Sea Buckthorn: Properties, Benefits And Uses

A hardy shrub that grows in inhospitable places, Sea Buckthorn is a treasure trove of nutrients. Let's find out what they are and what benefits they bring to our health.


Sea Buckthorn, Botanical Information

Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae Rhamnoides) is a shrub plant belonging to the Elaeagnaceae family. The botanical name Hippophae derives from the fact that, in the past, the tenderest leaves and twigs of this plant were used to feed horses (hippos in Greek ). The substances of which Sea Buckthorn is rich made it shiny and softened their coat, improving both the outward appearance and the strength of the physique.

Sea buckthorn is a plant with few pretensions and with a remarkable ability to adapt. In fact, it is widespread in a vast area that includes a large part of Europe, Central Asia and north-east China.

In Europe, Sea Buckthorn mainly prefers coastal regions and rocky soils of subalpine areas, while in Asia, it is possible to find it in the semi-desert areas of China and Mongolia.

The Sea Buckthorn, as already mentioned, does not need much to survive and grow: the only element it cannot do without is the sun. Generally, this plant develops spontaneously - up to 5 or 6 meters in height - in barren areas, where few other plants would be able to resist. In fact, Olivella Spinoso has excellent resistance to saltiness and easily tolerates environments with a windy climate and arid soil.

Sea buckthorn owes its name to its branches full of thorns, which is why it can often be found in the gardens of houses as a hedge to perform not only an ornamental but also a protective function.

The most exciting part of this plant is undoubtedly the fruit, small bright orange drupes similar to olives (hence the name "Olivella"). Fruits are precisely why the cultivation of sea buckthorn is becoming increasingly popular. Juices and syrups are obtained from these brightly coloured berries and also oil whose properties are exploited in the cosmetic field.

Properties And Benefits Of Sea Buckthorn

Sea buckthorn is a medicinal superfood plant known and used all over the planet. Its benefits have been appreciated since ancient times, so much so that it is said that Genghis Khan himself used it. Sea buckthorn also appears in traditional Chinese, Indian and Tibetan medicine. But to what does it owe all its fame?

As already mentioned, the casket that contains the precious nutrients and phytocomplexes that give the sea buckthorn its health properties is above all the fruit and its seeds. In particular, small fruits are a concentrate of vitamin C: they contain on average between 20 and 30 times more than an orange! Not only that, but in the fruits of sea buckthorn, we also find:

  • Carotenoids
  • Polyphenols
  • Triterpenes
  • Phytosterols
  • Organic acids (e.g. chlorogenic acid, malic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid)

In the seeds, on the other hand, we find unsaturated fatty acids and essential fatty acids, among which palmitoleic acid stands out. It is an unsaturated fatty acid from the rare omega-7 series. In addition to these critical nutrients, sea buckthorn seeds are rich in vitamin E, B vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and zinc.

This great variety of nutrients and phytocomplexes is responsible for the main properties of sea buckthorn. More specifically, the juice obtained from the fruit has a marked antioxidant, tonic, anti-inflammatory and remineralizing action. On the other hand, the oil primarily derives from fruits and seeds. It is used topically for its healing, therapeutic and anti-inflammatory properties.

But that's not all: the leaves also contain useful phytocomplexes, mainly tannins, and are used to prepare mother tinctures with an astringent action.

How To Use Sea Buckthorn

Sea buckthorn can be used both in herbal medicine and in the culinary field.

Sea Buckthorn In Herbal Medicine

The primary use of sea buckthorn is as a herbal medicine: it is mainly used in the form of juice or oil, but we can also find supplements in capsules or tablets formulated with sea buckthorn. Let's see what its applications are.

