Birch sap: how to collect, store and what to prepare

Previously, people had no idea about the composition of birch sap, that it was a storehouse of useful substances. However, our ancestors knew very well when it was best to collect this juice, that it was an excellent remedy for annoying coughs and stomach pain. Birch sap relieves wounds. It will give your skin smoothness and shine, and your hair will be thick. The joints will return to their previous shape. After studying the materials we presented, you will be able to immediately draw conclusions regarding when it is advisable to start collecting birch sap.

Collection of birch sap

When to collect juice?

It is no coincidence that March is translated into “berezen” in some languages. This word may be something between "birch" and "take care." In fact, birch has always been a talisman tree for the Slavic peoples. Perhaps the reason for such love lies in the properties of the sap, which was collected as soon as the snow began to melt, and the trees began to cry, taking away with these tears all the pain and cold that accompany the winter period.

Birch has always been considered a talisman tree

Each region has its own timing for collecting birch sap . If you live in the south, you need to start this in mid-March and continue until early April, and if you live in the north, then start in April and finish in May.

Each region has its own deadline for collecting birch sap

Important! Melting snow and tree buds will help you understand when it is best to collect sap. As soon as they swell and become larger, you can start collecting.

It is very important not to miss the moment suitable for collecting the drink.

The procedure for collecting birch sap

Head into the forest and at the nearest tree with a white trunk, which should be at least as thick as your hand, use an awl to create a small hole until the area where the bark meets the wood. To understand where this place is, you need to learn to “listen” to the tree. The bark and body of the tree differ in density, so when you feel that the awl has begun to pass differently through the birch, immediately stop stabbing further. Otherwise, you will harm the plant, since such a wound will be difficult to heal.

It is important to carefully make a hole to obtain birch sap, so as not to harm the tree

If you have correctly determined the time interval, then after a few seconds a transparent heavy drop of juice will appear in place of the hole, which flows up the trunk from the root system. Then you can get juice.

Select the best trees for collecting the drink and do not miss the time frame, since the juice can be obtained within a maximum of one and a half weeks. But you need to get more of the life-giving drink. As soon as foliage forms on the tree, you need to stop taking the sap. As you can see, there is nothing too complicated regarding the timing.

The juice can be obtained within about a week and a half

Note! The farther the birch you need is located from large cities and noisy roads, the better. The reason is that wood can absorb exhaust gases and other less useful elements. All these substances will remain in the juice.

We recommend collecting birch sap away from roads.
By the way, birch trees exist according to the sun, therefore, collecting sap must be done from 10 am to 6 pm. Don't forget this.

It is better if you get the sap from a tree that is located away from the city and major roads

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When to collect birch sap?

The release of sap from birch begins in early spring, with the first thaw. This period continues until the buds open. However, it should be noted that the exact time of juice release is quite difficult to establish, since it completely depends on weather conditions. Although most collectors claim that “birch tears” begin to run in mid-March.

To independently determine the beginning of the sap flow period, you just need to come to the forest and prick a birch tree with a thin awl. If after this action droplets of life-giving moisture appear from the hole, then you can safely begin collecting it and further preparing it.

As a rule, they stop collecting birch sap in the second half of April, when the leaves of the trees begin to bloom.

How to choose a tree?

Here are the most useful tips from experienced sap collectors.

Collecting birch sap in a plastic bag

1. It is necessary to approximately determine the diameter of the tree trunk at the chest level of an adult. The indicator should be at the level of 30 centimeters.
2. Based on the diameter of the birch, calculate the number of holes that can be made . If the gap is from 25 to 30 cm, only one is allowed, from 30 to 40 cm - 2-3 are allowed, from 40 cm - 4 are allowed. Further conclusions are drawn by analogy.
3. If you make more than one hole, you must maintain a distance of at least 20 cm .
4. To collect sap, it is best to choose mature and powerful birch trees , which have well-developed roots and a lush crown. Select a tree that grows at a slight slope.
5. It is optimal to make holes on the south side.
6. The birch tree must not be sick or injured . If you start collecting juice from it, you can weaken the plant or even kill it.
7. If you only have an ancient birch stump at your disposal, find out what condition it is in . If he is alive, then you can get juice from there.
8. If the birch tree is very young and very thin, there is no need to collect drink from it.
9. When there is only one birch tree at the edge, you are also not allowed to do anything with it.

