The beginning of the collection of birch sap depends on weather conditions and in different regions of Russia begins at its own time. Somewhere in mid-March, and somewhere at the end of April... Swollen buds on birch trees can serve as a guide to collecting birch sap. To determine the beginning of sap flow, it is enough to go out into the forest after March 20-25 and make an injection with a thin awl on a birch tree as thick as your hand. If the juice starts flowing, a drop of juice will immediately appear at the puncture point. So it's time to collect silver juice.

The main thing to remember if you decide to get healthy birch sap: It is necessary to collect birch sap only in ecologically clean forests, because the tree is capable of absorbing harmful substances and exhaust gases.

How to collect birch sap

Rules for collecting birch sap:

• You cannot use a young tree to collect birch sap!
• When collecting birch sap, do not use an ax. It is better to use a drill with a 5-10 mm drill bit. Such a hole in the birch trunk overgrows almost without a trace.
• When collecting birch sap, it is important to know that, basically, the sap flows in the surface layer between the bark and the wood, so there is no need to make a deep hole at all.
• The best time to collect birch sap is considered to be between 12 and 18 hours.
• Do not drain all the birch sap from one birch tree. It is better to go around 5-10 trees and take a liter of sap from each of them per day than to collect all of it from one birch, destroying it.
• After you finish collecting birch sap, help the birch tree heal its wound. Cover the area where birch sap is collected with garden varnish or drive a wooden plug into the hole.

How to properly collect birch sap

Choose birch trees with diameter more than 20-30 cm with a well-developed crown. In addition, as experts say, the sap from mature birch trees is sweeter. Carefully make a hole in the birch trunk at a distance of 20 cm from the ground. A birch bark tray or other semicircular device is attached to the hole made or under it, along which the juice will flow. The groove should be directed into the bottle, jar or bag.

The number of holes depends on the diameter of the birch that can be done:

• if 20-25 cm - then only one,
• with a volume of 25-35 cm - two, with 35-40 - three,
• and if the diameter is more than 40 cm, it is permissible to make four holes.

After collecting birch sap, do not forget to help the tree recover: you need to tightly close the hole with varnish, wax, cork or moss so that bacteria do not get into the trunk, which can pose a serious threat to the life of the tree.

Keep in mind that birch, as soon as you drill it, it will immediately begin to heal the wound caused to it. Therefore, the amount of birch sap will constantly fall. This is fine! Do not try to destroy the tree by deepening a hole or drilling a new one. Just change the birch tree when collecting birch sap no longer suits you.

How to store birch sap

You can store fresh birch sap in the refrigerator for a little more than 2 days. To preserve birch sap longer, kvass is prepared from it.

Recipes for kvass from birch sap:

• Heat to 35 degrees, add 15-20 g of yeast and 3 raisins per 1 liter, you can add lemon zest to taste. After this, the jar or bottle is tightly closed and left for 1-2 weeks. The result is a very tasty, carbonated, invigorating drink!
• Kvass can be prepared in a slightly different way: to 10 liters of birch sap add the juice of 4 lemons, 50 g of yeast, 30 g of honey or sugar, raisins at the rate of 2-3 pieces per bottle. Pour into bottles and keep for 1-2 weeks in a cool, dark place.

In the cases described above, kvass can be ready after 5 days, but the fact that it sits longer will not spoil the drink: it can be preserved for the whole summer.

Our ancestors drank birch tree fermented in barrels without adding sugar - it was a traditional low-alcohol drink at Russian feasts.

You can infuse birch sap on dried fruits, in a jar covered with gauze, for about 2 weeks. You can also add berry juice to “birch tears” and infuse them with herbs.

Recipes for harvesting birch sap for future use:

Canning. For 1 liter of birch sap - 125 g of sugar and 5 g of citric acid. Filter, pour into jars, pasteurize and screw on the lids. It is useful to infuse the juice on the leaves of mint, lemon balm, thyme, St. John's wort, linden blossom, rose hips, and lingonberries.

Birch kvass. The juice is heated to +35°C, yeast is added to it at the rate of 15-20 g per 1 liter. The starter is placed in a cold place for 3-4 days, then poured into containers and preserved.

