The Sea Buckthorn berry ( Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is a healthy berry that we can pick ourselves in our country. Not only the berries, but also the leaves are useful, for example for making tea.
You would put the bright orange berry right in your mouth because it looks very attractive.
If you do the same, you’ll pull quite a sour face 🙂
Children from the dune region used to be warned about the berry. After all, he would be sickening! But the opposite is true. The berry is bursting with vitamin C, carotenoids, polyphenols and flavonoids. There’s a reason why birds love it!
Starlings, crows and thrushes in particular sometimes literally eat themselves silly on the berries. In the fall, therefore, you will frequently find “drunken” birds near the bushes.
They then fell victim to overripe berries loaded with alcohol through fermentation. They are then barely able to keep themselves going. Entering the air then usually does not succeed at all. The only thing left then is to wait until they sober up again.
Want to pick the berries yourself to enjoy the health aspects of this special berry?
Then look in the calcareous dunes south of Bergen. Especially near Wijk aan Zee and Heemskerk, this dune plant is abundant.
Be sure to wear gloves because the thorns can sting viciously!
The shrub is quite striking with gray-green leaves and some colorless flowers in spring. But from October well into December, it is easy to see with its bright orange berries!
You can make juice from it, or a spread/sauce for on bread. Making jam is less convenient given the amount of sugar you then have to add. If you want to sweeten the juice you squeeze anyway, use some honey, for example (not useful, by the way, if you are losing weight). After an intense sports session, it could, by the way.
Of course, I also looked for a piece of scientific evidence on the health effects of the sea buckthorn berry.
Sea buckthorn berry has antioxidant, cell-protective and antibacterial properties. The berry and leaves have these properties due to the polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamin C (about 5 to 7 times more than citrus fruits such as lemon or orange!) , carotenoids, among others.
Have fun picking and enjoy!
Enjoy your meal!
