Sea buckthorn fruits have a sweet-sour or sour taste, sometimes with bitterness, with a peculiar pleasant aroma reminiscent of the smell of pineapple or citrus fruits. The nutritional value of sea buckthorn is determined by the presence in its fruits of easily digestible carbohydrates, organic acids, vitamins, pectins, and minerals.

Sea buckthorn berries are a natural concentrate of biologically active substances. They contain almost all water- and fat-soluble vitamins. Sea buckthorn contains 10-19% dry matter, including 7.3-11.3% soluble matter. Sugars - 2.5-3.6% (sucrose, glucose, fructose). Pectin substances in sea buckthorn berries are 0.3-1.2%; when ripe, the amount of pectin decreases significantly. Sea buckthorn berries are rich in nitrogenous substances (up to 0.3%). 100 g of sea buckthorn berries contain up to 10 daily doses of vitamin C (up to 1.05), 5-6 daily doses of carotene (11 mg), a large number of vitamin E - 7-18 mg, P - up to 1 mg, as well as vitamin B1 - 0.35 mg; B2 - 0.3; B6 - 0.79; PP and K - 0.8-1.5 mg. Sea buckthorn berries are one of the sources of vitamin E. Mineral elements are represented (mg/100 g): potassium - 180-220, calcium - 9-16, magnesium - 7-12, phosphorus - 12-17, iron - 6-14, and also manganese, zinc, aluminum, titanium, silicon.

The chemical composition of sea buckthorn is so rich that any pharmacist will burst into tears of envy. The fruits of the plant are filled with a team of vitamins - B1, B2, C, E, K, P; flavonoids, carotenoids, folic acid, choline, betaine, coumarins, phospholipids, sterols; fructose and glucose; malic, citric, caffeic and tartaric acids; tannins; macro- and microelements (sodium, magnesium, silicon, iron, aluminum, calcium, lead, nickel, molybdenum, manganese, strontium). A significant amount of serotonin is hidden in the cortex of the branches, which has a beneficial effect on the central nervous system and delaying the growth of malignant tumors. The leaves of the plant are rich in ascorbic, ursolic and oleanolic acids.

Of course, possessing such reserves of biologically active substances, sea buckthorn could not escape the all-seeing eye of traditional and orthodox medicine, as well as from cooking, which is constantly looking for how to strengthen the countless ranks of its masterpieces.

Traditional medicine readily uses the fruits, bark, leaves and juice of sea buckthorn to treat various ailments. Decoctions and infusions of leaves are used for rheumatism, gout, and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The juice from the fruits of the plant is useful as a means of strengthening blood vessels, healing wounds, stimulating nutrition, having a bactericidal effect against infectious pathogens and an invaluable effect on liver function.

The generally recognized leader in the process of restoring the health of mankind is sea buckthorn oil, which, according to scientists, has no equal in terms of the content of biologically active substances. vegetable oils and therefore is a unique natural substance called the “Siberian miracle”.

The miraculous properties of sea buckthorn oil, which does not cause side effects, have been fully used by official medicine. Possessing regenerative properties, it helps over and over again in the treatment of radiation skin lesions, thermal and chemical burns, and trophic ulcers. With its help, doctors resist stomach ulcers and duodenum; stomatitis and pulpitis; laryngitis and pharyngitis; injuries and defects of the cornea, conjunctivitis, radiation burns of the eyes. Dermatologists recommend it to enhance hair growth and in the case of certain skin diseases. It has been established that preparations made from sea buckthorn oil improve the body’s tolerance to certain antitumor substances and sometimes enhance their effect.

The magical properties of sea buckthorn are not neglected in the field of cosmetics and perfumery, using the plant to make nourishing creams and medicinal masks.

Sea buckthorn fruits are used on a truly wide scale in the food industry and in household cooking. They are constantly exploited not only in the extraction of life-saving juice, but also in the production of jam, jellies, jelly, syrup, puree, jelly, jam, marmalade, marshmallows, fillings for candies, sea buckthorn honey, as well as for fortification and flavoring of canned fruit and vegetables. In France, Finland and Scandinavian countries, sea buckthorn fruits are used as a spicy seasoning for fish and meat dishes, and are used to create a special type of bread.

At the same time, along with all the above qualities, Nature has endowed sea buckthorn with another, no less significant - accessibility. The habitat of this venerable plant will be the envy of many representatives flora. Sea buckthorn successfully exists in Europe and Asia; there are significant thickets in Transbaikalia, Sayan Mountains, Altai, Tuva, the Caucasus, and Siberia. Yellow, orange and red varieties of sea buckthorn are desirable objects of cultivation on endless plantations and numerous garden plots northern hemisphere planets. At the same time, sea buckthorn is cultivated not only to obtain healing fruits rich in vitamins, but also as a beautiful ornamental plant with pleasantly colored leaves. The plant is often used to build hedges, to strengthen sandy soils and prevent landslides.

