It is said that the best time to harvest sea buckthorn is in November, when the first frost occurs. Only then is the sea buckthorn fully ripe, sweet, and juicy, and it reaches its maximum potential of vitamins.
Benefits of sea buckthorn syrup:
It is a powerful ally for the immune system, alleviating cold symptoms;
It can prevent the appearance of dermatological issues and helps the skin recover in cases of dehydration and sunburn;
It maintains heart health;
It has anti-inflammatory properties;
It helps the body eliminate toxins from the digestive system and the liver;
It is beneficial for heart health and can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases;
It supports the immune system and helps alleviate allergy symptoms;
It has antibacterial properties, being an effective ally in the fight against infections;
It combats the proliferation of bacteria and accelerates the recovery of tissues affected by various types of wounds;
It contributes to alleviating sore throat and cough;
It is a source of energy that does not induce hypoglycemia;
It contributes to the prevention of certain types of cancer;
It helps treat skin conditions, including atopic dermatitis and psoriasis;
It contributes to the health of the digestive system, as it contains beneficial bacteria.
COLD SEA BUCKTHORN SYRUP WITH HONEY
The sea buckthorn must be cleaned, ensuring we only have healthy and ripe berries. Then, blend them in a fruit juicer, blender, or food processor until a paste is obtained.
The obtained sea buckthorn paste is placed in a cheesecloth and squeezed very well to extract the last precious drop of syrup. If you don’t have cheesecloth, place the paste in a very fine sieve and press it with a spoon to extract as much juice as possible.
Mix the juice with honey. For example, if you had 1 kg of sea buckthorn (weighed before squeezing), add 1 kg of honey, mix well, and pour the syrup into airtight bottles.
How to store and consume sea buckthorn syrup
The sea buckthorn syrup should be stored in the refrigerator, as it ferments very quickly. This syrup is not a winter preserve; it should be consumed as soon as possible, in November-December.
Another option would be to store the sea buckthorn in the freezer, thaw it when needed, and make fresh sea buckthorn syrup. As one bottle finishes, make another one and so on.
Sea buckthorn syrup with honey should be consumed every morning, preferably on an empty stomach. Pour 100 ml of syrup and dilute it in a glass of water (150-200 ml). It is good, sweet-sour, and a true pleasure to start your day with it.
What to do with the pulp and seeds of sea buckthorn?
After squeezing, you will be left with a good amount of skins and seeds of sea buckthorn. It would be a shame to throw them away.
You can spread them on kitchen towels, as spread out as possible, cover them with another towel to prevent dust from settling on them, and leave them in the air to dry.
Once dried, mix them with other herbs for tea: chamomile, linden, basil, etc. After infusion, they give a very good taste, slightly sour, to the tea.