Do not disturb a tree that is sick or injured

Note! If the volume of juice released is not enough for you, you do not need to form new holes. It’s better to go to a new tree located deep in the forest. In this part the trees had barely begun to warm up.

Rules for collecting birch sap

Features of collection

How to properly extract birch sap? To collect a large amount of life-giving drink, you should come to the forest before dark. After all, the most intense sap flow along the tree trunk is observed during daylight hours. Therefore, it is better to start collecting early in the morning.

Before taking birch sap, you should measure the diameter of the tree. It is this value that will determine how many holes can be made in it. So, if the diameter of the tree is 21-26 cm, then it can be pierced once. If 25-35 cm, then 2 holes are allowed, if 35-40 - 3, and if more than 40 cm, then all 4 are allowed.

How to collect birch sap? The devices must be placed near the tree that is located in the most sunny place. In the future, it is allowed to move deeper into the thicket.

As a rule, from one small birch tree a person can get about 2-3 liters of life-giving drink per day. If you find a large tree, it will give you approximately 7 liters of juice, or even more.

It is best to collect sap in a place where it is planned to quickly cut down a forest or grove. It is strictly forbidden to take a drink from young trees.

Due to the fact that the roots of the birch are deep in the ground, it is not able to absorb poisons from the surface soil. In this regard, all places where birch trees grow are ideal for collecting sap. However, experienced collectors argue that this process is best carried out in ecologically clean forests. This is due to the fact that the tree itself can quite easily absorb exhaust gases and other harmful substances.

Old way of collecting

Previously, women and children were engaged in obtaining juice. Men considered this activity to be entertainment, but sometimes they could accompany the family into the forest, helping to better drive thin stakes into the tree, which provided access to the slightly sweet drink of the awakened birch trees. This option is still used today and is suitable for anyone.

What do you need:

• a birch bark tin or a simple analogue in the form of a glass jar or other plastic container;
• stakes are sharp on both sides, their length should be about 20 centimeters;
• a bunch of grass twisted into a bundle from last year - it should be well washed and dried;
• several ropes to secure the can near the peg;
• a knife or other device that allows you to safely and without pain gain access to the desired layer of cortex.

There is an old method of collecting birch sap that is still used today

Rules for collecting juice

A hole is made in the birch

1. Select a birch tree that meets the requirements and examine it for sap flow.
2. Mark the approximate location where you will make the hole - about 50 cm up from the roots.
3. If the birch tree has thick and old bark, you need to carefully lift the top old layer with a knife. Try not to injure the young layer that comes after it.
4. Using a hand gimlet or screwdriver, make a hole in the center of the cleaned 2 by 2 centimeter square until the soft layer of bark is reached. Make the hole so that the immersed stake is positioned “nose” down.
5. Drive a stake into the hole.
6. When the juice begins to flow, place a collection container under the “nose” of the cola.
7. Attach the container with ropes to the tree trunk.
8. Disguise your container so that no one can detect it.
9. You can drain the juice from the container a couple of times a day.

You need to insert a peg into the hole made in the tree.

