Products
Birch sap is available in specialized stores. It can also be freshly “tapped” yourself. The juice is also called birch water. It is produced in Scandinavia, the Baltic States, Eastern Europe and Russia, among other places.
Ingredients
Birch sap is obtained exclusively in the spring by tapping the trunks of birch trees ( sp.). It is present as a clear, colorless and slightly sweet tasting liquid. Ingredients include:
- Sugar, mainly glucose, fructose, some sucrose.
- Acids, mainly malic acid
- Amino acids, proteins
- Minerals and trace elements
- Antioxidants
Since it is a natural product, the composition is variable and depends on various factors. So that the juice does not go bad and ferment, it must be preserved. For example, the citric acid is used as a preservative. Birch sap can also be pasteurized or filtered. A syrup can also be made from the sap, for example, by evaporation. It should be noted that there are also birch juices on the market, which are made by extracting the birch leaves with a solvent such as ethanol (!)
Fields of application
As a refreshing drink and low-calorie stimulant. Birch sap is also traditionally used for medicinal purposes in the countries of origin.
Adverse effects
Among the possible undesirable effects are allergic reactions. These occur mainly in people allergic to birch pollen.