In a certain form, without losing its numerous healing properties, sea buckthorn is also found in the products of the French-Russian cosmetic company Green Mama. In particular, the shampoo for dry and brittle hair “Sea Buckthorn and Linden Blossom” from the “Taiga Formula” series is filled with her powers, endowed with the responsibility of restoring capricious hair to its natural elasticity, healthy structure and appearance, lost in battles with merciless environment. Vitamin E, which is part of sea buckthorn, increases the activity of skin enzymes, vitamins C and A strengthen tissues and prevent water loss, F - at the molecular level, gently cleanses hair and skin of dead cells and foreign particles, B - moisturizes and nourishes the skin.

The beneficial energy of sea buckthorn also lies in the conditioning balm for dry and normal hair “Sea buckthorn and burdock” (Taiga Formula series). In combination with the medicinal talents of burdock, the powers of sea buckthorn increase hair volume, improve hair combability, remove static electricity from it and restore its fat and moisture balance.

Smoothes out fine wrinkles, stimulates cell regeneration and prevents their aging, nourishing face cream “Pine nuts and sea buckthorn oil” (Taiga Formula series). Having a wound-healing effect, it eliminates irritation and peeling, softens, effectively and balancedly nourishes the skin.

Softens, nourishes and soothes even extremely dry and flaky skin, making it elastic and healthy. Body moisturizing milk "Sea buckthorn and oil" (Taiga Formula series). Delicate skin like a baby's is possible.

As part of the Regenerating and Protective Lip Balm SPF 2, sea buckthorn oil along with tea tree and grapefruit essential oils provides your capricious, chapped lips with the necessary anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect.

Sea buckthorn extract is also involved in the fight against aging, being an extremely active component of the Anti-Wrinkle Cream “Golden Root and Vitamin F” of the “Aleut” series.

In a variety of combinations with colleagues in the herbal industry, sea buckthorn and its miraculous oil are present in a good half of Green Mama’s products. It is an essential ingredient in both decorative cosmetics and makeup removers, skin and hair care products. Sea buckthorn inhabits the "Art Bio", "Solar Circle", "Northern Coefficient", "Sun Bodyguard", "Children's Series" series of cosmetics, and is also part of the hot oil bath, a regenerator for dry, brittle and normal hair from the "series" "Kumushka Banya" and a hot regenerating mask for dry, brittle and damaged hair from the "Taiga Formula" series.

In this way, time after time taming the unbridled Flora, being an honored expert in working with representatives of earthly vegetation, “Green Mama” valiantly plays the role of an experienced guide on the path of movement of their life-giving properties to the needy human body. Moreover, since “Green Mama” has taken on this painstaking task, it means that whether it is sea buckthorn, string or burdock, their power will reach the goal with maximum efficiency.

Sea buckthorn fruits contain about 3.5% sugar and a lot of organic acids (malic, tartaric, oxalic), our expert, nutritionist Lyudmila Denisenko told us. - And even more vitamins - C, B1, B2, folic acid, PP, K, P and E, carotene and carotenoids, as well as many flavonoids (especially rutin), iron, boron, manganese. There are tannins, fatty acids (oleic, linoleic) and phytoncides, nitrogen-containing compounds. And, of course, these berries have many beneficial properties. Moreover, the fruits can be consumed fresh or made from vitamin-rich juices, syrups, compotes, jelly, marshmallows, marmalade, jellies, jams, liqueurs, wines, tinctures, liqueurs. Sea buckthorn berries are well preserved frozen.

1. In the fruits of sea buckthorn and in the bark of branches contains serotonin, which plays an important role in the normal functioning of the nervous system.

2. Sea buckthorn oil. It has bactericidal properties, heals wounds well, damage to mucous membranes and skin, and soothes pain. This red-orange oil with a characteristic taste and smell contains carotene and carotenoids (110 mg%), vitamin E (110 mg%), vitamin F, which regulates metabolism in the skin, sterols, minerals and trace elements (iron, copper, silver, silicon, manganese, cobalt, nickel, vanadium, etc.), as well as glycerides of oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic acids. Sea buckthorn oil is used externally and internally. It improves lipid metabolism and increases protein content in the liver; stimulates restoration processes in damaged tissues (including liver cells after alcohol intoxication).

For acute and chronic laryngitis or pharyngitis, you need to lubricate the mucous membrane with a cotton swab soaked in sea buckthorn oil, or do oil inhalations daily for 15 minutes. The course of treatment consists of 10 procedures.

To prevent diseases of the upper respiratory tract, inhalations with sea buckthorn oil are recommended.

3. Sea buckthorn fruits is a natural multivitamin concentrate that can be stored frozen until spring. If there is a lack of vitamins and anemia, use an infusion of sea buckthorn berries. Beta-sitosterol contained in sea buckthorn fruits has an anti-sclerotic effect, so sea buckthorn is useful in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and age-related changes in older people.

4. Sea buckthorn juice- an excellent antitussive remedy. It should be consumed for this purpose with honey.

5. Sea buckthorn tea Previously, people used it for scurvy: 5 g of dry sea buckthorn leaves were brewed with 1 glass of boiling water. And even now such tea is used to prevent infectious diseases.

6. Decoction of sea buckthorn seeds- an excellent laxative. For low acidity of gastric juice and atonic constipation, fresh fruits and sea buckthorn juice are recommended.

