What is included in birch sap. Birch sap contraindications. Freezing juice in the freezer

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 content 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 nutrients in the drink is as follows: 0.1 g, 5.8 g, none.

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

If we talk about vitamins, then the nectar of the "white-skinned" tree is a storehouse, 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 and. 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 (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 burden on the kidneys and helps to avoid edema. In addition, potassium improves the supply of oxygen to brain tissue.

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 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 to the mixture. Mix thoroughly and take this mixture in half a glass three times a day.

Another recipe is as follows: mince three together with the peel and pour them with 500 ml of birch sap. Leave the mixture in a cool place for 48 hours. After that, add a teaspoon 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 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 powder into 100 ml of warm milk. Add a pre-beaten egg there, pour in 60 g, 30 g and pour in 12 g. 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 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.

In order to restore freshness to oily hair, prepare a mixture of two tablespoons of birch sap, a tablespoon of honey and a teaspoon. Pour 250 ml 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 properly 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.

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 decoction and 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, birch sap is also prepared.

Cooking birch kvass with raisins

To prepare a drink, you will need the following ingredients: 10 liters of birch sap, 0.5 kg and 50 berries.

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, half a dessert spoon 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 ​​\u200b\u200bwith 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.

Birch sap, birch tree is a drink that has a beneficial effect on the entire human body. The benefits of birch sap were noticed by our ancestors, and the secrets of birch sap treatment are passed down from generation to generation. Birch sap has a healing composition, because birch is one of the most medicinal trees in our country. Read about the benefits of birch sap below.

In the spring, for about three weeks, the birch shares its “tears” with us and helps a person heal the body. The secret and popularity of birch sap is that the forces accumulated during the winter in the birch trunk are given to humans with birch sap.

Composition of birch sap

Birch sap contains sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose), organic acids, enzymes and substances with high antimicrobial activity (phytoncides). There is also a lot in birch sap and mineral elements that the body weakened by spring hypovitaminosis needs. Having drunk birch sap, we replenish the body with a supply of potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper.

Properties of birch sap

• Since birch sap contains enzymes and biological stimulants, it strengthens the immune system.
• Potassium, calcium, magnesium, contained in birch sap - are necessary for the normal functioning of the heart.
• Tannins of birch sap - have an anti-inflammatory effect.
• Easily digestible sugars are good for brain function.

The properties of birch sap make it an indispensable tool for healing the human body and strengthening the immune system.

What are the benefits of birch sap

Spring birch sap can be considered one of the best dietary remedies. Systematic taking birch sap has a tonic effect. If you drink at least a glass of birch sap a day, you will feel more cheerful and energetic. Drowsiness, depression, fatigue will disappear.

The benefits of birch sap and that birch sap is a good tonic for a variety of diseases. Among other things, it has a diuretic effect, stimulates kidney function. Birch juice promotes the release of uric acid, increases diuresis. It is useful for people with kidney and urinary tract diseases. Birch juice strengthens the strength of those who have lung disease, arthritis or bronchitis. However, people with urolithiasis and stomach ulcers should consult a doctor before expecting benefits from drinking birch sap.

Birch sap is recommended to drink with skin problems - eczema, lichen, furunculosis. Rinse with birch sap throat with angina, proven benefits birch sap in the complex treatment of headache, cough, joint diseases. birch sap the ability to purify the blood and remove toxic substances is inherent, therefore it is real benefits of birch sap with intoxication of the body. Also Birch juice alleviates the condition of infectious diseases.

Undoubtedly, benefits of birch sap is obvious, but it is worth understanding: this juice is not a medicine, but a good supporting agent donated by nature, which should be used in complex treatment.

Harm of birch sap

Birch sap can be harmful if: collected near highways, collected in the city, in a place with unfavorable ecology. Also, birch sap can be harmful to those who are allergic to birch pollen!

The benefits of birch sap - folk recipes

What does birch sap treat, how to be treated with birch sap, what diseases does birch sap treat... Recipes for treatment with birch sap were collected and preserved by our ancestors. The people were often treated with birch sap.