  • Tonic And Remineralizing Properties: Sea buckthorn juice can be considered a multivitamin and a natural multimineral supplement and is, therefore, an excellent remedy in case of asthenia, fatigue due to healing and anaemia.
  • Antioxidant And Vasoprotective Action: The richness of vitamin C, polyphenols, carotenoids, and vitamin E makes sea buckthorn juice an excellent preventive treatment against cardiovascular problems such as hypertension, high cholesterol and atherosclerosis.
  • Healing And Anti-Inflammatory Action: The healing activity of sea buckthorn occurs both externally and internally in the organism. In fact, sea buckthorn oil can be helpful in the treatment of gastric ulcers, gum inflammation, soothe burns, wounds, dermatitis, sunburn, burns and redness of the skin in general.
  • Protection Of Skin And Hair: Sea buckthorn oil is particularly suitable for mature and demanding skin or in case of damaged hair. It carries out repairing and regenerating action on the cells.

Sea Buckthorn In The Kitchen

We mentioned that sea buckthorn never ceases to amaze, right? In fact, the fruits of this plant are also excellent for use in the kitchen. You can prepare jams, syrups, jellies, and berries to be eaten fresh or after preservation in sweet & sour or vinegar with sea buckthorn.

The pulp of the sea buckthorn fruit has a citrusy, slightly acrid and enjoyable flavour. From this, it is possible to obtain excellent sauces for accompanying meat and fish, a very popular combination, especially in the cuisine of the northern countries.

Finally, with sea buckthorn berries, it is also possible to prepare liqueurs, excellent both to drink as they are and to mix to prepare cocktails.

Sea Buckthorn, Where To Buy It

Plant or sea buckthorn derivatives? This is the first question to ask yourself to understand where to buy sea buckthorn. The shrub is readily available in nurseries, as well as many other plant species. On the other hand, sea buckthorn derivatives, such as oil, juices or cosmetic products that contain it, are sold in health food stores and online stores of natural products.

The price per kg of sea buckthorn depends on many variables, and it is difficult to define it unambiguously.

Sea Buckthorn: Contraindications And Warnings

First of all, it is important to distinguish between berries eaten as they are and herbal preparations based on sea buckthorn. The fruit, eaten fresh or in culinary preparations, has no contraindications. At the same time, information on the safe use of the extracts in particular physical or health conditions is scarce. For this reason, it is always good to consult your doctor before deciding whether or not to take sea buckthorn food supplements.

It is advisable to be particularly attentive to any reactions that the sea buckthorn may cause on its first use. Those who have never used products based on this plant cannot know if they could develop particular allergic reactions to its components. For this reason, it is advisable, especially during the first uses, not to exceed the doses.

In addition, the use of sea buckthorn is not recommended :

  • For those with hypotension, as the sea buckthorn could act, causing a slight lowering of blood pressure.
  • If you take blood-thinning medications, as sea buckthorn may slow blood clotting and cause sudden bleeding or bleeding.
  • For who needs to undergo surgery. In this case, it is advisable to stop taking it at least two weeks before.
  • In the case of kidney stones, due to the high content of vitamin C.
  • For pregnant or lactating women. It is advisable to seek advice from your doctor before using any sea buckthorn based product, although they are usually harmless.

Other Properties Of Sea Buckthorn

The benefits of sea buckthorn do not stop at those for our health. The importance of this plant is also given by its ability to restore the quantity and quality of mineral salts in the soil. In fact, after the first terrestrial glaciation, sea buckthorn was among the first plants to repopulate the flora, accompanying the reappearance of a large number of shrubs that benefited from it.

The sea buckthorn's ability to adapt to hostile soils and grow with minimal resources is explained by the presence of symbiotic fungi on its roots. Symbiotic fungi transforms the nitrogen that the plant absorbs from the atmosphere into organic substances that allow the sea buckthorn to develop healthily and act as nourishment for the soil. In fact, this process allows the soil surrounding the sea buckthorn to be enriched with nitrites - organic substances derived from nitrogen, making it more fertile and welcoming for other plant species as well.

The root system of the sea buckthorn is so branched as to be an excellent tool for fighting the erosion of its own. Finally, the branches of the sea buckthorn offer shelter to various species of birds during the winter: its nourishing berries act as sustenance, while the thorns provide protection from any predators.