7. Decoction of sea buckthorn berries used in the treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers. At stomach diseases drink a decoction of sea buckthorn berries: 3 tablespoons of berries pour into 0.5 l hot water, boil for 10 minutes over low heat and filter; drink 2-3 glasses of tea a day.

In the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders and diarrhea, a decoction of sea buckthorn leaves and branches is used. Pour 1 tablespoon of crushed raw materials into 1 glass cold water, bring to a boil, boil for 5 minutes over low heat, leave for 30 minutes and filter. Drink at one time, and if necessary, repeat the treatment.

8. WITHfresh sea buckthorn berries For frostbite, burns, and pustular diseases, it is recommended to apply it to the affected areas of the skin.

When treating skin diseases, baths with an infusion of sea buckthorn branches and leaves have a beneficial effect.

9. Sea buckthorn contains a large amount of vitamin B, so it is widely used to increase potency. Sea buckthorn is useful not only for people over 40 years old, but also for those young men who have difficulties with potency. Juice, fresh berries, oil in salads will help solve this problem.

10. Sea buckthorn fruits and leaves remove excess uric and oxalic acid from the body. IN folk medicine in the treatment of rheumatism and gout, as well as diabetes, an infusion of sea buckthorn leaves is used (10 g per 1 glass of boiling water).

IMPORTANT!

Sometimes individual intolerance to sea buckthorn and preparations made from it occurs. In addition, there are contraindications:

Sea buckthorn oil should not be taken in case of acute cholecystitis, hepatitis, pancreatitis and all other diseases of the pancreas, as well as a tendency to loose stools. The fruits themselves are also contraindicated in acute diseases of the pancreas, gall bladder, liver, and gastrointestinal disorders.

Sea buckthorn oil is often prescribed for the treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers, but the fruits themselves and the juice from them are contraindicated in such cases, as they contain many organic acids that increase the secretion of gastric juice. Sea buckthorn is also contraindicated for hyperacid gastritis.

Fresh fruits and sea buckthorn juice increase the acidity of urine and are therefore contraindicated for patients with urolithiasis.

The demand for healing berries is enormous and far exceeds supplies. They understood this in China, they declared sea buckthorn a strategic crop and planted it (mainly with varieties of Russian selection) on one and a half million hectares! So don’t rush to grab an ax and uproot those annoying bushes. The berry is truly golden in every sense! ().

Sea buckthorn oil. How to choose it?

Today, many brands of this product are presented on pharmacy shelves, but not all of them have a real therapeutic effect. The quality, and therefore the medicinal effectiveness of sea buckthorn oil, depends entirely on three important points ().

Confusion with sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn is one of the most vitamin-rich berries in our areas. However, some summer residents are in no hurry to acquire this crop. They think it is not very suitable for the garden. And in fact, who would want to plant a plant that does not take root well in a new place, and there are plenty of other problems with sea buckthorn. But they can be easily solved if you stick to simple rules ().

In the plant kingdom, in the sucker family, there is a genus - sea ​​​​buckthorn . This genus includes two species of plants - buckthorn buckthorn and willow-leaved sea buckthorn. And if sea buckthorn grows only in the south of China Autonomous Okrug Xinjiang, sea buckthorn can be found almost everywhere in the temperate climate zone, as well as in India and Pakistan. That is why, when speaking about sea buckthorn, its beneficial properties and uses, we mean sea buckthorn, about which we'll talk and now.

Useful properties of sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn is a rather thorny tree or shrub, reaching a height of 0.5 m to 15 m, and from September and almost until spring, pleasing our eyes with densely clinging, spherical fruits of yellow or orange color, which are simply a storehouse of vitamins and nutrients.

First of all, these small stone fruits contain huge amounts of vitamin C (200mg/100g edible part), vitamin A (250mcg/100g) and beta-carotene (1.5mg/100g). The famous antioxidant is also present here - vitamin E (5 mg/100g), B vitamins, including folic acid (9 μg/100g), the beauty vitamin - biotin, as well as PP vitamins. This presence of vitamins makes sea buckthorn an excellent multivitamin remedy that can improve health and cope with any vitamin deficiency, be it a spring lack of vitamins, or the recovery of the body after illnesses, which characterizes beneficial features sea ​​buckthorn .

Based on this multivitamin composition, the benefits of sea buckthorn will be obvious both in strengthening vision and eye health, and as a prophylactic agent that increases the body’s resistance to external adverse influences and infections, and as a means of combating atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Sea buckthorn, the beneficial properties of which help strengthen the walls blood vessels, also has a vasodilating effect. It helps reduce the risk of blockage of blood vessels and the formation of blood clots, which are so dangerous to human health.

Sea buckthorn will also be beneficial in the form of a pulp from its fruits, which has wound-healing, regenerating, disinfecting and anti-inflammatory properties. It will be an excellent remedy for treating stomach ulcers, as well as burns and other skin diseases, and mixed with honey, it will help cure dry cough and get rid of sore throat.