Anemia - treatment with birch sap
Birch sap contains a large amount of vitamins, microelements, including iron and natural sugar, so it is indicated for low hemoglobin levels.
Mix fresh birch sap in equal proportions with apple, carrot or beetroot and you will get a remedy that effectively increases hemoglobin. Take 50 ml (this is about 1 stack) 15 minutes before meals 3 times a day, during the entire time of birch sap flow.

Reduced immunity - treatment with birch sap
A drink consisting of birch sap, milk (in equal proportions) and with the addition of a small amount of starch perfectly helps to raise immunity.

Tumors - treatment with birch sap
In the presence of various tumors, traditional medicine recommends mixing 2 parts of birch sap with 2 parts of yarrow grass juice, 2 parts of carrot juice, 1 part of hemlock grass juice, 1 part of St. Take 1 tablespoon in the morning on an empty stomach with milk, and 1 tablespoon at night with milk.

Diseases of the digestive system - treatment with birch sap
With heartburn and gastritis with low acidity, dyskinesia of the biliary tract, exacerbation of peptic ulcer, with flatulence and chronic inflammation of the pancreas, birch sap is taken as follows: 50 ml in pure form or diluted with warm boiled water in a ratio of 2: 1 - drink per day.

High blood pressure - treatment with birch sap
For hypertension with high blood pressure, accompanied by swelling, pain in the heart, headache and dizziness, drink 1/2 cup of birch sap 2 times a day. The juice acts as a mild diuretic, removing excess moisture from the body.

Diseases of blood vessels and joints - treatment with birch sap
The diuretic function of birch sap, coupled with an anti-inflammatory effect, makes it possible to consider it as a good remedy for arthritis, arthrosis, gout, rheumatism, varicose veins of the legs, and trophic ulcers. In this case, the juice should be drunk 50 ml in pure form or diluted with water in a ratio of 2:1 3 times a day, half an hour before meals. The effect of therapy will be enhanced if you drink a glass of warm milk on an empty stomach and before going to bed.

Pulmonary diseases - treatment with birch sap
For bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, birch sap is drunk as follows: 75-100 ml 2 times a day. For colds (pharyngitis, laryngitis) and tonsillitis, birch sap, in pure form or diluted with warm water, is useful on an empty stomach and gargle after each meal. At high temperatures, birch sap can also be used as a local antipyretic - in pure form or with cold water (2: 1). Gauze or cotton flaps are moistened in juice, slightly squeezed and applied to the elbows, armpits and inguinal areas, under the knees, wrapped around the ankles and wrists and changed as they dry until the patient's temperature subsides.

Skin diseases - treatment with birch sap
As an external agent, birch sap is used for eczema, neurodermatitis, psoriasis, furunculosis, acne, fungal diseases and poorly healing wounds. In these cases, birch sap is used in the form of washings, rubbing, lotions, compresses on problem areas and places. The external action of the juice can be duplicated by ingestion in its pure form, 75-100 ml before meals and at night.

Diseases of the genitourinary system - treatment with birch sap
In diseases of the kidneys - chronic pyelonephritis, the presence of sand or small pebbles - birch sap should be drunk daily on an empty stomach, 1 cup undiluted.
With urolithiasis and cholelithiasis, birch sap should be taken with caution, first finding out the composition and size of the stones. Otherwise, being a strong "stone-cutting" agent, birch sap can drive a large stone into a narrow duct and provoke colic. However, this applies only to stones of oxalate and uric acid origin. But birch sap, on the contrary, dissolves phosphate and carbonate stones, only for this you need to drink it for at least 3 months, 1 glass on an empty stomach and an hour before bedtime.

Hair loss - treatment with birch sap
If you began to notice that your hair was weakened and began to fall out, then rubbing a mixture of birch sap with vodka and a decoction of burdock root in equal parts into the scalp will help stop this process. Birch sap also helps to fight dandruff, for this you need to wash your hair with birch sap.

Going for a walk in the forest, do not forget to collect birch sap. This is a real elixir of beauty and health!

