for 15 minutes and left to cool at room temperature.

You can also make birch concentrate. To do this, the juice is brought to a temperature of 60 °C and 75% of the total volume is evaporated. The remaining 25 percent of the concentrate is poured into sterilized jars and hermetically sealed. And before use, mix this concentrate with water.

What is prepared from birch sap?

Since the “discovery” of birch sap, people have come up with dozens of recipes for preparing tasty and healthy (although not always) drinks, which include all kinds of kvass, syrups, homemade wines, fruit cocktails, sweet “water” and others.

The simplest drink is obtained by mixing birch sap with fruit or vegetable juices. In any proportions - to taste.

Preparing birch kvass is a little more complicated (one of the options):
Fresh birch sap is poured into a glass bottle, a handful of raisins are added (at the rate of several per liter) and sugar (2 tsp per liter). If you wish, you can also throw a little lemon zest, fruit or berries into the bottle. After which the bottle must be tightly closed and placed in a cool place. In a few days, the kvass will be ready, but you can open it either immediately or after 2-3 months. It won't spoil.

Another option is birch-bread kvass:
Pour birch sap into any clean container (preferably in oak barrel), place a cloth bag with rye bread crumbs there and close the vessel. After a few days, the juice will ferment, and you can add dill stems, cherry leaves and oak bark to it. Then the future kvass is closed for at least 2 weeks. After which the vessel can be opened and the kvass can be drunk.

Medicinal drinks are also prepared from birch sap. Usually, for these purposes, birch sap is mixed with berries and honey.

For example, here is a recipe for making a birch-lingonberry drink:
The first step is to squeeze the juice out of 150 grams of lingonberries. Then put the pomace in a saucepan and pour in 1 liter of fresh birch sap. Keep this “compote” for 5 minutes in a water bath and cool. Mix with previously squeezed lingonberry juice and add a little honey (or a lot if you really like sweets). Drink according to your mood. The drink has a pronounced diuretic effect.

As we have already said, there are a great many recipes for such drinks - at least according to the recipe for berries. And if you remember about lemons, oranges and dried fruits, then during the spring you can provide yourself with a variety of drinks for the whole year. True, before this you will have to stock up well on berries and dried fruits...

Birch sap is famous for its healing properties. You can either find it on store shelves in jars or strain it yourself from trees. Or purchase from enthusiasts who do this. But is birch sap as beneficial as is commonly believed? We will help you deal with this issue!

Benefit

The beneficial properties of birch sap are numerous. This is an affordable drink that can help cope with various diseases and improve health. Among the effects it has on the human body:

Improvement of the gastrointestinal tract, normalization of stool.
Treatment of diseases of the throat and respiratory tract, used in traditional medicine recipes.
Anti-inflammatory effect, the juice is even suitable for rinsing the mouth.
Preventing dental caries.
Relieving migraines.
Diuretic effect, relieving swelling.
Removing toxins from the liver and kidneys.
Promotes the breakdown of stones in the urinary and gall bladders.
Antioxidant effect, calms the nervous system.
Prevention of tumor development, cancer prevention.
Increased potency for men.
Relief unpleasant symptoms menopause for older women.
Positive effect on hematopoiesis.

Birch sap can be drunk to improve the condition in the presence of many diseases: radiculitis, arthritis, diseases of the genitourinary system, circulatory pathologies vascular system, ailments of the gallbladder, liver and others. The product has a positive effect on almost all systems and organs. At the same time, you can drink it at any age; it will be equally useful for representatives of both sexes.

Harm

In most cases, drinking birch sap does not cause the slightest harm to human health. Negative consequences Only patients with stomach ulcers should be wary: drinking can aggravate the condition, especially during exacerbations of the pathology.

People with individual intolerance should also avoid juice (this is rare, but the drink is not completely hypoallergenic). It can manifest itself as unpleasant rashes on the skin. If they appear, you should stop using and consult your doctor. The allergy manifests itself mainly as a rash; complications will only be caused by abuse of the product if it is present.

Dietary properties

Due to its low calorie content and complete absence of fat in its composition, birch sap becomes a dietary drink. It can be included in a menu aimed at losing weight. Improving metabolism allows you to burn fat better, so it is recommended to drink birch sap at the time of a dietary plateau. When the weight doesn't come off proper nutrition, the process can be stimulated in this way.

Calorie content

The calorie content of birch sap is very low: only 24 kcal per 100 ml. There are no fats at all, a small part is occupied by carbohydrates and proteins, which turns it into a natural dietary drink. The nutritional value is low, but the refreshing properties are high.

