Birch sap
Birch sap, birch water or birch juice is the
Birch sap may be consumed both fresh and
Birch sap is a traditional beverage in boreal and hemiboreal regions of the Northern Hemisphere[1] as well as parts of northern China.
Harvest
Birch sap is collected only at the break of winter and spring when the sap moves intensively.
Birch sap collection is done by drilling a hole into the tree trunk and leading the sap into a container via some conduit (a tube or simply a thin twig); the sap will flow along it because of the surface tension. The wound is then plugged to minimise infection.[2]
Birch sap has to be collected in early spring before any green leaves have appeared, as in late spring it becomes bitter. The collection period is only about a month per year.
No published evidence exists to quantify the long-term impacts of sap harvest on birch tree and birch forest health, or birch timber quality.[2] However, the wounds caused by tapping birches consistently lead to dark staining in the wood.[2] In one study, infection and wood decay had spread from more than half of old tapping holes.[2]
In comparison to maples, birch trees are considered far less tolerant to the wounds caused by tapping, so more conservative harvesting practises have been recommended by trade bodies such as the Alaska Birch Syrupmakers Association.[2]
Traditional regions
Ancient
and made a traditional beverage from it.Slavic regions
In Slavic regions the sap is known as birch juice as in Russia (Russian: берёзовый сок, romanized: byeryozovyi sok), Belarus (Belarusian: бярозавы сок, romanized: biarozavy sok, Byarozavik), Bulgaria (Bulgarian: брезов сок, romanized: brezov sok), Poland (Polish: sok z brzozy, oskoła), Slovakia (Slovak: brezová šťava), Ukraine (Ukrainian: березовий сік, romanized: berezovyi sik).
Baltic and Nordic regions
Estonia (Estonian: kasemahl), Finland (Finnish: mahla), Latvia (Latvian: bērzu sula), Lithuania (Lithuanian: beržo sula, beržų sula), Norway,[5] Sweden (Swedish: björksav).[6]
Other regions
France, Scotland and elsewhere in Northern Europe[1] as well as parts of northern China and both Hokkaido and Aomori as parts of northern Japan.
It is also widely used among the
Composition
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
---|---|
Energy | 4.6 kcal (19 kJ) |
1.1 g | |
Sugars | 1.1 g |
Dietary fiber | 0 g |
less than 0.1 g | |
Minerals | Quantity %DV† |
Calcium | 5% 60 mg |
Iron | 1% 0.1 mg |
Magnesium | 3% 11 mg |
Manganese | 48% 1.1 mg |
Phosphorus | 1% 6.4 mg |
Potassium | 4% 120 mg |
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[9] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[10] |
Birch sap contains heterosides (
Nutritional and medicinal uses
Folk uses
Folk uses have been documented which include medicinal use, supplementary nutrition, and cosmetic applications for skin and hair.[1]
Region | Traditional medicinal use | Cosmetic use |
---|---|---|
Belarus | lung diseases, gout, sickness | washing hair |
Bulgaria | hair growth | |
Czech Republic | poor health, infertility | against freckles |
Estonia | (prevention of) eye diseases, skin diseases, source of vitamins | washing hair, against freckles and to bleach the skin |
Hungary | stomach and lung diseases |
against freckles |
Latvia | “revitalization” | washing hair |
Poland | “revitalization”, kidney stones |
washing hair in order to strengthen it |
Romania | kidney stones, jaundice , as milk-rennet, scab, diuretic |
hair colouring, to remove sunspots and moles |
Russia | externally against sores, to help children during teething | washing face |
Sweden | scurvy, cholera | |
Ukraine | treating skin diseases, source of vitamins, diuretic | against freckles |
United Kingdom | tonic, rheumatism, first nourishment for new-born children | prevention of baldness |
United States | Poor health |
Commercial birch sap and derivative products
Birch sap may be consumed both fresh and
- Nothing i.e. bottled fresh sap (shelf life: 2–5 days refrigerated)
- Filtered with a 0.22-μ net (shelf life: 3 weeks refrigerated)
- Collected under anaerobic conditions (shelf life: 1 year ambient)
- Added sugar (3 g per 100 ml)[1]
- Heat pasteurized, pasteurization should be conducted under specific temperature levels and times (shelf life: 1 year ambient). Although level of Vitamin C is lower than in fresh sap, all other benefits are preserved.
- Frozen at −25 °C (shelf life: 2 years)
Birch sap can also be used as an ingredient in food or drink recipes,[19] such as birch beer or wintergreen-flavored candy.
Concentrated birch sap is used to make
References
- ^ hdl:10278/3694733.
- ^ a b c d e Trummer, Lori; Malone, Tom (May 2009). "Some impacts to paper birch trees tapped for sap harvesting in Alaska" (PDF). Us Forest Service. R10-S&PF-FHP-2009-3.
- ^ Chepaitis, Barbara (14 April 2016). "Tapping Trees, Drinking Lighting: Baltic Birch Juice". Deep Baltic. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
- ISBN 9781594777240.
- ISBN 8200089304.
- ^ Övre Dalarnes bondekultur 3, Lars Levander, Lund, 1947.
- ^ "Pennsylvania Birch Beer Recipe". www.grouprecipes.com.
- S2CID 49739804.
- ^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- )
- ^ Sosa, A (1935). "Un glucoside nouveau de Betula Alba L. Le bétuloside et son aglycone, le bétuligénol". Paris Masson ed.
- .
- ^ "Bouleau à papier (BOP)". www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca.
- ^ Bouchet, Jérome (2007). Les Stratégies en Thérapeutique Antivirale. p. 24.
- ^ "Cure de sève de bouleau et ses bienfaits multiples". 10 March 2014.
- ^ PMID 15841263.
- .
- ^ Nicole & Olivier Lhomme, NICOLL-Nature, Le Bio Logis, La sève de bouleau
- ^ Bergo, Alan. "EASY BIRCH SYRUP RECIPES AND USES". Forager Chef.
- ^ Alaska Birch syrupmakers association Petition to US Food and Drug Administration for establishment of Standard of Identity for birch syrup, including the Alaska Birch Syrupmakers' Association Best Practices. July 18, 2005.