Health

From the point of view of herbal medicine, birch sap is one of the best natural remedies for improving metabolism. Despite the fact that birch sap differs little from water, it ferments well and has a positive effect on the functioning of the stomach.

A transparent sweetish drink is recommended for people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It has a beneficial effect in diseases of the liver, inflammation of the duodenum, ulcers and low acidity, diseases of the gallbladder.

In diseases of the genitourinary system, birch sap is also useful. Regular intake allows you to get rid of kidney stones and bladder stones, is indicated for venereal diseases.

Diseases of the joints and spine, such as sciatica, rheumatism, arthritis, as well as respiratory tract infections (bronchitis, tuberculosis) are also successfully treated with birch sap.

Since ancient times, the juice was also used as an anthelmintic and diuretic, it is useful to drink it for those who suffer from various tumors and headaches.

With chronic rhinitis, fresh birch sap is drunk every morning, 1 glass. For coughs and colds - take it warm, diluted with milk and adding a small amount of flour or starch.

Birch sap is an indispensable assistant for spring beriberi. It contains vitamins, fruit sugar, organic acids, tannins, more than 10 enzymes, phytoncides with antimicrobial properties. With the help of birch sap, depression, absent-mindedness and lack of vitamins can be overcome.

Cosmetology

Birch sap is widely used in cosmetology. Your skin and hair will thank you so much for not forgetting about them!

Leather

Birch sap can temporarily replace cosmetic foam and tonic, as this product perfectly refreshes and cleanses the skin. To do this, simply wash your face with juice in the morning.

Birch sap, unfortunately, is not stored for a long time, even in the refrigerator. If you want to extend the season of use, freeze the juice in ice cube trays. Rub this ice on your face, neck and décolleté. Get good cleansing, hydration and toning.

For dull and tired facial skin, you can make a mask based on birch sap. To do this, buy white or blue clay at the pharmacy, dilute it with birch sap to the consistency of thick cream, apply on your face for 15-20 minutes. Wash off the mask also with birch sap. Repeat the procedure twice a week.

A cream mask will help saturate the skin with energy and vitamins, as well as smooth fine wrinkles. To prepare it, mix 200 g of sea buckthorn, 50 g of wheat germ and 2 tbsp. l. birch sap.

Hair

Birch sap will also replace hair conditioner balm. After shampooing, rinse your hair with juice. This simple procedure will help restore strength and shine to your hair.

If you are tired of caring for oily hair, prepare a birch lotion. Mix 2 tbsp. birch sap with 1 tbsp. l. honey and 1 tsp. table salt. Pour the liquid into a dark glass jar. Add 1 glass of vodka and mix thoroughly. Put the lotion in a dark place for 10 days.

You can prepare a nourishing hair mask. To do this, mix birch sap and burdock oil in a ratio of 3: 1. Wrap your head with polyethylene and wrap with a terry towel. Wash your hair with your usual shampoo after 20 minutes. The mask will restore hair strength and shine.

How to use and store juice

Drink juice should be fresh 1 glass 3-4 times a day half an hour before the main meal. Or instead of drinking water. On the juice you can also cook compotes, kissels, coffee, make tea and cereals.

By itself, birch sap is stored very little. Juice can be stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator for no longer than 2-3 days. But if you preserve the juice or make kvass from it, then it will stand for a few more months.

When and how to collect

Birch sap is collected from March to April, when there are no leaves on the branches yet, but they should appear soon. Usually the period of sap flow lasts 2-3 weeks.

For the selection of juice, a tree of at least 20 cm in diameter is chosen. In a small area about 20 cm from the ground, the trunk is cleaned from the bark (a small square is cut off), and then a hole is drilled no deeper than 3-4 cm.

A wooden container is placed under the stream for collection. You can also substitute a bottle or a jar, and direct the stream with a straw or a bandage twisted into a tourniquet.

The most "fruitful" hours for collecting birch sap are between noon and 18 o'clock, it is at this time that the movement of sap is most active.

After the sap is collected, be sure to close the holes so that bacteria do not get in there, because of which the plant can get sick and wither. Holes can be covered with wax, a piece of moss, or even plasticine.