Birch syrup. After evaporating the juice to a lemon-white color and the thickness of honey, the sugar concentration in the syrup reaches 60-70%.

The benefits of birch sap, treatment with birch sap

In the spring, for about three weeks, the birch tree shares its “tears” with us and helps a person heal the body. The secret and popularity of birch sap is that the forces accumulated in the birch trunk over the winter are transferred to humans with birch sap.

Composition of birch sap

Birch sap contains: sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose), organic acids, enzymes and substances with high antimicrobial activity (phytoncides). Birch sap also contains a lot of mineral elements, which the body weakened by spring hypovitaminosis needs. By drinking birch sap, we replenish the body with potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron, manganese, and copper.

Properties of birch sap

• Since birch sap contains enzymes and biological stimulants, it strengthens the immune system.
• Potassium, calcium, and magnesium contained in birch sap are necessary for normal heart function.
• Tannins from birch sap have an anti-inflammatory effect.
• Easily digestible sugars are good for brain function.

The properties of birch sap make it an indispensable aid for healing the human body and strengthening the immune system.

What are the benefits of birch sap

Spring birch sap can be considered one of the best dietary remedies. Systematic taking birch sap has a tonic effect. If you drink at least a glass of birch sap a day, you will feel more alert and energetic. Drowsiness, depression, and fatigue will disappear.

The benefits of birch sap and the fact that birch sap is a good tonic for a variety of diseases. Among other things, it has a diuretic effect and stimulates kidney function. Birch juice promotes the release of uric acid, enhances diuresis. It is useful for people with kidney and urinary tract diseases. Birch juice strengthens the strength of those who have lung diseases, arthritis or bronchitis. However, people with urolithiasis and stomach ulcers should consult a doctor before expecting benefits from drinking birch sap.

It is recommended to drink birch sap for skin problems - eczema, lichen, furunculosis. Rinse with birch sap sore throat, proven benefits birch sap in the complex treatment of headaches, coughs, and joint diseases. Birch sap inherent ability to cleanse the blood and remove toxic substances, therefore it is real benefits of birch sap in case of intoxication of the body. Also Birch juice alleviates the condition of infectious diseases.

Undoubtedly, benefits of birch sap obvious, but you should understand: this juice is not a medicine, but a good supporting agent given by nature that should be used in complex treatment.

Harm of birch sap

Birch sap can be harmful if: collected near highways, collected in the city, in a place with an unfavorable environment. Birch sap can also be harmful to those who are allergic to birch pollen!

The benefits of birch sap - folk recipes

What does birch sap treat, how to be treated with birch sap, what diseases does birch sap treat... Recipes for treatment with birch sap were collected and preserved by our ancestors. People often treated themselves with birch sap.

Anemia - treatment with birch sap
Birch sap contains a large amount of vitamins and microelements, including iron and natural sugar, so it is indicated for low hemoglobin levels.
Mix fresh birch sap in equal parts with apple, carrot or beet sap and you will get a product that effectively increases hemoglobin. Take 50 ml (this is about 1 shot glass) 15 minutes before meals 3 times a day, during the entire period of birch sap flow.

Reduced immunity - treatment with birch sap
A drink consisting of birch sap, milk (in equal proportions) and with the addition of a small amount of starch is a great way to boost immunity.

Tumors - treatment with birch sap
In the presence of various tumors, traditional medicine recommends mixing 2 parts of birch sap with 2 parts of yarrow juice, 2 parts of carrot juice, 1 part of hemlock grass juice, 1 part of St. John's wort juice and 1 part of meadowsweet grass juice. Take 1 tablespoon in the morning on an empty stomach, washed down with milk, and 1 tablespoon at night, also washed down with milk.

Diseases of the digestive system - treatment with birch sap
For heartburn and gastritis with low acidity, biliary dyskinesia, exacerbation of peptic ulcers, flatulence and chronic inflammation of the pancreas, birch sap is taken as follows: 50 ml in pure form or diluted with warm boiled water in a ratio of 2:1 - drink in a day.

High blood pressure - treatment with birch sap
For hypertension with high blood pressure, accompanied by swelling, heart pain, headache and dizziness, drink 1/2 glass of birch sap 2 times a day. The juice acts as a mild diuretic, removing excess moisture from the body.