Contraindications

Contraindications for use are minimal:

Individual intolerance to juice.
Allergy to birch pollen.
Exacerbation of gastric ulcer.

In all other cases, you can use birch sap with almost no restrictions. You should not drink several liters at once - the body will respond with nausea and vomiting, just like with plain water. And if your health suddenly worsens after consuming it, it is better to consult a specialist. Perhaps there is an intolerance, but you were not aware of it.

Is it possible for pregnant and lactating women

The medicinal properties of birch sap will be useful for both pregnant and lactating women. Drinking helps improve general state health, and also has an important anti-edematous effect for pregnant women. Toxins in the body are not retained, cleansing occurs and increases protective functions body. This is beneficial for both the mother and the fetus. The beneficial substances of the juice enter the breast milk, and with it - into the body of the newborn. The positive effect affects the health of both.

The nutritional value

Birch sap consists almost entirely of water. It contains a minimal amount of proteins and carbohydrates and is completely free of fats. This is a dietary drink that can partially replace water, tea and other juices in your diet. Benefits for the human body are provided by a unique chemical composition.

The chemical composition includes a variety of tannins, fruit sugars, vitamins and useful to the body microelements. Organic acids and essential oils are present (in small quantities). Due to the constituent components, the overall tone of the body increases, the immune system is strengthened, and metabolism improves. Birch liquid is also suitable for external use.

How to use

Many people drink birch sap in its pure form. The taste is refreshing, reminiscent of water, but with light hints of sweetness and woody undertones. It becomes especially relevant on hot days, because it easily quenches thirst and helps retain mineral salts in the body that come out with sweat. But if it seems too bland, you can prepare mixtures with other freshly squeezed fruit juices. Or add lemon and honey. You can prepare kvass based on birch liquid; some even make homemade wine.

The juice is made from:

Kvass. With the addition of raisins and a little sugar.
Syrup. Obtained by evaporation. Can be added to other drinks.
Multivitamin natural juices. Mixes well with citrus and other fruits.

External use

Birch sap is also used to treat wounds. It has an anti-inflammatory effect and promotes speedy healing. External damage is treated with undiluted drink. Lotions and compresses can be made based on it.

Cosmetic masks are prepared with birch sap, designed to delay the natural aging process of the skin. Used to wipe the skin, frozen in the freezer. Rinse hair to strengthen it and improve the water balance of the scalp. Such rinses help cope with dandruff. Additionally, masks and balms are prepared for hair to help cope with dryness and hair loss, improve its condition and give a healthy appearance.

Storage

The shelf life of birch sap is as short as possible. It can be stored for only two days in a glass container in the refrigerator. But to extend the period, you can freeze it and keep it in the freezer. Therefore, if you do not have the opportunity to receive a liter of fresh birch sap daily, do small stocks. But this method of storage is relevant only if you take it as a course for health purposes or use it for cosmetic procedures. Liters of juice take up a lot of space, so don’t stock up if you’re not sure you’ll use it all in a short time.

The juice you can find in stores is canned. You can also preserve juice at home. Preservation significantly increases shelf life, retaining most of the beneficial properties. But in terms of efficiency, fresh still wins.

Conservation

To preserve 7 liters of birch sap, you will need to take:

a little dried mint or half a medium-sized lemon;
half a teaspoon of citric acid;
10 tablespoons of granulated sugar.

Boil the juice, add additional ingredients, do not forget to stir and skim off the foam. Keep the mixture on the fire for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, strain through cheesecloth, pour into prepared jars and roll up. The jars must be pre-sterilized, otherwise the products will deteriorate during storage.

You can keep rolled birch sap for two years. After opening the can, you need to drink the drink within five days, storing it in the refrigerator. Therefore, it makes sense to roll it in small, rather than three-liter jars.

How to choose

You can get the juice yourself. Liquid is formed in birches in the spring. And many “hunters” for juice go to collect it. The main rules for self-collection:

Choose old rather than young birch trees.
Drill a hole about 3 cm deep in the wood.
Insert a thin plastic hose into the hole, the other part of which is lowered into the prepared container.
Do not collect more than a liter from one tree.
After collecting, fill the hole with moss or wax.

By following these simple rules, you will collect a lot of sap and not particularly harm the trees. They will recover quickly. You should not treat them barbarously or choose young trees: they may not withstand such pumping and die. Respect nature and strain the juice carefully!

If you don’t want to go into the forest on your own and “milk” a birch tree, you can do something simpler: buy it from pickers. Or look on store shelves. If you buy it in a store, be sure to look at the expiration date. Determining freshness and quality is otherwise problematic because the juice looks like a clear liquid. Self-collection is the most reliable option for obtaining high-quality refreshing drink with high content useful elements.