Valuable dietary product sea ​​​​buckthorn doesn't lose his beneficial features even during heat treatment. Sea buckthorn is used to make puree, marmalade, jam and candy filling. It is good both as a spicy and aromatic flavoring additive and in preservation. And when frozen, it not only retains its rich multivitamin composition, but also loses the bitterness somewhat inherent in fresh fruits, thanks to which it makes excellent tinctures, jelly and jams.

The calorie content of sea buckthorn is 82 kcal, most of which is fat - 52 kcal, then carbohydrates - 25 kcal and proteins - 5 kcal. The fruits contain about 5% sugars (only glucose and fructose), up to 2.5% organic acids, including malic and tartaric, fatty oil, tannins and flavonol - quercetin, which is responsible for the color of the fruit. Quercetin is part of the P vitamins and has antihistamine, decongestant, antioxidant, antispasmodic and diuretic effects, which adds benefits to sea buckthorn.

Sea buckthorn juice has a pronounced pineapple aroma (it’s not for nothing that one of the popular names for sea buckthorn is Siberian pineapple) and a rich spectrum of action. It is used in the preparation of wine and soft drinks, and serves as an excellent healing agent for gout, rheumatism, tumors, colds, metabolic disorders and diseases of the digestive tract. The same effect is attributed to decoctions of sea buckthorn leaves. The alcoholic extract of sea buckthorn bark has an antitumor effect, which also complements the already numerous beneficial properties of sea buckthorn.

Sea buckthorn, whose benefits are so significant for our health, is of greatest value as a raw material for the production of sea buckthorn oil. It is in sea buckthorn oil that all physiologically active useful material, inherent in fresh fruits, the effect of which is mutually enhanced. In addition, sea buckthorn oil contains a unique, unique set of fatty acids, which forms the so-called “youth factor”. This oil is good to use both externally and internally. It accelerates the process of epithelization and wound healing, and also has an analgesic effect. It is used for frostbite, bedsores and burns, for the treatment of eczema, lichen and other skin diseases, as well as internally for gastric and duodenal ulcers. It is also recommended for radiation therapy for esophageal cancer, as well as for the treatment of various gynecological diseases.

The beneficial properties of sea buckthorn are also used for cosmetic purposes. A decoction of fruits and branches can serve as a wonderful remedy for baldness, helping to strengthen hair. To do this, you need to not only rub it into the scalp, but also drink it. Nourishing masks made from sea buckthorn oil will help your skin maintain youth and beauty.

Harm from sea buckthorn

The beneficial properties of sea buckthorn are undeniable, but due to the fact that it has a high carotene content, sea buckthorn can cause cases of individual intolerance. It is not recommended to use sea buckthorn and preparations made from it for people suffering from acute diseases of the pancreas, gall bladder and liver, as well as those prone to diarrhea.

Golden barrels of ripe sea buckthorn fruits attracted ancient Paleolithic hunters with their appearance. And for good reason: in terms of the degree of beneficial effect on the human body, this plant is on a par with ginseng, eleutherococcus and aloe. From this article, the reader will learn how to grow, collect and use sea buckthorn, what beneficial properties and contraindications it has, where it grows and what variety to choose for planting on a personal plot.

Sea buckthorn is a thorny deciduous shrub or tree (depending on the number of formed trunks) of the Sucker family, reaching 3-6, less often 10 m in height. The narrow long leaves of the plant have unequal surfaces: on top they are dotted with small whitish speckles on a light green background, on the bottom - with silver or golden scales

Botanical characteristics of the plant also include:

• superficial root system occupying a large area;
• symbiosis of roots with nitrogen-fixing bacteria;
• ability to reproduce by root shoots;
• seed dispersal by birds.

Sea buckthorn is pollinated by the wind, so it blooms inconspicuously, in April-May, until the leaves completely bloom. Sea buckthorn is a dioecious and self-fertile tree: in order to set berries, it is necessary that male and female specimens grow side by side. The fruits ripen by autumn, densely clinging to the branches of the plant, for which it received its Russian name. Anatomically, each fruit is an overgrown yellow receptacle around the actual fruit - the nut. Due to the bright sunny color of these “pseudo-fruits”, sea buckthorn is called the “golden tree”.

The first word of the Latin name – Hippophae rhamnoides – translates as “sparkling horse”. Ancient horse breeders believed that adding sea buckthorn leaves to feed resulted in the appearance of a satiny shine to horse hair. The second word indicates some similarity between sea buckthorn and buckthorn.

Sea buckthorn is not the only species of its genus. In addition to it, there is sea buckthorn, a tall thornless tree that grows in the Himalayas.

Chemical composition and distribution of sea buckthorn

The main wealth of the bush is its saturation with vitamins. The fruits contain:

• up to 10 mg% carotene – a precursor of vitamin A, which strengthens nerves, bones and twilight vision;
• B vitamins necessary for proper metabolism and healthy hair;
• ascorbic acid with antioxidant and immunoprotective effects;
• vitamin E, which prevents skin aging;
• vitamin K, which has a beneficial effect on the process of hematopoiesis and prevents the development of osteoporosis.

The chemical composition of sea buckthorn is enriched with sugars, organic acids, tannins, yellow pigment quercetin, zinc, boron, and iron. It is worth mentioning fatty oil, the content of which in fruits reaches 12%.