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

Birch sap, is it possible to take it from a birch?

I foresee the question of ecologists or people who are zealous about nature: why collect birch sap, causing harm to the tree? I am also against industrial sap harvesting and inaccurate, sometimes barbaric treatment of trees, leading to their death.

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

“Juice appears on white trunks -

Now the birch trees are crying, then the birch trees 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 what the juice of white-barreled beauties is so rich in.

Composition of birch sap

Birch juice- a saline solution that nourishes the tree and promotes the formation of foliage and provides it with life. And it is already clear that this will be a useful composition not only for a tree, but also for a person, and besides, it also tastes good. It does not have a pronounced taste, it is a cool, slightly sweet liquid with a slight sourness, reminiscent of spring water.

Birch sap contains the following components:

• Proteins;
• , the one that is found mainly only in animal products. This is 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.
• Trace elements and their salts: potassium, magnesium, sodium, copper, manganese. Especially the juice is rich in potassium, which blocks sodium, reducing swelling, 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

1. Juice perfectly replenishes the balance of vitamins in the body and resists.
2. Strengthens , reducing risk .
3. Juice regulates the acidity of gastric juice, therefore it is prescribed for patients with gastritis with low acidity. It has a rare ability to scar the lining of the stomach and intestines caused by ulcers.
4. Enhances metabolic processes in the body, relieves depression.
5. Well cleanses the blood, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, eliminates toxins and toxins, relieves swelling, is a natural diuretic.
6. Birch sap is recommended for sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia. You can just gargle
7. Birch elixir is used in the treatment of diseases of the joints, arthritis, arthrosis, salt deposits.
8. Helps with furunculosis, neurodermatitis, eczema, and other skin and hair problems.
9. Thanks to low calorie, V 100 grams only 25 kcal with great benefit, it is used in diets for weight loss.
10. Juice is useful for women during menopause, as it lowers blood pressure and alleviates the symptoms of this period. Eliminates fatigue, lethargy and gives strength.
11. In cosmetology, it occupies a leading position: it is added to the composition of creams, masks, and lotions. Rubbed into hair.

When to collect birch sap

Birch sap is usually mined after the spring equinox (March 21) immediately with the snow melting. It all depends on the weather, the tree feels it subtly. The beginning of the movement of the juice can be checked by making a light incision along the trunk. If there is juice, a drop of it will immediately appear. So you can start collecting. When choosing a place, it is important to consider the following points:

• The most useful is the clear juice collected in the middle of the sap flow period. With the buds open, the juice becomes cloudy, bitter and can no longer be consumed.
• They collect birch sap far from the city, so that the highway does not pass nearby, otherwise there will be no benefit in the sap.
• It is better to choose a birch on a hill, in the depths of the forest, where it wakes up a little later, such juice is sweeter.
• The tree must be mature, with a trunk thickness of at least 20 cm with thick bark. But it is better to neglect too old trees, the juice in them is also bitter and almost tasteless.
• Collection is carried out in clear sunny weather, then the best movement of the juice. In the dark, the movement stops, 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 get the juice in full

1. At a height of about 1 meter, a hole is made with a sharp knife or a drill with a diameter of 5-8 ml. In no case do not chop the bark with an ax and make large cuts - this can destroy the tree! Do not make more than 3 holes in one barrel.
2. The juice goes between the bark and the wood, so there is no need to drill deeply, it is enough to break through the bark layer.
3. Insert a plastic tube from the juice, a wood stick, a metal tube in the form of a drain into the hole, fastening a thick thread, a rope at the end, or you can use a medical dropper by removing the needle from it and inserting it into the hole with the spout. On them, the juice will begin to drain into a plastic bottle or glass jar.
4. The volume of juice should not exceed more than a liter per day - the same amount that birch is able to restore without loss. It is better to use several trees.
5. Do not forget to cover the hole in the tree with clay after finishing the collection, 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 devices for collecting birch sap, you can cut a branch and hang a bottle on a knot, the juice will flow down it. You can hang several bottles at once on several knots like this:

How to take birch sap for health benefits

It is better to drink juice fresh, it has more vitamins and nutrients. Fresh juice is stored in the refrigerator for no more than three days. You can preserve the juice, but as you know, all its benefits end there. But it is better to freeze the juice, so it retains its properties more.