What goes with it?

You can combine birch sap with lemon and honey. Refreshing medicinal drinks that are pleasant to the taste are prepared from these components. You can mix it with other fruit juices, depending solely on your own taste. But it’s better to take freshly squeezed juices rather than diluted boxed ones. Infusions based on mint and rosehip, which are popular in folk medicine, are also often prepared with birch sap.

Conclusion

Birch sap, collected from trees in the forests in the spring, is known for its beneficial properties. It quenches thirst, strengthens the immune system, contains absolutely no fat and is a dietary drink. And it has virtually no contraindications other than allergies and gastric exacerbations. The main disadvantage of drinking short term storage, forcing it to be promptly frozen or canned.

Do you know that birch sap is very healthy and you can drink it? From mid-March to early May, in the vast expanses of Russian forests, the gentle rays of the sun awaken the main natural symbol country - birch: sap begins to flow from the roots of the tree up the entire crown. Travel times depend on the region and weather conditions. In Siberia, in the North-West of the country, and in Middle lane now, in the second half of April most best time drinkBirch juice- a storehouse of useful vitamins, micro-macroelements and amino acids.

Birch sap, is it possible to take it from the birch tree?

I foresee a question from ecologists or people who are jealous of nature: why collect birch sap, thereby harming the tree? I am also against industrial sap collection and careless, sometimes barbaric treatment of trees, leading to their death.

However, an adult birch tree can produce from 1 liter to 3 liters (no more than 1 liter per day) of sap without harming its health. It's like donors donating a portion of blood for good. human life and for the body’s own renewal. Often the white-trunks themselves cry, losing drops of juice that are transparent, like tears, because remember:

“Juice appears on the white trunks -

Now the birches are crying, now the birches are crying...”

Today, birch sap is classified as a biologically pure product that has benefits and its cost exceeds 100 rubles. for 1 liter. Exotic or unique benefit? Let's see why the juice of white-trunked beauties is so rich.

Composition of birch sap

Birch juice- a physiological solution that nourishes the tree and promotes the formation of foliage and ensures its life. And it’s already clear what it will be useful composition not only for the tree, but also for humans, and it also tastes good. It does not have a pronounced taste; it is a cool, slightly sweetish liquid with a slight sourness, reminiscent of spring water.

Birch sap contains the following components:

Proteins;
, the same one that is found mainly only in animal products. This is precisely what makes birch sap especially useful.
Organic acids, enzymes, aromatics, tannins that improve metabolism and help eliminate carcinogens and toxins. Phytoelement saponin in juice reduces .
Fruit sugars.
Microelements and their salts: potassium, magnesium, sodium, copper, manganese. The juice is especially rich in potassium, which blocks sodium, reducing swelling and improving the functioning of the heart muscle.

There is an opinion that in its composition birch is close to, the benefits of which have already been discussed.

Birch sap: benefits

The juice perfectly replenishes the balance of vitamins in the body and resists.
Strengthens, reducing risk.
The juice regulates the acidity of gastric juice, therefore it is prescribed to patients with gastritis with low acidity. It has a rare ability to scar the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines caused by ulcers.
Strengthens metabolic processes in the body, relieves depression.
Cleanses the blood well gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, eliminates waste and toxins, relieves swelling, and is a natural diuretic.
Birch sap is recommended for sore throat, bronchitis, and pneumonia. You can just gargle with it
Birch elixir is used in the treatment of joint diseases, arthritis, arthrosis, and salt deposits.
Helps with furunculosis, neurodermatitis, eczema, and other skin and hair problems.
Thanks to low calorie, V 100 grams only 25 kcal at great benefit, used in weight loss diets.
The juice is useful for women during menopause as it reduces blood pressure, and mitigating the symptoms of this period. Eliminates fatigue, lethargy and gives strength.
It occupies a leading position in cosmetology: it is added to creams, masks, and lotions. Rubs into hair.

When to collect birch sap

Birch sap usually begins to be extracted after the vernal equinox (March 21) immediately after the snow melts. It all depends on the weather, the tree senses it subtly. The beginning of the movement of juice can be checked by making a light cut along the trunk. If there is juice, a drop of it will immediately appear. So, we can start collecting. When choosing a location, it is important to consider the following points:

The most useful is considered to be clear juice collected in the middle of the sap flow period. As the buds open, the juice becomes cloudy and bitter and can no longer be consumed.
They collect birch sap far from the city so that there is no highway nearby, otherwise the sap will be of no use.
It is better to choose a birch tree on a hill, in the depths of the forest, where it wakes up a little later, such sap is sweeter.
The tree must be mature, with a trunk at least 20 cm thick and thick bark. But it is better to neglect trees that are too old; the sap in them is also bitter and almost tasteless.
The collection is carried out in clear sunny weather, then the best movement of the juice. In the dark, the movement stops and the tree also falls asleep.

