Do you know sea buckthorn?

Of course, sea buckthorn is a thorny shrub naturally occurring throughout Eurasia. In our country, it is common in gardens or even along roads. And although sea buckthorn has been used in folk medicine since ancient times, we have forgotten the beneficial effects of its fruits in our country. But today we are beginning to return to sea buckthorn.

Why should we return to sea buckthorn?

Sea buckthorn is one of the so-called adaptogens that have a positive effect on the human body - they increase mental and physical resilience. In Russia, the sea buckthorn is even called a "Siberian miracle," and in the former Soviet Union, it was, therefore, purposefully cultivated.

Sea buckthorn contains more than 200 biologically active substances with highly positive effects on human health. Randomly mentioned are bioflavonoids and similar catechins, which we know from green tea, for example, as very strong antioxidants. Furthermore, choline or inositol, which acts on the nervous system, or calcium, magnesium, iron or Vitamin D, which contributes to proper bone growth and development. A very interesting substance is the fatty acid Omega 7, which is not commonly talked about, nevertheless, is a very strong antioxidant. It is contained in sea buckthorn oil in levels up to 40%, though less in juice or dried powder because of the consistency.

What about Vitamin C? How much is in sea buckthorn?

There is really a large amount of Vitamin C in sea buckthorn. A single berry contains the entire recommended daily dose (RDD) of this important vitamin. However, its content varies according to the variety, the degree of ripeness, but also according to the conditions of the environment in which the sea buckthorn is grown. Tibetan sea buckthorn, for example, has almost 2.5 times more Vitamin C than sea buckthorn common in Europe. Himalyo uses exclusively Tibetan sea buckthorn.

Is Vitamin C damaged during processing?

The good news is that, in carefully processed sea buckthorn products, Vitamin C is preserved. Especially when processed at a low temperature. Himalyo fully respects this fact in its production. The powder for the production of sea buckthorn capsules is obtained by cold drying, the juice is cold-pressed.

But is sea buckthorn always gently processed?

Sea buckthorn can be processed in a variety of ways. In households, it is most often stored frozen or as a compote or a jam. Unfortunately, these methods of processing reduce the content of vitamins, especially water-soluble ones. Furthermore, with these types of processing, we add other raw ingredients, which also "dilute" sea buckthorn’s beneficial nutrients. Products with a concentrated "strength" of sea buckthorn are fresh juices, powder (usually in capsules) or oil.

Which form do you think is the best?

In general, oil is a more advantageous alternative to juice because it contains active ingredients from other parts of the fruit, such as peels and hard pulp, and, unlike juice, in addition to internal use (in folk medicine for stomach problems or hardening of arteries) oil has a justified role in skin care. Sea buckthorn oil has proven very useful in the treatment of burns, frostbite, eczema and postoperative scars. Oil can be obtained from either whole fruits or seeds. Himalyo also obtains its sea buckthorn oil by gentle extraction to prevent the destruction of the plant’s beneficial nutrients.

Otherwise, of course, each form of sea buckthorn has some advantage. It depends on the customer's personal preference, and, in particular, the reason the customer wants to include sea buckthorn in his health regime. If one has a relatively varied and healthy diet, then the occasional inclusion of juice is definitely enough. However, if one is exposed to more stress and his lifestyle is not completely optimal, it will be more appropriate to use capsules or oil. Oil and capsules are also more suitable for those who travel often.

What to choose?

It is up to the customer to decide whether capsules, a juice or an oil. In any case, consumers should select products of the highest quality, from the variety of sea buckthorn richest in beneficial nutrients and carefully processed. I definitely find the best attributes of sea buckthorn in Himalyo products.