Birch sap

Last updated
Extraction of birch sap Collecting of birch sap.jpg
Extraction of birch sap

Birch sap,birch water or birch juice is the sap directly tapped from birch trees, Betula pubescens (white birch), Betula pendula (silver birch), Betula lenta , Betula papyrifera , and Betula fontinalis .

Contents

Birch sap may be consumed both fresh and naturally fermented. When fresh, it is a clear and uncoloured liquid, often slightly sweet with a slightly silky texture. After two to three days, the sap starts fermenting and the taste becomes more acidic.

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 Balts, Slavs and Finns regarded birch as one of their most sacred trees [3] [4] 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 Pennsylvania Dutch, both as a traditional beverage in its own right, and particularly as a key ingredient in birch beer. [7]

Composition

Sap, birch water [8]
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
Fat
less than 0.1 g
Minerals Quantity
%DV
Calcium
6%
60 mg
Iron
1%
0.1 mg
Magnesium
3%
11 mg
Manganese
52%
1.1 mg
Phosphorus
1%
6.4 mg
Potassium
4%
120 mg
Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. [9]

Birch sap contains heterosides (betuloside and monotropitoside), [10] 17 amino acids including glutamic acid, [11] as well as minerals, enzymes, proteins, betulinic acid and betulin, [12] [13] [14] antioxidants, [15] sugar (fructose, glucose and small amounts of sucrose) and vitamins (C and B(group)). [15] Contrary to popular belief, there is no xylitol in birch sap (xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is industrially produced using high temperature and sulfuric acid, or through fermentation). [16]

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]

RegionTraditional medicinal useCosmetic use
Belarus lung diseases, gout, sicknesswashing hair
Bulgariahair growth
Czech Republicpoor health, infertility against freckles
Estonia(prevention of) eye diseases, skin diseases, source of vitaminswashing hair, against freckles and to bleach the skin
Hungarystomach 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, diuretichair colouring, to remove sunspots and moles
Russiaexternally against sores, to help children during teethingwashing face
Sweden scurvy, cholera
Ukrainetreating skin diseases, source of vitamins, diureticagainst freckles
United Kingdomtonic, rheumatism, first nourishment for new-born childrenprevention of baldness
United StatesPoor health

Commercial birch sap and derivative products

Bottle of Russian commercial birch sap Berezovii sok.JPG
Bottle of Russian commercial birch sap

Birch sap may be consumed both fresh and naturally fermented. Fresh birch sap is highly perishable; even if refrigerated, it is stable for only 7 days. Shelf life can be prolonged by freezing or preservation techniques. Existing preservation techniques include: [17]

Birch sap can also be used as an ingredient in food or drink recipes, [18] such as birch beer or wintergreen-flavored candy.

Concentrated birch sap is used to make birch syrup, a very expensive type of syrup mainly made from paper birch in Alaska [19] and Canada, and from several species in Latvia, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange juice</span> Juice made from oranges

Orange juice is a liquid extract of the orange tree fruit, produced by squeezing or reaming oranges. It comes in several different varieties, including blood orange, navel oranges, valencia orange, clementine, and tangerine. As well as variations in oranges used, some varieties include differing amounts of juice vesicles, known as "pulp" in American English, and "(juicy) bits" in British English. These vesicles contain the juice of the orange and can be left in or removed during the manufacturing process. How juicy these vesicles are depend upon many factors, such as species, variety, and season. In American English, the beverage name is often abbreviated as "OJ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birch</span> Genus of flowering plants in the family Betulaceae

A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus Betula, in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae. The genus Betula contains 30 to 60 known taxa of which 11 are on the IUCN 2011 Red List of Threatened Species. They are a typically rather short-lived pioneer species widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in northern areas of temperate climates and in boreal climates. Birch wood, the wood of the birch, is used for a wide range of purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm wine</span> Alcoholic beverage made from tree sap

Palm wine, known by several local names, is an alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm trees such as the palmyra, date palms, and coconut palms. It is known by various names in different regions and is common in various parts of Africa, the Caribbean, South America, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Micronesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xylitol</span> Synthetic sweetener

Xylitol is a chemical compound with the formula C
5
H
12
O
5
, or HO(CH2)(CHOH)3(CH2)OH; specifically, one particular stereoisomer with that structural formula. It is a colorless or white crystalline solid that is freely soluble in water. It can be classified as a polyalcohol and a sugar alcohol, specifically an alditol. The name derives from Ancient Greek: ξύλον, xyl[on] 'wood', with the suffix -itol used to denote sugar alcohols.

<i>Betula pendula</i> Species of birch

Betula pendula, commonly known as silver birch, warty birch, European white birch, or East Asian white birch, is a species of tree in the family Betulaceae, native to Europe and parts of Asia, though in southern Europe, it is only found at higher altitudes. Its range extends into Siberia, China, and southwest Asia in the mountains of northern Turkey, the Caucasus, and northern Iran. It has been introduced into North America, where it is known as the European white birch or weeping birch and is considered invasive in some states in the United States and parts of Canada. The tree can also be found in more temperate regions of Australia.

<i>Betula pubescens</i> Species of birch

Betula pubescens, commonly known as downy birch and also as moor birch, white birch, European white birch or hairy birch, is a species of deciduous tree, native and abundant throughout northern Europe and northern Asia, growing farther north than any other broadleaf tree. It is closely related to, and often confused with, the silver birch, but grows in wetter places with heavier soils and poorer drainage; smaller trees can also be confused with the dwarf birch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sap</span> Fluid transported in xylem cells or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant

Sap is a fluid transported in xylem cells or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant. These cells transport water and nutrients throughout the plant.