How to collect birch sap correctly without harming the tree

It is important to collect birch sap correctly so as not to harm the tree and at the same time obtain the sap in full volume

At a height of about 1 meter, a hole is made with a sharp knife or drill with a diameter of 5-8 ml. Under no circumstances should you cut the bark with an ax or make large cuts - this can destroy the tree! Do not make more than 3 holes in one trunk.
The sap flows between the bark and the wood, so there is no need to drill deep, just pierce the bark layer.
Insert a plastic juice tube, a wooden stick, a metal tube in the form of a drain into the hole, securing a thick thread or rope at the end, or you can use a medical dropper, remove the needle from it and insert the spout into the hole. The juice will begin to flow down them plastic bottle or a glass jar.
The volume of sap should not exceed more than a liter per day - the same amount that birch can restore without loss. It is better to use several trees.
Don’t forget to cover the hole in the tree with clay after finishing collecting, plug it with grass, a stick or garden pitch, taking it with you in advance.

If you went to the forest and did not take with you any equipment for collecting birch sap, you can cut a branch and hang a bottle on a twig, the sap will flow down it. You can hang several bottles on several branches at once like this:

How to take birch sap for health benefits

It is better to drink juice fresh, it contains more vitamins and nutrients. Fresh juice should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than three days. You can preserve the juice, but as you understand, all its benefits end there. But it’s better to freeze the juice, this way it retains its properties better.

You can drink it with milk, making cocktails with the addition of citrus juice or mint leaves. But I think it’s best to drink the juice neat, enjoying its clear moisture.

How to store birch sap

It is better to drink the juice immediately when you receive it. If you can’t get it often, you can stock up for future use and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This juice is the healthiest. If there is a lot of juice, you need to think about how to store it.

Freezing juice in the freezer

The most convenient and reliable way to store birch sap is to turn it into ice. And this method helps preserve all the beneficial substances. So feel free to pour the juice into molds and put it in the freezer; as needed, you can take out the mold, melt it and drink it.

Canning birch sap

You can preserve birch sap in glass jars, but the process requires heating the sap to the boiling point, at which most vitamins are killed. Of course, some of the benefits of the juice remain, so this method is acceptable, but you should know that it will no longer retain all the benefits of the juice.

Heat the juice to a temperature of 80 degrees and pour it into clean, sterile, preheated glass jars and close with a sterilized metal lid. We wrap the jars with a warm blanket and leave them like this for 6-8 hours. Then we cool the jars and put them in a cold room or refrigerator. This way we preserve all the beneficial properties of birch sap.

Birch sap: harm

those suffering from pollen allergies,
urolithiasis,
stomach ulcer during an exacerbation.

Birch sap treatment recipes

Treatment with birch sap is quite affordable and enjoyable. Birch sap helps:

At chronic For sore throat, drink 1 glass of fresh birch sap every morning.

For coughs, it is good to take birch sap half diluted with warm milk.

Take off gout attacks, a recipe for birch balsam will help improve kidney function:

Take 100 ml of alcohol for 1 liter of juice and store in bottles or jars. Take balm 50 g three times a day before meals 20 minutes.

For increase hemoglobin: Mix birch sap in equal parts with apple, carrot or beet sap. Take 50 ml (this is about 1 shot glass) 15 minutes before meals 3 times a day, for 2-3 weeks.

To cleanse the body, in particular the kidneys of sand, in the treatment of gastrointestinal tract, joint problems and other diseases, take 1 glass of juice three times a day 20 minutes before meals for 2 weeks.

Conclusion

Birch for a Russian person it is a symbol of bright sadness, dear to the heart and soul. The image of a white-trunked beauty, tender, flexible, slender, is sung in poetry and songs. And the birch forests are amazingly light, soulful, bewitching. Let us take care of them and use with caution the gifts that they give us, like all of Mother Nature.

And everyone should try real birch sap at least once in their life... Now you know how healthy birch sap is.

I suggest watching a video sketch of picturesque natural places and listening to the song “I’m in spring forest drank birch sap." Author of music and lyrics: Evgeniy Danilovich Agranovich.

Open to us, Fatherland, your open spaces,

Open the treasured thickets inadvertently -

And just like before, they give me something to drink

Birch sap, birch sap!

M. Matusovsky

Views