In the wild, sea buckthorn is found along rivers and along the shores of lakes, including saline ones. It grows throughout Europe and Siberia, in China and even in the tropical regions of Hindustan. In the mountains, sea buckthorn climbs to heights of 2000-2100 m, so it can be found in the Caucasus, Altai, and Tibet.

In cultivation, the plant is even more widespread: in the northern regions of Russia, Scandinavian countries, and Canada. This phenomenon is associated with the amazing frost resistance and unpretentiousness of the shrub. IN North America There is a related species - shepherdia, or red sea buckthorn.

Application

Currently, sea buckthorn fruits and sea buckthorn oil are not included in the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation, but relevant articles for it are being developed. In official medicine, golden tree preparations are used as a multivitamin for the prevention of most occupational diseases.

In hazardous industries associated with air pollution from dust and chemical aerosols, inhalation of sea buckthorn oil is recommended. A similar method is also used for inflammation of the larynx and vocal cords. The use of oil is practiced in dental practice and promotes the healing of wounds after tonsillectomy. Dermatologists prescribe it as part of hair masks with sea buckthorn to combat eczema, ringworm, and acne.

Sterile oil is applied to cleaned wound, bedsore and burn surfaces after treatment with antibiotics, and is used for frostbite, conjunctivitis and keratitis. It is also the main component of rectal and vaginal suppositories with sea buckthorn, which are used to treat:

• hemorrhoids and rectal ulcers;
• prostatitis and genital herpes;
• thrush, colpitis, cervical erosion.

Juice with fruit pulp is used in the treatment of the stomach and duodenum, especially with low acidity of gastric juice and a tendency to atonic constipation. It helps patients with toxic hepatitis well.

Golden tree preparations are effective for inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, nasal congestion, and profuse runny nose. Tea with the fruits of the plant is recommended for children to increase immunity.

Many cosmetic companies know how beneficial sea buckthorn is for the face and add oil to their products. The vitamins and polyunsaturated fatty acids it contains normalize problem skin and even out its texture. A sea buckthorn mask is effective for preventing wrinkles and protecting against excess ultraviolet radiation.

The plant is also used in alternative medicine to treat anemia, diabetes, and impotence. Traditional healers advise drinking tea from sea buckthorn leaves for healthy joints and removing toxins from the body.

Medicinal properties and harm

Pharmacognosy - the science of medicines from natural raw materials - claims that sea buckthorn has no equal in the richness of the vitamin complex, and in terms of tocopherol content it is superior to any herbal preparations.

Thanks to its high level of vitamins, sea buckthorn oil accelerates the processes of granulation of damaged body tissues, the formation of new epithelial cells and, ultimately, the healing of wounds, burns, and frostbite. Also it:

• has a bactericidal effect;
• activates the pancreas;
• fights dystrophic processes in the myocardium;
• increases the body's resistance to viruses and bacteria;
• restores cell membranes from damage associated with exposure to harmful chemical compounds.

Sea buckthorn is a berry necessary in the treatment of hypertension. It normalizes lipid metabolism and cholesterol levels in the body, eliminates cholesterol plaques in blood vessels and thus eliminates the causes of atherosclerosis. By cleansing the blood vessels, it reduces blood pressure for a long time, bringing it to a level that is natural for the body.

By strengthening the walls of the veins of the lower extremities, sea buckthorn slightly increases the pressure in these problematic vessels, improving their resistance to varicose veins. In the arteries of the brain, on the contrary, it lowers this indicator, which is the key to the absence of strokes at any age.

Golden tree oil has a beneficial effect on the liver, prevents necrotic processes in hepatitis, and promotes the regeneration of liver cells. The juice of the plant increases the body's resistance to infections, the level of hemoglobin and proteins in the blood. The increase in the number of red blood cells observed when drinking juice is beneficial for people traveling high above sea level. It improves cellular respiration and relieves symptoms of altitude sickness.

The oil has a softening, tonic and rejuvenating effect on the body. It keeps the skin elastic, lightens age spots, and accelerates hair growth.

The beneficial properties of sea buckthorn and contraindications for taking it depend on the individual settings of the body. It is not recommended to take plant preparations for diseases of the stomach and intestines in the acute phase. Organic acids contained in berries can accelerate the formation of kidney stones and gallbladder, and also increase the symptoms of gout.

Is it possible to use sea buckthorn for breastfeeding?

Sea buckthorn is an excellent source of vitamins for a pregnancy-weary body and a growing baby. Starting from a month of the baby’s life, a nursing mother can drink compote or juice, add a spoonful of berries grated with sugar to tea. Oil is allowed to lubricate cracks on the nipples. Contraindications for women are the same: ulcers, cholecystitis, salt deposits, allergies. In the absence of such factors, the use of sea buckthorn is compatible with both pregnancy and lactation.

Planting sea buckthorn on a personal plot

Growing sea buckthorn in the garden yourself is a way to guarantee that your family will be provided with vitamin-rich berries. But before purchasing sea buckthorn seedlings, you need to learn how to distinguish male specimens from female ones.