Preparation of birch sap, obtain birch sap

You should not collect sap from a young tree; there is little sap in such trees, and besides, after taking the sap from a young tree, it may die, not to mention the fact that in a mature birch the sap is richer and sweeter. When collecting birch trees, you should not use a saw or an ax, we are not vandals, let's preserve nature for future generations. It is easiest to collect and safest for wood if you use a 5-8 mm thick drill bit for drilling. such a hole will overgrow on the tree quickly and almost without a trace. It is important to know that, basically, the sap flows in the surface layer between the bark and the wood, so there is no need to make a deep hole at all. The best time to collect birch sap is considered to be between 12 and 18 hours. Don't collect too much sap from one tree to avoid ruining it. It is acceptable to collect 1.5 - 2 liters per day from an adult birch tree. If you are stocking up on sap, it is better to take 2 liters from five birch trees than 10 liters from 1 birch tree. Know that a birch tree, as soon as you drill a hole in it, will immediately begin to heal the wound inflicted on it. Therefore, the amount of birch sap will constantly decrease. Do not try to destroy the tree by deepening or widening the hole. Just change the birch.

So: 1) we find a suitable tree, the number of holes that can be made depends on the diameter of the birch, but remember it’s better to limit yourself to one - if 20-25 cm - only one - with a volume of 25-35 cm two - with a larger volume - three

2) carefully make a hole in the birch trunk at a distance of 20-40 cm from the ground and 4-5 cm deep. Attach a straw, tube, birch bark tray or other semicircular device into the hole made or under it, along which the juice will flow. The groove must be directed into a well-fixed bottle, jar or bag.

3) After you finish collecting birch sap, help the birch tree heal the wound. Cover the place where birch sap is collected with garden varnish (a special fusible putty that does not dissolve in water, used to treat tree wounds) or drive a wooden plug into the hole to prevent bacteria from entering the trunk, which can pose a serious threat to the life of the tree.

As a last resort, when sap is needed, but there is no way to drill a hole in the birch, you can make a small incision as shown in the photo below

Birch juice

Obtaining juice using a herbal tourniquet

Another option for collecting the miraculous drink the old way differs in that instead of a stake, a flagellum of grass . It will become like a wick, allowing the juice to enter the container. Please note that when using this method, you run the risk of encountering ants who will appreciate your “gift.” So if you use this option, be prepared to have a lot of these insects in your juice.

You can also insert a “wick” into the hole - a flagellum made from grass

Note! From one birch you can get from 1 to 3 liters of sap. You can’t take more, because the plant also needs this juice to live. If you take too much sap, the tree will have a hard time.

In general, you shouldn’t be greedy; it’s better to collect sap from several trees than to deplete one, which will cause the forest to suffer.

You can collect 1-3 liters of sap from one birch tree

Beneficial features:

• Potassium – 27.3 mg
• Sodium - 1.6 mg
• Calcium – 1.3 mg
• Magnesium – 0.6 mg
• Aluminum - 0.1-0.2 mg
• Manganese – 0.1 mg
• Iron - 25 mcg
• Silicon - 10 mcg
• Titanium - 8 mcg
• Copper - 2 mcg
• Nickel - 1 mcg
• Carbohydrates - 1-3 g

And all this is contained in only 100 grams of juice.

Along with this, the juice contains a lot of organic acids, essential oils and phytoncides, etc.

As can be seen from the composition, this is an excellent natural vitamin remedy that can support human strength and replenish the body with essential vitamins and minerals.

Collection by banks

The lid of the jar was cut off entirely, wrapped in the previous way, and the optimal container was placed under the gutter. If the neck of the container you are using is too narrow, it is enough to use a household funnel. This will increase the volume of juice collected.

Around the same time period, special devices appeared that looked like a hollow tube made of iron or aluminum with a “spout” at one end and a sharp edge at the other.

There is even a special device for collecting juice - a tube, sharp on one side and with a “spout” on the other.

Note! To avoid damaging the wood, the cross-sectional diameter of these devices should not be more than 5 mm. After completing the collection, the device must be removed from the trunk.

Preparation of birch sap

How to collect birch sap with your own hands correctly

To get to the birch sap quickly and not cause much damage to the tree trunk, you need to think carefully about your course of action.

To extract sap, choose the south side of the tree. There is usually less moss on it.