You can drink it with milk, making cocktails with the addition of citrus juice or mint leaves. But I think that it is best to drink pure juice, enjoying its transparent moisture.

How to store birch sap

It is best to drink the juice as soon as you receive it. If it is not possible to get it often, you can stock up for future use and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This juice is the best. If there is a lot of juice, you need to think about how to save 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 to preserve all the useful substances. So feel free to pour the juice into molds and send it to the freezer, as needed, you can get the mold, melt and drink.

Birch sap canning

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

We heat the juice to a temperature of 80 degrees and pour it into clean sterile preheated glass jars and close it with a sterilized metal lid. We wrap the jars with a warm blanket and so stand for 6-8 hours. Then we cool the jars and send them to a cold room or refrigerator. So we save all the beneficial properties of birch sap.

Birch sap: harm

• those who are allergic to pollen,
• urolithiasis,
• stomach ulcer during exacerbation.

Birch sap treatment recipes

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

At chronic, sore throats drink fresh birch sap every morning, 1 glass.

From cough it is good to take birch sap, half diluted with warm milk.

Perhaps there is no drink in our country that a Russian person would treat with the same trepidation as birch sap. As soon as the drops start ringing and the buds swell on the trees, we happily hurry to the forest, where the real sacrament unfolds - the spring sap flow.

It is easy to understand that the birch has begun to give juice - just make a small incision on the tree trunk, and the first droplets will immediately appear from under the bark. As a rule, a birch 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, and also on the time of day (at night the tree “rests”, and the main sap flow falls on 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 birches, the sap flow stops.

Since childhood, we love birch sap for its invariably pleasant taste. But having matured, we begin to appreciate this natural gift for the incredible benefits that it gives to each of us. And in order 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 figure out the benefits and harms of birch sap.

To fully understand what kind of natural storehouse this nutrient moisture is, consider its chemical composition. Birch sap is really unique, because it contains vitamins (C, B1 and B12) necessary for the body, minerals (sodium and nickel, magnesium and iron, manganese and potassium), tannins and acids, fructose and essential oils, saponins and phytoncides, and also the unique organic compound betulin, which is called the "cure for death." Is it any wonder that such a drink, which is given to us by beautiful birch trees, has a healing effect on the body.

What is useful birch sap

You can talk about the benefits of this unique juice for a long time. From time immemorial, our ancestors used birch sap as a natural immunostimulant, which perfectly restored strength and helped in strengthening the body after illnesses. Modern research fully confirms the guesses of past generations. According to them, if you drink juice a glass 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 strength person. Birch sap has diuretic, anthelmintic, antitumor effects.

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

1. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

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 gallbladder. Moreover, when ingested, birch sap eliminates inflammatory processes and anesthetizes, improves appetite and restores intestinal microflora.

2. Pathologies of the urinary system

It is impossible not to say that birch sap is famous for its diuretic properties, thanks to which it is considered one of the best folk remedies for eliminating bladder stones. To combat this ailment, healers advise drinking fresh juice 6 glasses a day. Stones in this case will be crushed, and leave the body with minimal pain.

3. Rheumatic diseases

Not many people know that fresh juice is an effective remedy for the pain of rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Moreover, this life-giving moisture perfectly cleanses the vessels of cholesterol plaques, preventing the development of atherosclerosis. And this drink is 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. Diseases of the respiratory system

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

5. Diabetes

Birch sap is also prescribed for "diabetics", although in this case it is necessary to take it in combination with other drugs and subject to a strict diet. For this purpose, a medicinal drink is prepared, which includes 70% birch sap (infused for two days), and 30% blackberry and currant juices, blueberries and raspberries, taken in equal proportions. Only a qualified doctor has the right to prescribe the dosage and duration of the medication. Let's just say that the treatment of diabetes mellitus with herbal remedies must necessarily be carried out under medical supervision with regular laboratory tests.