Diseases of blood vessels and joints - treatment with birch sap
The diuretic function of birch sap, coupled with its anti-inflammatory effect, allows us to consider it as a good remedy for arthritis, arthrosis, gout, rheumatism, varicose veins of the legs, and trophic ulcers. In this case, the juice should be drunk 50 ml in pure form or diluted with water in a ratio of 2:1, 3 times a day, half an hour before meals. The effect of therapy will be enhanced if you drink a glass of warm milk on an empty stomach and before bedtime.

Pulmonary diseases - treatment with birch sap
For bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, birch sap is drunk as follows: 75-100 ml 2 times a day. For colds (pharyngitis, laryngitis) and sore throat, birch sap, pure or diluted with warm water, is useful to gargle on an empty stomach and after each meal. At high temperatures, birch sap can also be used as a local antipyretic agent - in its pure form or with cold water (2:1). Gauze or cotton flaps are moistened in juice, slightly wrung out and applied to the elbows, armpits and groin areas, under the knees, wrapped around the ankles and wrists and changed as they dry until the patient’s temperature subsides.

Skin diseases - treatment with birch sap
As an external remedy, birch sap is used for eczema, neurodermatitis, psoriasis, furunculosis, acne, fungal diseases and poorly healing wounds. In these cases, birch sap is used in the form of washes, rubs, lotions, and compresses on problem areas and places. The external effect of the juice can be duplicated by taking it orally in its pure form, 75-100 ml before meals and at night.

Diseases of the genitourinary system - treatment with birch sap
For kidney diseases - chronic pyelonephritis, the presence of sand or small stones - birch sap should be drunk daily on an empty stomach, 1 glass undiluted.
In case of urolithiasis and cholelithiasis, birch sap should be taken with caution, first finding out the composition and size of the stones. Otherwise, being a strong stone-reducing agent, birch sap can drive a large stone into a narrow duct and provoke colic. However, this applies only to stones of oxalate and uric acid origin. But birch sap, on the contrary, dissolves phosphate and carbonate stones, only for this you need to drink it for at least 3 months, 1 glass on an empty stomach and an hour before bedtime.

Hair loss - treatment with birch sap
If you begin to notice that your hair has weakened and began to fall out, then rubbing a mixture of birch sap with vodka and a decoction of burdock root in equal parts into the scalp will help stop this process. Birch sap also helps fight dandruff; to do this, you need to wash your hair with birch sap.

Birch sap is a unique drink, which contains many valuable microelements and substances that have a beneficial effect on the human body.

Assembling it is not difficult, the main thing is to choose the right tree, make a hole and carry out the procedure without the slightest harm to the forest.

Birch sap contains organic acids, fructose, glucose, iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and other substances.

Consuming it in its natural form provides:

1. Improving the functioning of the circulatory system.
2. Leveling hemoglobin levels.
3. Strengthening the nervous system.
4. Increased energy production.
5. Normalization of the functioning of the genitourinary system.
6. Strengthening bones.
7. Better absorption of glucose.

Interesting fact: There is absolutely no fat or protein in this drink.

When and where to collect birch sap?

It is advisable to start collecting birch sap when:

• active snow melting is observed;
• the night frosts have ended;
• the first buds began to appear;
• the thaw has begun.

From about March 15, collection can begin in the middle part of the country. It is recommended to finish it after April 20-25.

Interesting fact: with the onset of darkness, sap flow in birch trees is reduced to a minimum.

To collect the most valuable drink, you need to choose the right place, it should be:

• at least 3 to 5 kilometers away from the city;
• from the roadway 300 meters or more;
• far from any landfills and chemical facilities.

Advice: It’s ideal to go 15–20 kilometers outside the city and go deep into the forest on foot.

How to collect birch sap?

The drink will be endowed with the most important and beneficial properties if assembled correctly. The main thing here is:

• correctly make a hole in the trunk;
• prepare a clean container for juice in advance;
• choose a time for this from 10 am to 4 pm.

Note: at this time the juice flows as intensely as possible.

How to grow more crops?

Any gardener and summer resident is pleased to receive a large harvest with large fruits. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to obtain the desired result.