Birch sap extraction process

1. Take with you an aluminum tube with a diameter of 10 mm inside and a small arbitrary length.

2. Beat off the old bark with a hammer and drive the tube at an angle into the trunk at a short distance from the ground. The tube should not wobble. Estimate the distance from the ground so that it is enough to reach the can placed on the ground.

3. Once the tube is installed, use a drill with a smaller drill diameter than the tube. For example, the drill should have a diameter of 8 mm. Drill deep into the tree by inserting the drill into the tube.

4. As soon as you remove the drill from the tube, birch sap will immediately follow.

5. Take out a plastic tube and heat one end with a lighter.

6. The end of the tube will become soft when heated and will easily fit onto the aluminum tube.

7. Drill a hole in the bottle cap so that the plastic tube fits through it.

8. When the plastic tube is connected to the metal one and to the jar, the birch sap will gradually flow from the tree trunk into the jar.

Advice from practice: If you remove the lid and lower the plastic tube straight into the jar, debris and flies will get into the jar.

Birch sap will not collect quickly, so secure the jar firmly to the ground using large fallen branches.

Plastic collection devices

With the growing popularity of plastic items in everyday life, collecting juice has also become easier and faster. Here's what it has to do with:

• plastic containers weigh very little;
• such a container cannot break and does not leak;
• plastic containers can be quite large, so there is no need to check them regularly;
• Plastic containers most often have a lid in which you can make a hole for a straw with flowing liquid, which prevents birch sap from being lost, and insects and debris will not get into the container;
• the tube used is most often made of plastic;
• The device can be assembled without problems, it is also easy to remove, and is not subject to deformation.

Plastic sap collection devices are often used because they are more convenient.

We use a dropper

Let's figure out how to collect juice in this unusual way.

1. Find a suitable tree and use a wide dropper needle to make a hole in the bark. The length of the needle from the dropper is quite enough for you.
2. Place the other tip into the lid of the container.
3. Make sure that the juice begins to flow, attach the container between the roots. If the bottle is small, it can be attached to the birch tree using tape.

Birch sap is even extracted using a dropper.
A cambric with a straw for cocktails works in a similar way . However, you will need to try and first drive the nail 5 cm, forming a hole of the required diameter, and then remove it. It is also permissible to use a brace , the drill diameter of which should be similar to the diameter of the tube. Usually the figure does not exceed a centimeter.

Kolovorot

Note! Do not forget about the recommended distance between holes (20 cm) and do not make many holes in the birch. You will take too much juice from her, injure her, and perhaps she will die in the future.

Since technology is developing well these days, some people replace the nail and hand brace with a cordless hand drill, as a result of which obtaining birch sap does not present any problems.

It is forbidden to make many holes in a tree, as this will kill it.

All of the options mentioned above allow us to draw conclusions regarding how best to collect the juice and not damage the plant itself.

There are different ways to collect birch sap

Important Rules

Birch sap must be collected correctly so as not to cause serious harm to the tree. Sometimes there are terrible pictures when barbarians simply chop off a birch tree. This should not be done under any circumstances, since the trunk will die after such actions.

To prevent trees from being damaged when collecting sap, you need to follow certain rules:

• Collect sap only from birches whose trunks have a diameter greater than 20 cm.
• It is forbidden to leave large notches and peel off the bark in a circle.
• You cannot pump sap out of one tree by chopping it up and then leaving an open wound. It is better not to use an ax at all, as it can cause irreparable harm to the tree.
• It is prohibited to use young trees to extract birch sap.

These rules must always be remembered so as not to harm nature. Concern for the environment must always remain a top priority.

Tips and tricks

• It is more effective to make the hole on the northern or best-lit side, since there is more liquid there.
• At the very beginning, you need to make a small cut in the trunk. Although many say that the best option would be to clear the hole with a gimlet and insert a tube there so that the liquid flows through it into the bottle.
• Another good way is to cut off a small part of the branch and put it in a container to collect life-giving moisture. It is much simpler and this method requires almost nothing except a bottle.