To determine the sex of a plant, you need to look at the shoots. The female specimen has relatively small buds, covered with only two scales. The male individual is characterized by large, seemingly “shaggy” buds, equipped with additional scales. However, these differences appear in the 3-4th year of life, so one-year-olds can only be purchased from trusted nurseries.

It is recommended to plant one male plant per 3-4 female plants, in the center of their group or on the windward side of them, but no further than 10 m. The ideal supplier of low but hardy male specimens are the Alei and Gnome varieties.

For the bush, a well-lit and moistened place is selected, but without stagnant groundwater. A layer of broken brick is poured into planting holes measuring 60 x 60 cm, a mound of fertile soil is poured on which the root system is straightened. Then the hole is filled with earth, compacted, watered and mulched with sawdust.

Sea buckthorn varieties

What’s good about sea buckthorn is that its varieties are diverse and distributed in all climatic regions of Russia. The best varieties For middle zone– those without thorns or with a minimum number of them: such plants make it easy to harvest without loss and involve children in useful work. These include:

• Altai with a pronounced pineapple smell and dry fruit separation;
• Giant– very productive, up to 18 kg of berries per bush;
• Solar with increased oiliness;
• Essel– a large-fruited Siberian novelty.

The Samoplodnaya variety is in second place in popularity. This hybrid is capable of setting fruit without pollination, which significantly saves space in the garden due to male specimens.

The climate of the Urals is ideal for the golden tree. In the European part of Russia, Pepper and Red Torch bear fruit well. Winter-hardy varieties such as Lyubimaya, Chechek, and Chulyshmanka are suitable for the Siberian region.

For lovers of particularly rich fruit color, varieties with dark orange skin have been developed: Jamovaya, Ryzhik, Red Torch. The intensity of the color is not their only advantage: they can withstand frosts down to -40 degrees.

Care and propagation of sea buckthorn

To maintain hereditary qualities, gardeners practice plant propagation by cuttings, grafting and root shoots, and to breed new varieties - by seeds. The most effective method of propagating sea buckthorn is using green cuttings. They are cut in the first half of summer, the lower third is treated with a root formation stimulator, planted in well-moistened sand and covered with a jar, bottle or bag to reduce water loss.

Pruning of bushes is done only as necessary, since the plant reacts painfully to it. Spring sanitary pruning is important, during which diseased, broken, dried branches are removed, as well as regulatory pruning to lighten the crown.

From the third year of life, the golden tree must be fed, but only with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, since it will provide itself with nitrogen through symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Sea buckthorn diseases appear during the growing season. The most dangerous are:

• black leg of seedlings, leading to 100% death;
• endomycosis, which turns the fruit pulp into gray mucus;
• cancer that affects the cortex in areas of freezing and injury;
• scab covering the leaves and skin of berries with dark spots.

Sea buckthorn diseases such as fusarium and verticillium cause yellowing of its leaves. The fight against them consists of treatments with Bordeaux mixture, timely removal of fallen leaves and weeds.

When does sea buckthorn ripen?

Sea buckthorn begins to bear fruit in the 4th year of life, which corresponds to the 2nd year after planting. Early ripening varieties (Azhurnaya, Inya) ripen in the second half of August, late ripening varieties (Panteleevskaya, Chuyskaya) - at the end of September. Between these dates fall mid-season varieties: Gomel, Botanicheskaya, Altai.

Collection and storage of sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn is harvested quite late: the fruits are much easier to separate from the branches after the first frost. If they are intended for squeezing juice, spread a tarpaulin or film under the bush, and wear thick gloves to protect your hands from thorns and rough bark. Using top-down movements along the branch, the berries are peeled, allowing them to fall freely down.

To collect whole fruits, special devices have been invented: slingshots with a stretched line, scrapers, wire “cobras”. They are stored frozen, and they retain their value for at least six months. Dry cold storage is also possible.

It is better to harvest sea buckthorn leaves before flowering begins. They are torn off by hand, laid out in a thin layer in a ventilated area and turned periodically. Dried, they can be stored for 3 years.

Sea buckthorn is harvested quite late - after the first frost.

Recipes

Sea buckthorn fruits can be used in different forms, as you like, the benefit from this will not be any less:

• fresh - as an addition to salads and baked goods;
• ground with sugar (proportion 1: 1) with and without pasteurization;
• in the form of puree (the berries are heated in a small amount of water to a temperature of 50 degrees, ground through a sieve, sugar is added, pasteurized and rolled);
• in the form of juice with or without pulp, as well as in a mixture with the juices of honeysuckle, raspberries, and blueberries.

The calorie content of the product is 82 kcal per 100 g of fresh fruit. As a vitamin booster that strengthens the immune system, berries are most easily consumed as an additive to hot drinks. For example, for bronchitis with a persistent cough, it is good to drink sea buckthorn tea with ginger and honey.

The fruits make delicious and beautiful jam. Sea buckthorn, pureed with sugar, mixed with apple juice and boiled for half an hour, turns into jelly, and when agar-agar is added, into marmalade.

An infusion is prepared from the leaves to normalize blood sugar levels. To do this, pour a teaspoon of crushed leaves into a glass of boiling water, leave for half an hour and filter. Take 10-15 ml twice a day.