Plants often lack nutrition and useful minerals

It has the following properties:

• Allows increase productivity by 50% in just a few weeks of use.
• You can get a good one harvest even on low-fertility soils and in unfavorable climatic conditions
• Absolutely safe

Rules for collecting juice

There are certain collection rules, thanks to which no harm is caused to birch trees, and the drink has all the declared qualities.

Need to:

1. Choose the strongest birch trees.
2. Do not take more than a liter of drink from one tree.
3. Do not use axes to make holes in tree trunks.
4. Upon completion of collection, treat the hole according to all recommendations.

Important: violation of the rules can cause the death of the birch or make it weak and prone to disease in the future.

How to choose a tree?

A suitable tree is considered to be birch, which has:

• trunk diameter is more than 25 centimeters;
• developed crown;
• strong and healthy branches;
• there are no obvious signs of disease infection;
• age over 4 - 5 years.

Important: After collecting the drink, a young tree may dry out, since in the spring it itself requires elements and various substances for growth and development.

How to make a hole in wood?

Making a hole in a birch tree is important according to all the rules. Recommended:

• Stand next to the tree on the south side.
• Decide on the area that will be pierced.

It is optimal if it is located 30 - 40 centimeters above the ground.

• Place the drill at an angle downwards.
• Carefully pierce the trunk.

It is better for these purposes to use an 8 - 10 mm drill, which goes 2.5 - 3 centimeters deep.

• Place a bottle, oval bowl or plastic bag for juice.

Important: It is allowed to make 3-4 holes in one trunk, but the main thing is that the distance between them is at least 15 centimeters.

Stories from our readers!
“I am a summer resident with many years of experience, and I started using this fertilizer only last year. I tested it on the most capricious vegetable in my garden - tomatoes. The bushes grew and bloomed together, they yielded more than usual. And they did not suffer from late blight, this is the main thing.

Fertilizer really gives more intensive growth to garden plants, and they bear fruit much better. Nowadays you can’t grow a normal harvest without fertilizer, and this fertilizing increases the amount of vegetables, so I’m very pleased with the result.”

How to process a hole?

After collecting the sap, the hole in the birch needs to be processed. To do this, use one of the following tips:

1. Cover it with moss.
2. Cover with wax.
3. Make a wooden plug.

Advice: To make a cork, it is advisable to take a thin twig and cut the required diameter with a knife.

Important: Failure to carry out such an action will result in bacteria entering the trunk.

Rules for storing birch sap

It is most beneficial to consume the juice fresh, as soon as it is collected. In the future, especially when boiling, its properties are reduced by 2 times.

1. Pour into a glass jar.
2. Screw the lid tightly.
3. Place in the refrigerator.

Important: It cannot be consumed 48 hours after collection.

Storage recipes

To increase the shelf life, several recipes are known:

With the addition of wine. Required:

• put 10 liters of birch drink on the fire;
• bring to a boil and add 900 grams of granulated sugar;
• cook for 20 – 25 minutes;
• then remove from heat, add 20 grams of zest and pour in one liter of white wine;

It's better to take dry wine.

cool and add 3 grams of dry yeast.

Next, you need to put the prepared drink in a dark place for 4 days, then bottle it and leave it for one month. Subsequently, the prepared wine can be drunk in small quantities for 3 to 4 months.

Conservation. Cooking steps:

• 220 grams of granulated sugar are added to 2 liters of birch sap;
• after mixing, add 10 grams of citric acid;
• everything is poured into glass jars;
• pasteurized;
• rolls up.

In canned form, the shelf life is six months.

With the addition of yeast and honey. Taken:

• birch sap – 10 liters;
• lemon – 4 pieces;
• yeast – 45 grams;
• melted honey (natural) – 35 grams;
• granulated sugar – 10 grams.

Manufacturing stages:

1. Lemons are completely squeezed into birch sap.
2. Honey, yeast, sand are added to the drink and everything is mixed.
3. Poured into jars.
4. Covered with a lid.
5. Place in the refrigerator for 10 days.

After this time, the drink can be drunk. Its shelf life, provided it is kept in a cool and dark place, is 2 months.

Birch sap is a completely natural product that contains many unique and beneficial components for human health. Properly organized collection and storage allow you to enjoy the drink for a long time with benefits for the whole body.

