Sea buckthorn is a tall shrub measuring about 1.5-3.5 meters tall and is covered in thorns. It grows in clusters on river shores, in swampy areas and even on gravel.
Sea buckthorn is harvested in the period between August – September. It is recommended that sea buckthorn fruits be harvested before the first frost settles in so as to avoid the sudden diminish of the vitamin C that it contains.
For hundreds of years Sea Buckthorn was used in folk medicine for preventing and treating various ailments. Yes, the berries of it are very acidic and astringent, but in combination with sugar or sweet juice (such as apple or grape) it tastes very good. Just remember the delicious taste of the Sea Buckthorn jam… Very nutritious.
Most parts of the plant can be used in folk medicine: the bark, leaves, fruits, and seeds. But Sea Buckthorn is especially valued for its golden-orange fruits, which provide plenty of useful components.
The plant is a good antioxidant mainly thanks to its flavonoids and vitamin C content. Sea Buckthorn contains such vitamins as E, A, B1, B2; carotenoids: beta-carotene, gamma-carotene, lycopene; folate, fruit acids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, essential minerals (K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cr and Se), amino-acids (proteins), unsaturated and saturated fatty-acids. It’s a splendid healthy cocktail of everything that our body needs for good functioning. Moreover, vitamins with antioxidant properties form a natural line of defense against free radicals on the skin’s surface, or inside the body. They catch free radicals and neutralize them. The main components that are involved in the job are vitamin A (derived from -carotene), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (-tocopherol) and flavonoids.
Sea Buckthorn also contains such an important component as palmitoleic acid, that is a valuable topical agent in treating burns and healing wounds. As well as it has a UV-blocking activity and emollient properties. When taken orally this fatty acid can essentially nourish the skin and help in atopic dermatitis. It is also used topically for burns and infections.
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