6. Slimming

Recently, birch sap can often be found in weight loss diets. This drink really helps to get rid of body fat, since it is a low-calorie product that has a large set of useful substances, and besides, it improves the metabolism in the body, speeding up metabolism.

7. Anemia

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

8. Intoxication of the body

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

9. Colds

But this natural wealth not only purifies the blood. It increases sweating, thereby bringing down the heat (when used together with rose hips and lemon juice). With these properties, birch sap is ideal for treating colds, as well as for preventing respiratory diseases and flu.

10. Avitaminosis

It must be said that the whole variety of chemical elements is collected in valuable birch sap, which means that such a drink is ideal for preventing spring beriberi and combating the existing deficiency of vitamins and minerals.

Finally, let's say that in addition to internal use, birch sap is also used externally. They can rinse the throat, 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. And 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 them silky and shiny, significantly improve the structure, remove dandruff, wash your hair with birch sap for 2 weeks and rinse with infusion of birch leaves.

Skin problems

No less effective is birch sap 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 have acne, suffer from scabies, or cannot get rid of age spots, rub the skin with the juice in question every morning and evening. And in parallel with external use, be sure to take birch sap inside, because this is an excellent remedy that will fight skin diseases “from the inside”.

Fight against skin aging

To maximize the youthfulness of the skin, it is necessary to prepare birch ice. Just freeze the liquid in small square molds and wipe the skin of the face and décolleté daily with such ice cubes.

Nourishing face mask

First, wipe your face with a cotton swab with 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 wash off the mixture with boiled water, the effect will pleasantly surprise you.

How to take birch sap

Despite the seeming harmlessness, birch sap should be taken for medicinal purposes only after consulting a specialist. In this case, in the event of any side effects (such as digestive problems or allergic reactions), treatment with this remedy should be stopped immediately.

For all diseases in which an individual dosage of birch sap is not indicated, a “universal” dosage should be used, namely 3 cups / day. Some recipes involve diluting the juice before use, for example, in case of diabetes or exacerbation of chronic diseases. In order to prevent birch sap, you should drink one glass at a time, but for a long time. Treatment courses are shorter in duration, but the dosages in this case are larger, and a break is required between courses. More specific terms and dosages are prescribed by the attending physician, depending on the existing ailment.

To whom is this juice contraindicated?

It must be said that birch sap has practically no contraindications for use. Of course, it should not be drunk with exacerbation of stomach and duodenal ulcers. The acute course of urolithiasis is also a contraindication to taking this drink, as it can worsen the already poor condition of the patient. Finally, people who are allergic to birch sap should refrain from drinking this drink.

Useful "tricks" when collecting juice

Those who go to extract a forest food resource (namely, this 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 on the trunk is made at a level of 50 cm from the ground. Moreover, there is no need to make an incision too deep or drill deep into the trunk - moisture moves between the wood and the bark, which means that in order to get it, it is enough just to overcome the bark layer.

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

How to store birch sap

It is better to collect birch "raw" immediately in a glass container. But even if you collect juice in plastic bottles or plastic bags, upon returning home, it should be poured into glass containers. Without processing, the extracted birch sap can stand in the refrigerator for no more than three days, because. then it starts to wander. This means that you need to decide how to save it so that you can drink it after a few months. The best solution would be canning juice or making delicious birch kvass.

How to roll birch sap for the winter

Canned birch sap without sugar

The easiest way to preserve the drink is to filter all the collected liquid (by 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 rolled up. Rolled 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 fire. As soon as the juice approaches the boiling point, a yellowish foam will appear on its surface. Remove it and remove the juice from the stove without boiling. Add 2 tbsp to hot liquid. sugar for every kilogram of juice and citric acid (on the tip of a knife). Pour the juice into sterilized jars and roll up the lids, wrapping the jars until completely cool.

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

birch kvass

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

It 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 such 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 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 a variety of diseases with the help of a very tasty drink.