Blitz tips:

• never make deep or large holes in birch trees;
• for collecting, it is optimal to choose the dates from March 15 to 30 and go to the forest closer to noon;
• do not injure thin and young trunks.

Spring has arrived and that means soon it will be possible to collect birch sap. Previously, during Soviet times, it was sold in stores. And although there was little real or useful stuff there, now, especially residents of big cities, don’t even know what it is. I will try to describe how to collect birch sap with my own hands and why it is needed in as much detail as possible.

What is birch sap

We all know that there are fruit and vegetable juices. Well, yes, when we eat a tomato or when we press on the pulp of an orange, juice drips, so you can use a juicer to extract what you need from them. What is birch sap? Judging by the name, it is obtained from birch, just do not try to do it in the same juicer by placing birch pieces in it. That's right, you'll be left without her.

Now imagine a water filter. In the spring, when the warmth comes, the birch tree begins to wake up from hibernation, in order for leaves to appear, moisture from the ground, through the root system, along the trunk, begins to move towards the crown. This process is called sap flow and it is at this time that birch sap needs to be collected.

Birch sap is a crystal clear, tear-like, white liquid that tastes pleasant. The taste varies from tree to tree. The younger the tree, the sweeter the sap. This is a natural, unique healing drink.

What are the benefits of birch sap?

Moisture that has passed through a living, natural filter has unique and beneficial properties. It contains vitamins, macro and micro elements.

• This is a natural complex of vitamins. After winter there are usually not enough of them. Birch sap strengthens our body and improves immunity.
• Quickly absorbed into the blood. Promotes blood cleansing and regeneration
• Improves metabolism
• Good for removing toxins from the body
• Cleanses the kidneys of sand, dissolves struvite (infectious stones), consisting of phosphates and carbonates.
• Has a diuretic effect
• Improves functioning and cleanses the gastrointestinal tract
• Helps with acne, furunculosis, eczema and long-healing wounds
• Strengthens hair
• Good to drink when thirsty

Contraindications for the use of birch sap

You should consult your doctor if:

• I am allergic to birch pollen.
• Presence of calcium and urate and kidney stones
• Stomach ulcer

Birch sap collection time

In spring, depending on the area of ​​residence, weather conditions, average daily air temperature, and the place where the tree grows (southern or northern slope, lowland), trees begin to flow sap. Here, in central Russia, in 20011, for example, it began in early April and continued until Victory Day. This year, now on April 10, it is not there yet, but I think it should start in a few days. Therefore, the start time of collecting birch sap and the period of collection itself are always different and need to be guarded.

Even when sap flow begins, the weather and time of day will affect it. In cold weather and at night it slows down. You can collect birch sap while it is crystal clear; as soon as the buds begin to bloom, it becomes cloudy and its collection is stopped. In our area, the period for collecting birch sap ranges from 2 to 3 weeks. The most useful juice is collected in the middle of the sap flow.

How to correctly determine the start time of sap flow? Don't go into the forest all the time. Find a birch tree closer to your home and look at its buds while they have no dry juice,

but as soon as they begin to swell, it’s time to collect birch sap.

Keep in mind that it is warmer in the city and here sap flow begins several days earlier.

How to collect birch sap

If you find yourself in the forest, I urge you to treat it with care and love. For several years now, every spring, I have been collecting birch sap in the same forest with my own hands, and not a single tree has died from this. How to ensure that collecting birch sap does not become dangerous for trees? It is necessary to strictly follow the rules on how to collect birch sap.

It is impossible to collect birch sap from trees whose trunk diameter is less than 20 cm. They may die from this.

You cannot make large cuts with an ax or peel off the bark in a circle.

I think the most humane way is to use a drill with a drill bit. Therefore, when going to an ecologically clean forest for birch sap, take with you:

• Drill
• Drill 6 – 10 mm
• Metal tubes 5 - 8 cm long
• Rubber tubes or cambric
• Plastic bottles
• Hammer

How to preserve birch sap

The shelf life of fresh birch sap in the refrigerator is 2-3 days, then it becomes cloudy and sour. Dirty dishes reduce this time.

Many people suggest heating and canning it to preserve it, but after that there is little useful in it.