A mixture of 1 kg of fruit, 200 g of sugar and 1 liter of quality vodka turns into a tincture to support immunity. Infuse the berries for a month, take 20-30 ml per day.

There are many recipes for sea buckthorn face masks:

• yolk, butter and berry juice;
• protein, cottage cheese and butter;
• protein, white clay, berry puree;
• starch, sour cream, puree.

Beat the protein in the masks, add the remaining ingredients, mix, and apply to the face from bottom to top. The result is skin rejuvenation, improved blood supply, and smooth out wrinkles.

Sea buckthorn ripens slowly and requires labor and patience during harvesting. But her sunny berries are worth it: each of them is a vitamin bomb that can blow up a cold and leave no stone unturned against the infections that cause it. Place a large bag of golden fruits in the freezer - just a few pieces a day will quickly and for a long time boost the immunity of the whole family.

Chemical composition and nutritional value of sea buckthorn - helpful information, allowing you to understand how important the fruits of this shrub are for humans. However, in medicinal purposes They use not only berries, but also greens: decoctions are prepared from the leaves. Let's look at why sea buckthorn is useful and how to use it to improve your health.

general information

Before we look at the features of preparing sea buckthorn, let’s consider what this plant is. The word “sea buckthorn” refers to a shrub covered with thorns, the height of which can reach six winds. A distinctive feature that allows you to identify the plant at first glance is its exceptional branching. Ripe fruits are colored a pleasant shade of orange. The shape depends on the variety; it can be spherical, oval or cylindrical. The size of one berry is within 6-10 mm, the diameter does not exceed 7 mm. One fruit contains one seed.

Recipes for what can be prepared from sea buckthorn are determined by the characteristics of the fruit: they are mainly used for culinary and medicinal purposes. Each berry is covered with an oily film. The berries are mainly found at the tips of the branches and have a sourish, sweet taste. Some varieties have a bitter taste. The fruits are always very fragrant. The duration of fruiting of one bush is from a decade to twice as long.

Where does it grow?

Residents of European and Asian countries know best about the properties and uses of sea buckthorn. In our country, the shrub mainly grows in the European zone, is found in Altai, and grows in the Siberian regions and Buryatia. It is grown in gardens and planted along river banks, since the root system helps strengthen the soil, especially sandy soil.

Chemistry and botany

The chemical composition of sea buckthorn berries has interested scientists, since the benefits of these berries have long been known. Experts wanted to explain the positive qualities of the plant. As studies have shown, each fruit is 4.5% formed by carotenoids, 2.8% consists of organic acids, and slightly less (2.6%) from water-soluble sugars. The fatty oil content varies between 4.4-9%. In addition, each berry contains pectins - up to 0.8% of the fruit's weight. Sea buckthorn is known for its high content of a wide variety of vitamin compounds. The berries contain vitamins C, E, P, carotene, and phylloquinone.

As studies aimed at determining the chemical composition of sea buckthorn have shown, the berries contain a wide variety of triterpene acids. On average, the content of such chemical substances 0.1 kg of berries - up to 1.2 g. The fruiting plant provides a person with easily digestible B-sitosterol, which sea buckthorn fruits contain much more than other sources. This compound, as shown by special studies, has anti-sclerotic abilities. Currently, there is no other plant source of this substance that contains it in the same or greater concentration than sea buckthorn.

Benefits and Applications

Thanks to the beneficial properties of sea buckthorn, the use of this plant for culinary and medicinal purposes has become widespread throughout our country and in all other regions where it grows. The classic option is juicing. The berries are placed under a press. On average, one fruit consists of 65-70% juice, about a third of the mass becomes pulp. It is dried and used to make oil. The composition of the dry product is distinguished by an exceptional set of useful components. Approximately 28% of the mass is tocopherols, about 40% is carotenoids, 18-22% remains fatty oils.

Oil made from sea buckthorn pulp contains about 0.9% phospholipids. For every 100 g of product there are about 90 mg of fatty acids, up to 215 mg of carotenoids. The amount of tocopherols can reach 154 mg. Fatty acids in pressed oil are both saturated and non-saturated.

Products and their features

Due to chemical composition sea ​​buckthorn is an excellent starting product for preparing oils. They can be made directly from fruit pulp, without processing it into dried pulp. In this case, the finished oil will contain retinol and alpha-tocopherol. On average, 100 g of product contains about 100 mg of carotene and up to 250 mg of carotenoids.

Why is it useful?

Due to its chemical composition, sea buckthorn has antioxidant properties. The product is known as anti-sclerotic. The oil obtained from the berries promotes the regeneration of damaged organic tissues and is used to treat wounds. It has weak analgesic abilities and bactericidal properties. A positive effect on the activity of the hepatic system is known. The tree bark is used to prepare an alcoholic extract. This product, as studies have shown, somewhat slows down the progress of the tumor process, due to which it is used in oncology courses as an adjuvant.

To get the maximum benefit from the chemical composition of sea buckthorn, it is recommended to eat fresh fruits whenever possible. In addition, frozen or dried berries are useful. You can prepare jelly or juice, make jam. Sea buckthorn juice is a popular addition to tea.