After completing all the manipulations on the birch, you should cover the hole with wax or laundry soap, or plug it with cork or moss. This will help save the tree from rotting the trunk due to bacteria entering it.

From one birch tree you can collect about 18 liters of drink, but the best option for preserving the tree would be 1 liter; this number may vary with different trunk diameters. The juice may drain from the hole for about 1 or 2 days, but you should not leave the tube for that long. If the liquid stops dripping, then there is no need to try to install the tube differently or do similar actions, you just need to change the tree.

The second hole should be made only on trees with a diameter of more than 30 cm. As already mentioned, after collecting, it is imperative to seal the leakage site with cork, moss, wax or something else. Also, do not forget that this is a forest, and ticks begin to appear in the forest in the spring. After arriving home, you must carefully examine yourself and your belongings.

How to get the most juice?

This option exists, but an understanding person will not use it, since it causes diseases in the birch tree and sometimes kills it.

For this method, they use a simple ax, which is used to cut into the birch tree. The tree is simply covered in tears. An incredible amount of sap is released, as a result of which the plant is unable to recover. You should not use this method, since it is completely unfair to the plant . Yes, you can get a huge amount of sap at once, but this kills the tree and harms the forest. You can't do that!

It is possible to get a huge amount of sap at one time, but then the tree will inevitably die

Note! It is unacceptable to treat nature from the position of a predator. After all, we are people, not animals.

The previously mentioned options for obtaining birch sap, with the exception of the most radical ones, are quite safe for plants, since they do not damage them too much. At the same time, you can get quite a lot of drink from several trees. The forest will remain safe and sound. We have already talked about how to get sap and not damage the birch too much.

To collect birch sap safely for the tree, you can trim a low-growing tree branch and attach a bottle to it to allow the sap to drain.

Rules for collecting juice

It is very important not only not to damage the tree, but also to help it heal the wounds it receives. After all, punctures damage it in any case. There is nothing complicated in the process. If you used stakes according to the old method, then when you collect the sap, you need to break and clean the area with the hole, coating the top surface with garden pitch or resin extracted from coniferous crops.

The hole made must be covered and closed.

When you finish the activities for obtaining juice, the injuries will remain in any situation. It is necessary to carefully remove all the devices and hammer a wooden chopstick or well-compacted moss into this hole.

Note! Any twig or branch found in the forest can act as a chopik. It is very important to remove the bark and check for rot. Don’t have a garden varnish or haven’t found a spruce tree in the forest? At least use oil paint!

Garden varnish
Of course, a tree with a minor injury can cope on its own, but if you help it, the process will go faster. Birch sap will quickly saturate the cork, fill the remaining gaps in the holes and calmly move on to the branches. The birch tree itself will heal damage with fresh wood without any problems.

It’s better to help the birch recover

If you did everything right, the birch tree will easily heal its wounds caused by collecting sap. Most likely, if next year you want to get a drink from the same tree, you will not even notice any traces of the intervention.

Dates for collecting birch sap this year by region of Russia

Collection times vary significantly across regions. This is due to different climates, because in some areas spring comes 2 weeks earlier, and in others just as much later. For example, in the southern part of Russia it has been warming since the end of February, and there may be no snow there at all in winter. Residents of the Krasnodar Territory and Crimea can go to the forest from the beginning of March and collect sap before April.

Those who live in Voronezh, the Moscow region, Omsk and other large cities located in the central part can go fishing only from the end of March, after the 20th. Earlier trips will be pointless, and you will only needlessly damage the tree. You can harvest birch trees until the 20th of April, while the leaves on the birch tree have not yet bloomed.

For residents of Novosibirsk and the northern regions, the right time for collection comes no earlier than mid-April. At the end of March, there are still snowdrifts in the forest, and nature has not yet woken up. The temperature still continues to remain in the sub-zero range, but with the arrival of April it changes to positive. You can go fishing in the forests of Siberia and the Far East from April 15 to May 15.