How to make it so as to extend the time of using birch sap. For example, I collect it in one and a half liter plastic bottles, freeze it and store it in the freezer. Then, as needed, I take it out, thaw it in the refrigerator and drink it. When frozen, birch sap retains its beneficial properties.

There is another way of preservation, this is to use medical 96 degree alcohol and add it to the juice in a ratio of one to ten, i.e. 100 grams of alcohol per 1 liter of juice. Drinking such birch juice will not be pleasant, but it is suitable for external use.

How to use birch sap

I have no contraindications, and I drink birch sap to strengthen and cleanse the body, it replaces water well. It is only important to drink it for 15-20 days in order for it to be beneficial. For adults who have no contraindications, 200 grams half an hour before meals. For children, we reduce the dose by half. In the first days, the diuretic properties of the juice are very noticeable.

If there are problems with skin, hair or for a cosmetic effect, in addition, we use it externally.

In home cooking, you can prepare kvass from birch sap, mix it with other juices, knead dough with it, etc. I won’t repeat how to make it with my own hands; there are many recipes on the Internet. For me, it is interesting for its medicinal properties, but heat treatment negates these properties, so I will not give such recipes for preserving birch sap here. If anyone is interested, find it yourself.

Now you know all the secrets how to collect birch sap and why it is needed.

Have a nice forest walk, you!

April has begun, the snow is slowly melting from the ground, birds are returning from the south, nature is awakening. The time is coming when can you collect healing Birch juice. It is vitally important to comply with the timing and technology for collecting tree sap.

When to collect birch sap this year?

No one will say the exact date; in this matter it is better to focus on the signs of nature itself. Usually, favorable time for collection birch sap comes:

• At the end of March - April,
• When the snow had mostly melted,
• The leaves have not yet blossomed, but the buds have begun to swell,
• At the beginning of tree sap flow, it can be checked like this: Make a small hole in the tree trunk with an awl. If a drop appears, you can collect birch sap. The main thing is not to forget to cover the wound with garden varnish so that the tree does not get sick.

Best time of day to collect:

• from 12 noon to 6 pm (the juice “runs” especially abundantly).

In preparing this article, we reviewed a large number of Lunar calendars for 2018, but none of them contain recommendations on when it is best to collect birch sap this year. But it’s worth considering that spring is quite late now. It's the beginning of April, and the snow has hardly melted. The air temperature barely rises above zero degrees during the day. It’s cold, which means nature is in no hurry to awaken.

Birch sap is not a panacea

It is generally accepted that birch sap is very useful:

• improves microflora in the stomach and improves digestion,
• neutralizes increased acidity, and replenishes the deficiency,
• has a diuretic effect,
• useful for skin and joint ailments,
• gives a preventive and therapeutic effect for lung diseases,
• has a general strengthening effect on the body as a whole.

The list of ailments for which it is beneficial to drink birch sap is quite impressive:

• lung diseases, bronchitis, tuberculosis,
• furunculosis, eczema, lichen,
• joint diseases, gout, rheumatism, arthritis, radiculitis,
• sore throat and other diseases of the oral cavity (used for rinsing),
• stomach ulcer, diseases of the liver and duodenum, gall bladder, low acidity,
• headache.

Birch sap is also used in cosmetology: you can wash your face with it to remove pigment spots and acne, wash your hair to stimulate its growth and reduce oiliness.

But in some cases Birch sap may be harmful , and there are contraindications to its use.

Harm and contraindications

• people who are allergic to birch pollen,
• patients with urolithiasis, since birch sap has an active diuretic effect.

There are no restrictions for healthy people, but those suffering from any disease (especially kidney and liver) should consult with their doctor.

Is birch sap contraindicated for diabetes?

It is believed that you can drink birch sap if you have diabetes, because the sugar content in it is minimal - only 2%.

Harm or benefit?

Well, if you look at both lists and weigh all the pros and cons, it turns out that there are still more benefits than contraindications. So, let's go collect the juice! But before you take up a knife, it would be useful to familiarize yourself with the rules for collecting it.

Carefully and carefully collect birch sap

Collecting birch sap can cause much more harm not to your health, but to your wallet. For collecting in unauthorized places you can “earn” a hefty fine. You cannot collect juice in parks, protected areas, in the coastal strips of rivers and lakes, in the territories of sanatoriums and rest homes, in populated areas. It is worth contacting the forestry department and clarifying the areas where sap collection is officially permitted.

