Sea buckthorn: useful properties, recipes
Sea buckthorn is a tall shrub or tree with many thorns. This plant has a very developed root system, which is superficial. The roots of sea buckthorn go 40 cm deep into the soil. Sea buckthorn has simple leaves, alternate, located on short petioles. The leaves have two colors: below they are silvery, and the top of the leaves is green. This plant has female and male flowers. Female flowers of sea buckthorn are yellow-green, collected in cluster inflorescences. The male flowers of the plant differ in color from the female ones, they have a dark brown color, and they are collected in an inflorescence-ear.
Sea buckthorn fruit is a spherical or oval drupe, juicy, sour in taste. The drupe is orange and reddish in color. Fruits ripen from late summer to mid-autumn.
The plant blooms in April-May. Most often, sea buckthorn is found in Europe, Asia, Mongolia, the Caucasus, India and China. Sea buckthorn grows on the banks of rivers and lakes, on slopes, in wetlands, mountains and in ravines. It is grown in gardens, roadside and parks.
Composition and calorie content
- Fats: 5.4 g
- Proteins: 1.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 7,7 g
- Water: 85 g
- Ash: 0.7 g
- Cellulose: 2 g
Vitamins (per 100 g): |
amount |
% RDA |
| Beta carotene | 430-22720 mcg | 231.5% |
| Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | 200 mg | 222% |
| Lutein + Zeaxanthin | 1420-6750 mcg | 86% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 5 mg | 33.1% |
| + Omega-3 | 1762 mg | 176% |
Minerals (in 100 g): |
amount |
% RDA |
| Chromium | 490 mcg | 980% |
| Boron | 115 mcg | 164.3% |
| Vanadium | 25 mcg | 62.5% |
| Manganese | 930 mcg | 46.5% |
| Rubidium | 44 μg | 44% |
| Iron | 1.4-6.5 mg | 27.3% |
| Copper |
240 μg |
24% |
| Molybdenum | 11 μg | 15.7% |
| Silicon | 3.3 mg | eleven% |
| Nickel | 15 mcg | ten% |
Other important connections:
- Phytosterols - 721 mg (1310.9% of the RDI)
- Purines - 8 mg (6.7% of the RDI)
Complete chemical composition ➤
Useful properties of sea buckthorn
Sea buckthorn is a miraculous plant that has long been famous for its healing properties. The beneficial properties of sea buckthorn are used in inflammatory processes, in the presence of wounds. Sea buckthorn fruits have analgesic properties. The plant contains vitamins C and P, thanks to which the elasticity of the blood vessel walls improves. Sea buckthorn strengthens the immune system.
Sea buckthorn fruits are very valuable, and this is what they owe to their composition: they contain sugars, ascorbic acid, tannins, organic acids and various vitamins. Due to the fact that sea buckthorn contains a full set of vitamins, it has antioxidant properties, normalizes metabolism and improves the well-being of a person who has chronic diseases.
Phytosterols. Sea buckthorn fruits (whole, including seeds) are a unique source of phytosterols, especially beta-sitosterol (in 100 g - 1311% of the daily value of phytosterols and 1170% of beta-sitosterol), and contain 19 phytosterols, among which the content is distinguished (except for beta -sitosterol) also delta-5-avenasterol. Considering the exceptionally high level of beta-sitosterol in sea buckthorn fruits and its antiandrogenic effect, it should be concluded that sea buckthorn is a female product. For men, frequent use of sea buckthorn fruits threatens with a decrease in testosterone levels
Chromium - only 10 g of sea buckthorn contains a daily norm of chromium, a mineral that normalizes the permeability of cell membranes for glucose, thereby increasing the sensitivity of cellular tissue receptors to insulin, facilitating their interaction and reducing the body's need for insulin. Therefore, chromium is necessary for patients with diabetes mellitus.
The benefits of sea buckthorn oil
Sea buckthorn oil is obtained from the fruits of the plant. This oil contains carotenoids, organic acids, glycerides. Most often, sea buckthorn oil is used as a multivitamin. It is used when a person has suffered a serious infectious disease. Also, sea buckthorn oil is recommended for the flu.
Sea buckthorn oil is used for atherosclerosis, stomatitis, stomach and intestinal diseases. The oil of this wonderful plant can heal wounds that do not heal for a long time. The healing properties of sea buckthorn oil are used to lubricate surgical sutures after operations on the stomach, esophagus and other operations.
Dermatitis and many skin diseases are cured with sea buckthorn oil. It can be applied both externally and internally. Inhalation with this oil helps with upper respiratory tract diseases.
If it is not possible to buy ready-made sea buckthorn oil, then do not despair, it can be prepared at home easily and quickly. It is prepared in two ways. The first type of sea buckthorn oil is prepared as follows: take the fruits of the plant and squeeze the juice from them, put them in a cold place, then you will see the oil float on the surface. You just need to remove it.
The oil of the second production method has less useful properties. To prepare it, you need to take the cake and pour it with sunflower oil, leave everything in a warm room for 20 days for infusion, and then separate the oil by pressing.
Sea buckthorn oil can cure gastritis, ulcers, burns, anemia and other diseases.
Folk sea buckthorn recipes
In folk medicine, sea buckthorn and preparations from it are widely and quite diversely used. Tincture from the fruits of the plant is used for stomach ulcers, intestinal diseases, vitamin deficiency and dysentery. Fresh fruits are used as a multivitamin remedy for low acidity, constipation, poor metabolism.
Sea buckthorn is recommended for treating blood diseases, cancer, fever, liver and lung diseases. Decoctions and infusions are prepared from sea buckthorn leaves, which are used for burns, obesity, ARVI. Sea buckthorn has properties that can lower cholesterol. Outwardly, sea buckthorn is used for gout and rheumatism in the form of baths. A decoction of sea buckthorn seeds has laxative properties.
Sea buckthorn broth. Take 10 grams of the fruit of the plant and pour 100 ml of boiling water over them. Put on fire for 10-15 minutes, then remove from heat and let it brew for 30 minutes. Having strained the finished broth, it can be applied 2 tablespoons before meals.
Decoction for baldness. To prepare it, you need to take 1 tablespoon of leaves and fruits and pour them with a glass of boiling water. Leave the product to brew for 4 hours, remembering to close the dish with a lid. Take a decoction of 150 ml twice a day - morning and evening, before meals. And at night, you can rub the broth into the scalp.
Treatment of cervical erosion. It is necessary to take ready-made sea buckthorn oil and moisten tampons with it. You need to change tampons every day.
For cancer of the stomach and esophagus, you need to consume 1 tablespoon of sea buckthorn fruits 3-4 times a day every day.
Sea buckthorn compresses. Take a ready-made warm broth, soak a cloth in it and immediately apply it to a sore spot. Next, immediately apply a plastic bandage (layer) to the fabric. A piece of cotton wool should be placed on this layer, which is fixed with a bandage. We leave the compress on the sore spot for at least four hours.
Contraindications to the use of sea buckthorn
Due to the large amount of beta-carotene in the plant, allergies may occur from the use of sea buckthorn. Sea buckthorn is prohibited for people with pancreatitis and cholecystitis.
The author of the article: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna | Phytotherapist
Education: Diploma in "General Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the Pirogov University (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Peoples' Friendship University of Moscow (2008).