Medicinal use

In pharmacies you can find special preparations and formulations that contain sea buckthorn. Instructions for use usually contain recommendations for consuming berries in case of scurvy or other pathological processes caused by a lack of vitamins. However, the best results are obtained by consuming fresh fruits or freshly squeezed juice, but not everyone has this opportunity.

Oil obtained from sea buckthorn has found application in gynecological practice. The product is used as part of a therapeutic course, if cervicitis is established, it is necessary to combat uterine cervical erosion. Ophthalmologists prescribe medicine with ulcerative processes in the ocular cornea. The composition can be used for eczema, skin burns, and ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract. The oil has proven itself in the fight against inflammation in the throat, nasopharynx, and nasal cavity.

Features of application

Studies aimed at determining the properties and contraindications of sea buckthorn have found that the product helps cure diseases of the intestinal tract. For such purposes, it is recommended to use oil. Rectal suppositories are made with its use. Medicines are prescribed to patients with hemorrhoids, proctitis, enterocolitis.

It is known that the components contained in the plant stimulate the functionality of the respiratory system and liver. It is recommended to use sea buckthorn for hemorrhages and blood diseases. The product is used to relieve symptoms after severe radiation exposure, low blood pressure and diabetes. It is recommended to consume fruits in case of metabolic failures.

Unique and useful

Among other berries and fruits available for growing in garden plots in our country, sea buckthorn is the most carotene-rich crop. There are up to 20 mg of cardboard per 0.1 kg of product, which exceeds its content in carrots. If you compare fruits in terms of the presence of phyloquinone with other crops, you will have to admit: sea buckthorn contains on average three times more of it. Ascorbic acid is up to 0.6 g for every 100 g.

Despite its positive properties, sea buckthorn also has contraindications. You should avoid using the product if you are prone to diarrhea, cholecystitis, which occurs in acute form. Fruits are not recommended for pancreatitis and other pathological processes that impair the functionality of the pancreas.

Biochemistry and the human body

The fruits of the shrub in question are the most valuable for human health. They are mainly formed by the pericarp; the stone accounts for only one tenth of the weight. Fruit humidity can reach 85%. Triglycerides of various acids are present in abundance in fatty oil. When drying, they generate linoxin - a kind of film resembling resin. This ability of triglycerides has found application in dermatology. Sea buckthorn oil is widely used for skin diseases. Doctors note that the drug is used externally, thereby eliminating the possibility of a systemic effect. This medicine is harmless and available to everyone.

Along with triglycerides, the fruits of the plant contain substances that always accompany them, namely lipid-soluble vitamins. Among them, carotene is considered the most important for humans, due to which sea buckthorn has its attractive orange hue. Currently, industry uses methods for obtaining pure carotene from sea buckthorn fruits. This confirms the fact high content element in berries.

Features of chemical interaction

Carotene, once in the human body, is transformed into retinol. A lack of this vitamin is associated with impaired growth and a decrease in the body's ability to resist disease. In addition, retinol deficiency causes night blindness. Carotene can be obtained from various plants, but the most important sources are carrots and sea buckthorn.

You can also get tocopherol from the fruit, which is necessary for stabilizing cell membranes. This vitamin positively corrects fat metabolism in the body. The use of sea buckthorn berries is common for liver cirrhosis and atherosclerosis.

Not just berries

In folk medicine, the use of sea buckthorn leaves for preparing infusions, decoctions and teas is recommended. The foliage of the plant is collected and used both fresh and dried. Such drinks can increase the body’s ability to resist diseases and are also used by patients diabetes mellitus to reduce unwanted symptoms of the disease. Doctors advise people suffering from joint diseases to get into the habit of drinking sea buckthorn tea, since the drink contains substances that weaken the tendency of tissues to edema.

Vitamin compounds

Sea buckthorn is a source of vitamin K. The substance belongs to the fat-soluble category. In medicine, it is considered an antihemorrhagic factor. A sufficient amount of this vitamin in the circulatory system is the key to normal level blood clotting. When the body receives reasonable amounts of this substance, internal regenerative processes are stimulated.

In sea buckthorn fruits high concentration contains water-soluble B vitamins. The first, second and ninth elements of this group are especially important. Sea buckthorn is a source of ascorbic acid, essential for human health. This compound is not generated in the human body, so it can only be obtained from external source. The vitamin is characterized by reduced resistance to external factors; it is quickly destroyed under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, heat and oxygen. The vitamin disintegrates upon contact with iron and copper molecules. The substance belongs to the class of antiscorbutic, necessary for oxidation and reduction reactions.

Healing qualities and chemistry

Sea buckthorn fruit is a source of numerous compounds beneficial to human health. These include choline and betaine. The berries of the bush provide the human body with tartaric acid and malic acid. Together with the product, a person receives di- and monosaccharides and flavonoids. Tannic compounds were found in small concentrations in sea buckthorn berries.

P-active components are one of the particularly important parts of the composition of plant fruits. This class includes natural compounds that stabilize the ability of the vascular system to absorb compounds necessary for cellular performance. A sufficient concentration of these substances in the body helps prevent atherosclerosis and increases the effectiveness of its treatment program.