With the onset of spring, many people rush to the birch grove to collect the sap from these trees. How is it useful for the human body, and also what harm can it bring to health?
Birch sap has long been popular for its excellent taste and the presence in its composition of a huge amount of useful vitamins and minerals. To understand the beneficial properties of this drink, you need to pay attention to its composition more carefully.
Composition of birch sap
It contains a large amount of vitamin C, as well as B vitamins, folic and pantothenic acids. The sweet-sour taste of the juice is due to the presence of glucose and fructose in its composition. Among the minerals in birch sap are iron, sodium, silicon, potassium, manganese, calcium, magnesium, and so on.
Also in this drink there are various tannins, ethers and phytoncides.
At the same time, birch sap has a very low calorie content (only 20 kcal per 100 ml), which depends on the age of the tree. The older the birch, the more calories are in the sap.
Useful properties of birch sap
1. Due to the presence of magnesium and potassium in the composition, strengthens the heart muscle and blood vessel walls.
2. Has a healing and disinfecting effect, which contributes to the rapid tightening of various wounds and cuts.
3. The presence of iron in the composition has a positive effect on the level of hemoglobin in the blood, thereby preventing the development of anemia.
4. The whole complex of vitamins contained in birch sap allows you to cope not only with spring depression, but also with excessive body fatigue.
5. Due to its low calorie content, it helps with various diets and the fight against excess weight.
6. Has anti-inflammatory effect. It is especially effective for sore throat, runny nose and cough.
7. Favorably affects the work of the brain, due to the presence of easily digestible sugars in its composition.
8. Has a cleansing effect. It removes harmful substances from the human body contained in the gallbladder, liver and kidneys.
9. Birch sap is recommended to drink for various skin diseases (lichen, eczema).
10. Has a diuretic effect.
11. Helps to reduce the level of cholesterol in human blood.
12. Is a prophylactic agent for oncological diseases.
13. Normalizes metabolism.
14. Perfectly fights insomnia and improves a person's mood after winter frosts.
15. In women, relieves muscle spasms during the menstrual cycle.
16. Promotes better assimilation of fatty and heavy foods.
17. Improves the general condition of nails and hair.
18. Favorably affects human immunity and increases the general resistance of the body to viruses.
All these properties indicate that birch sap is a tasty and healthy drink. However, he also has contraindications for use.
The harm of birch sap
It should not be used when diagnosing urolithiasis in humans. This drink is also prohibited for patients with diabetes mellitus due to the large amount of glucose in its composition.
Various allergic reactions to sap and birch pollen can negatively affect the general condition of a person. Children can consume birch sap only after the first year of life.
When birch sap is harvested
This time directly depends on weather conditions. The intensive movement of sap usually begins immediately after the onset of the first thaws in late March and ends in early May, immediately after budding on the trees. In order to make sure that it is time to collect birch sap, use a thin awl. They make a small hole in the bark of a tree. If the juice begins to move, then a drop will appear at the puncture site.
Birch sap is collected only in ecologically clean places, away from large settlements, factories and plants. Only such birch sap can be truly useful for the human body. No more than 150-200 ml of juice is collected from one tree.
How to properly store birch sap
Like any natural juice, this drink has a relatively short shelf life. Under normal storage conditions, birch sap will deteriorate as early as 3-4 days after collection. There are several ways to extend this time. Birch sap can be frozen, preserved and used for making kvass, fruit drink and balsam. This is the only way to increase the shelf life of the drink to several weeks or even months.