Please note that the above timeframes are approximate and may vary from year to year. Winters can be abnormally warm or, conversely, cold, so first of all, focus on the external signs that nature itself gives. Then you will correctly decide on the dates and collect the maximum of the healing drink from the tree.

Juice storage

If you don't need to consume the juice right away and want to keep it for a long time, use a glass jar and place it in the refrigerator. Due to this, the juice will not suffer as much from oxidation and will not spoil. But it is advisable not to save the juice for more than a couple of days, as fermentation processes will begin and the drink will become toxic. However, you can preserve the juice, so it will last for a long time.

Juice cannot be stored for very long unless it is processed

Juice canning recipes

Freshly collected birch sap is fermented. The containers are washed with hot water and fresh juice is poured into them. For every 0.5 l use 1 tsp. sugar, a few raisins, washed in cool boiled water. If you wish, you can add a little lemon zest.

Attention! The container is closed and reinforced with wire or bandaging.

Keep in mind that carbon dioxide puts a lot of pressure on the container during fermentation, so to avoid breaking the glass, you should not put more sugar than written above. After a couple of days, you will be able to take a sample from a tasty and carbonated drink. For canning, heat the juice to 80 degrees. Pour it into containers, filling it up to the throat, and close the lids. The bottles are capped and then tarred. After this, they are sterilized for about 20 minutes at a temperature of 85 degrees.

You can preserve birch sap yourself

How to make kvass from birch sap?

It is also advisable to make kvass to preserve the juice. Warm the juice to 35 degrees, add 20 g of yeast and 3 raisins per liter, lemon zest if desired. Then close the container tightly and let it sit for a couple of weeks.

You can make delicious kvass from birch sap

There is another option. Take 10 liters of juice, pour in the juice of 4 lemons, add 50 grams of yeast, 30 grams of honey or sugar, 3 raisins per container. Pour into bottles and place in a dark and cool room for a couple of weeks. In general, the drink can reach its condition within a week, but if it sits longer, you can drink it throughout the summer.

Preparing birch sap for the winter

Another version of kvass. Take a barrel of birch sap and place a bag of burnt rye bread crusts there on a rope. After two days, yeast will emerge from the crusts. After this, a bucket of oak bark is placed in the container, this is a preservative.

Attention! If you want flavor, use cherries and dill.

After 14 days, you can take a sample, or you can save it until winter.

You can even make incredibly tasty birch kvass

Previously, people drank fermented birch sap from barrels. This low-alcohol drink was in use. In general, birch sap is very pleasant, it is refreshing and has a positive effect on the body. However, it is often diluted with other juices and decoctions.

Other methods of preserving and preserving birch sap.

Our ancestors drank birch sap fermented in barrels without adding sugar; this was a traditional low-alcohol drink at Russian feasts. Birch sap itself is a pleasant, refreshing and body-strengthening drink, but you can add chokeberry, lingonberry, blueberry juice to it, or infuse it with various herbs: thyme, chamomile, caraway, linden flowers, rose hips, in a jar covered with gauze for about 2 weeks.

You can add to it infusions of St. John's wort, mint, lemon balm, pine needles, cherry juice, apples, currants. Birch sap can be thickened by evaporation to a syrup containing 60% sugar. This syrup has a lemon-white color and the thickness of honey.

Pour the Belarusian-style birch sap drink into a large bottle and place in a dark, cool place for 2-3 days. Then they add barley malt or toasted crushed crackers to it. For 5 liters of birch sap – 30 g. barley malt or crackers. Balsam is also prepared from birch sap. For a bucket of juice you need 3 kg of sugar, 2 liters of wine and 4 finely chopped lemons. All this needs to be left to ferment in the cellar for two months, and then bottled and aged for another three weeks.

