COLUMNIST: JANICE CLYNE
Sea buckthorn, Hippophae rhamnoides, is a spiny, deciduous shrub, growing to heights of 6-8m (20-26ft) tall in sand dunes predominantly along the east coast of Scotland. It is particularly abundant on the East Lothian coastline.
Although a native plant, around apparently on our shores since the pre-glacial period, sea buckthorn was artificially planted in the 1960s in some areas to help stabilise dune systems. It has thrived so well in some coastal areas such as Gullane in East Lothian, that it is now considered invasive in some parts of the country as its thickets of impenetrable growth can prevent other plants from establishing.
Sea buckthorn is a hardy and very thorny plant (which makes collecting the berries often difficult), thriving in conditions where other plants cannot survive. It is able to enrich the soil through its ability to fix nitrogen and its roots are excellent at capturing water run-off.
It is, however the berries of the sea buckthorn plant that holds its secret superpower.
Providing not only food for a variety of wildlife, including wintering thrushes as they arrive from Europe in autumn, the berries contain more than 190 micronutrients from which we can benefit: in the peel, pulp, and the seed of the berries, meaning there is little waste.
I absolutely love foraging for Sea buckthorn berries, they have so many health benefits especially for skin and hair and are up there among the most nutritious superfoods on the planet, almost as good as the acai berry, which comes all the way from Brazil.
I think you will agree that this is a pretty impressive list and with all of the above supporting skin health and gut microbes, it is a win-win situation for us all!
The fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, they rejuvenate the skin, repair damage and minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. They are converted to prostaglandins, which protect against infections, prevent allergies and reduce inflammation.
Vitamin E is a great hydrator, it increases and maintains moisture content leaving the complexion smoother and more visibly plumped.
Vitamin C and carotenoids stimulate collagen production, protecting and refining the surface of the skin and protecting against damaging and ageing free radicals.
The combination of this unique profile facilitates oxygenation of the skin, increases blood circulation, removes excess toxins and easily penetrates the epidermis which floods the skin with healing vitamins and antioxidants.
Harvesting the wee orange berries is not easy, since they are attached to the branch really closely and are extremely juicy and literally burst if you try to pick them! So you need to take a pair of secateurs and snip off whole branches, remembering to leave plenty of berries for the birds, who I am sure know how beneficial these berries are! The easiest thing is to put the branches into the freezer, ideal if you have a large chest style freezer, then the frozen berries just pop off!
Sadly, my freezer is full so I have to do it the hard way! You will need a pair of rubber gloves, a basin and a fork. Use the fork to prise the berries off, some of them will burst but this does not matter, so long as the juice ends up in your basin. Enlist a few helpers and put some fine tunes on and you will have a basin full of berries in no time.
You need to check for any wee insects and give them a chance to escape, so go and have a cup of tea and put the berries outside for half an hour or so. Give them a quick check for any thorns or woody stems and remove them.
Next you need to mash the berries to a pulp to extract all the lovely juice. A pestle and mortar works well, as does a large rolling pin, a potato masher, or anything else heavy. Transfer the mashed berry pulp to a sieve over a bowl and use a metal spoon to press out as much juice as possible. I transfer the remaining pulp to a muslin nut milk bag and squeeze the rest of the juice out by hand. It is precious and I like to collect as much as possible!
The juice is a gorgeous vibrant colour which is very tart so you can’t drink lots of it, but I like to have a wee shot glass or mix it with some orange and passion fruit water kefir which is delicious. It is a difficult flavour to describe but is very distinctive, almost citrusy with a hint of pineapple. Many people add loads of sugar to it to make a syrup but I am not a fan of sugar so I prefer to use it neat.
The low PH preserves the juice beautifully, I still have some from last year which is still fine although obviously some of the vitamins and antioxidants will be less effective. This year I am going to freeze some juice in ice cube trays for maximum preservation of all the good stuff!
So back to uses of this incredible berry, you can literally just apply the juice neat to your skin, but try a patch test first in case you have a reaction to it. I have incredibly sensitive skin but am fine with sea buckthorn, it actually gives you a lovely glow, almost like a healthy tan. It also protects the skin against free radicals and sun damage so another reason to use it.
I will be mixing the juice with my homemade hair conditioning spray, unscented shampoo, kombucha toner, and my kefir face masks, and downing regular shots of juice! This really is miracle stuff for the skin, I cannot recommend it highly enough.
So, what are you waiting for? Take a winter trip to the seaside with a warming picnic, some gardening gloves, and a pair of secateurs and lookout for these super berries!
As a qualified food scientist, gut health guru, supporter of plant-based locally sourced seasonal food, a fermentista, and foraging fanatic, Janice Clyne is passionate about inspiring, informing, and motivating change in health and eating habits - delivering vibrant good health, through her Wellness Hub and 'Nourished by Nature' skills, expertise, and experience