The notches also need to be made very carefully, collect no more than 2-3 liters from one tree, and be sure to cover the wounds after collection with garden varnish. In the literature we came across such recommendations for organizing the collection of birch sap and we briefly outlined them, for us and for you 😉

1. The diameter of the tree trunk at chest level should reach at least 20 cm. On a tree trunk with a diameter of 20-26 cm, only one channel can be made, on a trunk with a diameter of 27-34 cm there are already two, from 35 to 40 cm - three channels, more than 40 cm - four. You cannot take sap from young, thin birch trees.
2. The hole is best made at a height of 25 - 50 cm from the ground, on the south side of the trunk. You can use a knife or chisel to make a triangular hole. But some craftsmen also use an electric drill. But picking up a chainsaw is only permissible when harvesting commercial juice.
3. First, carefully remove the top, rough bark with an ax, then drill a hole at a slight downward slope.
4. The diameter of the hole should be no more than 1 cm, and the depth should be from 2 to 3 cm.
5. A groove is inserted into the drilled hole, and a container is placed under it.
6. After collecting the sap, the canal is clogged with a wooden plug and lubricated with garden varnish so that the tree does not get sick.

How much birch sap can you drink per day?

So, we have collected the juice, what should we do with it now, how should we drink it? In one of the printed sources we came across a specific recommendation regarding

How many times a day and how many days in a row can you drink birch sap:

• It is enough to drink birch sap 1-3 glasses a day for 3-4 weeks to overcome vitamin deficiency and spring fatigue.
• It is best to drink 1 glass of birch sap half an hour before meals, 3 times a day.

Just throughout April, when active sap flow occurs in the birch trees, we all have the opportunity to improve our health by drinking 3 glasses a day.

How to preserve birch sap: Recipes for preparations

After standing for 3-4 days, the birch sap begins to become cloudy, ferment, and deteriorate. And there are several ways to preserve it to keep it fresh for a long time. We have several canning recipes to share:

Recipe No. 1

You will need: 3 liters of birch sap, 1 glass of sugar, half a teaspoon of citric acid, a pinch of baking soda.

How to preserve: Pour the juice into an enamel pan, add sugar, bring to a boil, skimming off the foam. But! No need to boil. Just bring the juice to a boil and immediately pour it into jars. Already in the jar, add citric acid to the juice and roll it up like regular preparations. Yes, the juice is obtained with additives, but it is stored for a long time.

Recipe No. 2

You will need: 5 liters of birch sap, 500 g of granulated sugar, 3-4 g of citric acid.

How to preserve: Pour the juice into an enamel pan, add sugar and lemon. Again, heat everything, bring to a boil, just so that the sugar is completely dissolved, but the juice does not boil. Strain the hot juice through cheesecloth and pour it hot into bottles. Place closed bottles in hot water (90 degrees) for 25 minutes.

Recipe No. 3: Birch kvass!

These are such interesting and fairly simple preparation methods. When do you usually collect birch sap? How do you preserve? Write us a comment, the experience is interesting to you and important for all of us 😉

Fresh birch sap is sweetish, with a characteristic taste and subtle aroma of spring forest. And how many recipes there are based on it - from all kinds of kvass to alcoholic homemade drinks.

In general, the value of this gift of nature is not only culinary - it is also very effective for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. And if you know how to properly harvest, store and use birch “tears”, you can fully enjoy all their unique properties.

Useful qualities of birch sap

Birch sap contains a huge amount of vitamins, minerals, fruit sugars, organic acids and other useful substances. They explain its many beneficial properties.

Chemical composition, benefits and harms

Externally, birch sap resembles ordinary water - a transparent, colorless liquid. Very rarely it has a yellowish or even dark brown tint, which is explained by the characteristics of the soil or the type of tree. Sometimes the liquid is cloudy - this is not a problem, you can drink it.

Regular consumption of fresh birch sap makes it possible to help the body survive the spring lack of vitamins, improve immunity, normalize the functioning of all systems and organs, and cleanse it of slagging. Even children after one year, pregnant and lactating women, this drink is recommended for consumption. But there are also contraindications to the use of birch sap.