Latvian cuisine typically consists of agricultural products, with meat featuring in most main meal dishes. Fish is commonly consumed due to Latvia's location on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kilju</span> Finnish home made alcoholic beverage

Kilju is the Finnish word for home made alcoholic beverage typically made of sugar, yeast, and water.

<i>Betula papyrifera</i> Species of tree

Betula papyrifera is a short-lived species of birch native to northern North America. Paper birch is named after the tree's thin white bark, which often peels in paper-like layers from the trunk. Paper birch is often one of the first species to colonize a burned area within the northern latitudes, and is an important species for moose browsing. Primary commercial uses for paper birch wood are as boltwood and sawlogs, while secondary products include firewood and pulpwood. It is the provincial tree of Saskatchewan and the state tree of New Hampshire.

<i>Betula alleghaniensis</i> Species of flowering plant in the birch family Betulaceae

Betula alleghaniensis, the yellow birch, golden birch, or swamp birch, is a large tree and an important lumber species of birch native to northeastern North America. Its vernacular names refer to the golden color of the tree's bark. In the past its scientific name was Betula lutea.

Birch syrup is a savory, mineral-tasting syrup made from birch sap, and produced in much the same way as maple syrup. However, it is seldom used for pancake or waffle syrup; more often it is used as an ingredient paired with pork or salmon dishes in sauces, glazes, and dressings, and as a flavoring in ice cream, beer, wine, and soft drinks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birch beer</span> Carbonated soft drink

Birch beer is a beverage, commonly found as a carbonated soft drink made from herbal extracts and birch bark. There are dozens of brands of birch beer available.

<i>Arenga pinnata</i> Species of palm

Arenga pinnata is an economically important feather palm native to tropical Asia, from eastern India east to Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines in the east. Common names include sugar palm, areng palm, black sugar palm, and kaong palm, among other names.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agave syrup</span> Sweetener

Agave syrup, also known as maguey syrup or agave nectar, is a sweetener commercially produced from several species of agave, including Agave tequilana and Agave salmiana. Blue-agave syrup contains 56% fructose as a sugar providing sweetening properties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neera</span> Palm nectar used as a drink

Neera, also called palm nectar, is a sap extracted from the inflorescence of various species of toddy palms and used as a drink. Neera extraction is generally performed before sunrise. It is sweet, translucent in colour. It is susceptible to natural fermentation at ambient temperature within a few hours of extraction, and is also known as palm wine. Once fermented, Neera becomes toddy. Neera is widely consumed in India, Sri Lanka, Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Myanmar. Neera is not the juice made from palm fruit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm syrup</span>

Palm syrup is an edible sweet syrup produced from the sap of a number of palms. It is produced in the Canary Islands and coastal regions of South America.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Svanberg, Ingvar; et al. (2012). "Uses of tree saps in northern and eastern parts of Europe". Acta Soc Bot Pol. 81 (4): 343–357. doi: 10.5586/asbp.2012.036 . hdl: 10278/3694733 .
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 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.
  3. Chepaitis, Barbara (14 April 2016). "Tapping Trees, Drinking Lighting: Baltic Birch Juice". Deep Baltic. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  4. Hopman, Ellen Evert (2008-06-09). A Druid's Herbal of Sacred Tree Medicine. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   9781594777240.
  5. Planter og tradisjon: Floraen i levende tale og tradisjon i Norge, Ove Arbo Høeg, Universitetsforlaget, 1974, ISBN   8200089304.
  6. Övre Dalarnes bondekultur 3, Lars Levander, Lund, 1947.
  7. "Pennsylvania Birch Beer Recipe". www.grouprecipes.com.
  8. Kūka, Māra (2013). "Determination of Bioactive Compounds and Mineral Substances in Latvian Birch and Maple Saps". Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B. Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences. 67 (4–5): 437–441. doi: 10.2478/prolas-2013-0069 . S2CID   49739804.
  9. United States Department of Agriculture; Agricultural Research Service (2019). "FoodData Central" . Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  10. Sosa, A (1935). "Un glucoside nouveau de Betula Alba L. Le bétuloside et son aglycone, le bétuligénol". Paris Masson ed.
  11. Ahtonen, S; Kallio, H (1989). "Identification and seasonal variation of amino acids in birch sap used for syrup production". Food Chemistry. 33 (2): 125–132. doi:10.1016/0308-8146(89)90115-5.
  12. "Bouleau à papier (BOP)". www2.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca.
  13. Bouchet, Jérome (2007). Les Stratégies en Thérapeutique Antivirale. p. 24.
  14. "Cure de sève de bouleau et ses bienfaits multiples". 10 March 2014.
  15. 1 2 Demirci, B; Demirci, F; Hüsnü Can Baser, K; Franz, G (2004). "Essential oil of Betula pendula Roth. Buds". Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 1 (3): 301–303. doi:10.1093/ecam/neh041. PMC   538512 . PMID   15841263.
  16. Kallio, H; Ahtonen, S (1985). "Identification of the Sugars and Acids in Birch Sap". Journal of Food Science. 50 (1): 266–269. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.1985.tb13328.x.
  17. Nicole & Olivier Lhomme, NICOLL-Nature, Le Bio Logis, La sève de bouleau
  18. Bergo, Alan. "EASY BIRCH SYRUP RECIPES AND USES". Forager Chef.
  19. 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.