Everything you need to know about the superfood berries sea buckthorns, and an easy recipe for sea buckthorn juice that does not require heating.
What Are Sea Buckthorns?
Also known as a sand thorn, seaberry, and sallowthorn. Sea buckthorn is a shrub that produces small orange/yellow berries. They are commonly found in Russia, China. Northern Europe and Canada.
Sea buckthorn berries are edible (often not eaten raw), healthy, and very nutritious. They are often used to make juice, tea, jam, puree, sauces, pies, ice cream. As well as cosmetics, moisturizing body lotions, and their oils are used for treating hair and skin.
Sea Buckthorn Benefits
The berries are used in many natural remedies as they’re rich in antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins C, B1, B2, B6, and E.
- Sea buckthorn can lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels.
- It may reduce the risk of having a heart disease.
- It may reduce blood sugar levels and therefore prevent diabetes.
- It’s good for your skin. Scientists found that oil can help renew old skin and make your skin brighter.
- It’s rich in substances that can kill cancer cells.
- It may slow down the aging process.
Sea Buckthorn Juice
One of the easiest ways to use sea buckthorn berries in a recipe is to make juice! Making juice and tea from sea buckthorn are my favorite ways to consume these healthy berries, and those are probably the most common recipes that are known (in Russia at least).
This recipe does not require cooking the berries, which makes sure that you get the most of them as all vitamins and nutrients are preserved since there is no heat used to make the juice.
How To Make Sea Buckthorn Juice
- Wash the berries and blend them using a hand blender or a food processor. This will result in a runny puree of the berries and their seeds.
- Add a sweetener, and blend the berries for 1 more minute.
- Strain the juice using a mesh strainer (sieve), and set the pulp aside.
- Dilute the juice with water, and serve chilled.
When the juice is pressed, it might start separating into a few layers and that’s totally normal. Just stir it up with a spoon, and enjoy!
Is It Possible To Freeze Sea Buckthorn Berries?
The answer is yes! All berries can be frozen, you can either freeze the berries as a whole by just washing them and freezing them in a freezer bag. Or you can make a puree by blending the berries and then freezing them in an airtight container for up to 2 years.
I’ve heard that sea buckthorn berries contain 15 times more vitamin C than oranges! They are quite sour and are often sweetened when are used to make juice, jams, ice creams, etc… They are also packed with antioxidants, and omega fatty acids, so if you haven’t had them before, look for them!
Other names…
Sea buckthorn is also known as
Another great Russian drink is Kompot; summer fruit punch. It’s one of my all-time favorites so make sure to check it out!
For more tasty Russian recipes, head over to my Russian recipe collection.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Sea Buckthorn Juice Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (1kg) sea buckthorn berries
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or raw sugar
- 2 cups (500ml) water
Equipment
- immersion blender
Instructions
- Wash the berries and blend them using a hand blender or a food processor. This will result in a runny puree of the berries and their seeds.
- Add a sweetener, and blend the berries for 1 more minute.
- Strain the juice using a mesh strainer (sieve), and set the pulp aside.
- Dilute the juice with water, and serve chilled.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Christine Shaw says
We live by the sea and walk the beach everyday passing hundreds of thousands of sea buckthorn berries sparkling bright on the sand dunes. I’ve longed to do something with them before they go to waste so this recipe is perfect! I’m also going to make some sea buckthorn gin!
Sam says
Seabuckthorn is a very nutritious berry and the product made out of it are very beneficial to our bodies.
Dr Carla says
Dear Diana, How many cups does 2 pounds sea buckthorn make?
Diana says
I’m not sure as it depends on how juicy the berries are, but I think that 2 pounds will make around 4-6 cups of juice (I could be wrong).
Kathleen says
what can you do with the pulp
Lynette Downie says
Very refreshing
Vidya says
I love seabokthorn serum because I have already used, nd I realized that result on my face, nd I need to use again nd again, nd I need to know about it one thing, can seabokthorn oil is really work on hair? Nd I have some deep pigmentation on my face, so can i use serum for pigmentation?
Diana says
Hi Vidya, that is awesome that the sea buckthorn serum works for you. Unfortunately, I can’t offer you any advice as we’re a recipe website and only offer recipes. I suggest that you consult your dermatologist.
Sasha says
I have just recently found your site and am very impressed with it – the photos are beautiful and methods easy to follow.
I try cook and eat a lot of natural and traditional foods, especially from Baltic areas, including fermented foods such as kefir and vegetables of various types.
This drink looks delicious! I have never tried sea buckthorn berries but but having read up on their benefits
I would like to start with either organic dried or non organic freeze dried ones (I can’t see fresh in any local supermarkets in Scotland).
I would be so grateful if you could advise on which option would be best in terms of retaining their nutritional benefits, whether organic matters (because I know they grow wild), and finally (sorry, too many questions) which of those would re-hydrate better to be able to make this drink (and hopefully other recipes). Thanks in advance!
Diana says
Hi Sasha, I’ll be honest with you, I’ve never seen buckthorn berries anywhere in the UK. I know they exist but I’ve never seen them here, so I always get them when I visit Russia (we have a tree growing in my Mum’s datcha 😆 but I also buy them from local markets) then I freeze them to bring back to the UK. If you know Russian, I’m sure that you will find much more information about these berries online.
Tamsin says
They grow wild on the North Norfolk coast
Lorna White says
There are sea buckthorn at Troon and along the coast road to Girvan. We collect them and make syrup and ice cubes with them.
Lorraine Crawley says
Thank you, I tried buckthorn ice-cream in Ullapool and just loved the flavour of it., I’m tempted to plant a small hedge in my garden x
Forest says
You need 3 plants and one must be male. They do not like any shade at all.
Karin Howey says
They are super invasive if you plant them so be careful!!