Treatment with birch sap

In the spring, for about three weeks, the tree gives people its sap and has a positive effect on health. The fame and universal love of birch sap is based on the vital forces that the tree transmits to humans.

Since the juice contains enzymes and stimulants of biological origin, it has a positive effect on the immune system. Calcium, potassium and magnesium help normalize the functioning of the heart muscle. The tannin elements of the juice cope with inflammatory processes.

Birch sap is a storehouse of substances beneficial to the human body.

Since the drink contains easily digestible sugars, this has a positive effect on brain activity.

Attention! Birch sap is recognized as a good product for the diet. If you use it on a regular basis, you can feel its tonic effect. If you drink about a glass of juice a day, you can become more alert and energetic. You will stop constantly wanting to sleep, your mood will improve, and fatigue will go away.

Note that birch sap perfectly strengthens the immune system, which suffers from various diseases. It also produces a diuretic effect. The juice helps release uric acid and increases diuresis. It helps people with kidney and urinary tract diseases. The drink has a positive effect on the condition of people suffering from lung diseases and arthritis. Note that if you have urolithiasis or a stomach ulcer, you should first ask your doctor whether you can drink this juice.

Birch sap strengthens the immune system

Experts advise drinking juice if you suffer from skin problems - eczema, lichen, furunculosis. You can gargle with the drink during a sore throat; it also relieves headaches, coughs, and improves the condition of joints. The juice cleanses the blood and removes toxins.

As you can see, the drink is truly miraculous, but we must not forget that it still cannot be used for treatment. It is best to add it to a comprehensive treatment program after finding out the opinion of a specialist.

The value of birch sap

Rules for choosing a place to collect birch sap

Be sure to choose time this coming weekend to visit the forest, breathe in the life-giving spring air and fulfill your old dream of collecting birch sap.

In early spring, it is exciting and useful to take a walk through the spring forest awakening from sleep after hibernation. I assure you that you will get unforgettable pleasure from such a stay in nature. Enjoy the aroma of an awakening forest, smell the thawed earth, swelling buds, and listen to the murmuring of spring streams.

And while enjoying all this splendor, choose stronger birch trees, ready to share birch sap with us. According to the rules outlined below, gently collect birch sap, which resembles soft life-giving moisture with a slightly sweet taste.

You should wisely choose an environmentally safe place to collect birch sap, away from densely populated areas, railways and highways, power lines, landfills and other places that can pollute the environment.

Trees growing in environmentally unfavorable conditions feed on moisture from soil contaminated with various chemical compounds. And even by pumping this moisture through its “internal organs,” birch trees are not able to cleanse the sap of unwanted toxic impurities. Therefore, it is better to go for birch sap away from large industrial settlements, where the environment is environmentally friendly.

To avoid penalties, it is better to refrain from collecting birch sap in places of mass celebrations of residents, botanical and dendrological parks, cultural and recreation parks, memorial parks, nature reserves, and in places where plants listed in the Red Book grow. It is prohibited to cause even minor damage to forest plantations and parks adjacent to health and educational institutions, and manufacturing enterprises.

What birch sap treats: traditional medicine

Table. The use of birch sap in folk medicine.

Birch sap helps against various diseases

What's the benefit other than pure joy?

Deadly superbug

Will not leave humanity a chance

Meticulous scientists have determined the composition of birch sap. It contains ascorbic acid and B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium, fluorine and phosphorus. In small quantities - copper, manganese, titanium, silicon, barium. Glucose and fructose add a slightly sweet taste. Herbalists claim that birch sap improves immunity, improves metabolism, normalizes blood pressure, stimulates the heart, relieves swelling and relieves inflammation in the oral cavity.

Dermatologists add that it helps with neurodermatitis, boils, acne, eczema, wound healing, dandruff treatment and hair loss. So it’s not for nothing that girls in Rus' always washed their faces with birch sap, considering it a magical remedy for girlish beauty.