You should not drink it if:

• have an allergic reaction to birch pollen;
• gastric and duodenal ulcers were diagnosed;
• stones were found in the bladder and kidneys;
• there is individual intolerance.

In all other cases, this is truly magical nectar! And even those who are losing weight should not refuse it, because the calorie content of the product is very low - a little more than 20 kcal per 100 g. That is, a glass a day will not hurt even with a strict diet.

Treatment and cosmetology

Let us dwell in a little more detail on treatment using birch “tears”. Of course, this is not a medicine in its pure form, but as an adjuvant they are indispensable for the following diseases:

• arthritis, gout, radiculitis and other joint problems;
• vascular and heart diseases;
• cancer;
• inflammatory processes of any nature;
• intoxication;
• depression, increased fatigue, chronic fatigue, etc.

For diabetes, juice in moderation is also extremely beneficial. And here a completely logical question may arise about how much birch “nectar” you can and should drink, and most importantly, how and when. There is no universal answer here, it all depends on a lot of factors, so a doctor’s recommendation would not be superfluous.

Important! The benefits of birch sap will be maximum only if it is a fresh natural product collected from an ecologically clean forest.

The female half of humanity will also find this drink useful for home care of their facial and body skin and hair. There are, of course, products more rich in vitamins and minerals, but freshly collected tree sap is real living water, it is so biologically active. A simple hair wrap or a simple facial massage with frozen juice cubes gives incredible results!

When and how to collect birch sap

The period for collecting birch sap is, unfortunately, very short. The first sap begins to flow in the spring from the moment the thaw begins and before the buds begin to bloom. It is clear that the further south the region, the earlier you can enjoy the “nectar”. A lot also depends on specific weather conditions - if spring is long, with a gradual increase in temperature, then the harvest period can last for several weeks. Sharp warming, on the contrary, shortens this period.

If you decide to collect the juice with your own hands, then remember a few tricks that will help you get the most delicious and sweet drink:

• collect from those trees that grow on a hillock or just an area open to the sun - these birches are the first to awaken;
• the higher the hole is made, the richer the taste;
• the optimal collection time is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., since that is when the sap flow is strongest;
• take the juice from the south side of the trunk - it flows better and tastes sweeter.

Collection rules

It is clear that the juice collected by yourself will be of the highest quality and freshest. You just need to remember that a birch tree is a living organism, and collecting sap is stressful for it. That’s why try to follow the rules so as not to harm the tree.

The equipment you will need is very simple: cocktail straws, a hand or electric drill with a drill of the appropriate size, bottles or jars.

It is better to extract sap from mature healthy trees with a trunk diameter of at least 20 cm.

Having selected a birch tree, drill a hole. There is no need to go too deep - sap flow takes place in the layers of wood directly under the bark. You will feel when the drill hits a dense layer of wood. Stop drilling, insert the straw and secure the container. When 1-2 liters have filled up, the hole must be covered with earth or caulked with moss. You can drive in a branch of suitable diameter.

Why shouldn't you take more than 2 liters? If you take a lot of liquid from one tree at once, then it, of course, will not die, but it will take a long time to recover. And the taste of such juice will be too watery.

How to save for a long time

So, we have collected “living water”, but how to store it? It is believed that fresh birch sap can be kept in the refrigerator for about 2 days, retaining almost all its benefits. After this time, it may turn sour, ferment, or even become thick like jelly. It is better not to drink this drink.

To avoid spoilage of such a valuable product, it is better to make the fermentation process controlled, or, more simply, to prepare kvass. This way, not only will the main healing properties of the juice be preserved, but also a delicious refreshing drink will be prepared, in which, thanks to fermentation, additional benefits will appear.

There are many recipes for kvass - with lemon, orange, dried fruits, bread, barley, etc. Choose what you like. I like the simplest kvass with raisins.

Pour fresh juice into plastic bottles, throw in 5-10 berries, twist tightly and hide for 2.5-3 months in the cellar or just in the refrigerator.

This quenches thirst and is suitable for preparing cold, refreshing soups; for example, it turns out incredibly tasty.

Canning

You can also preserve birch sap. Boiling, sterilizing and adding sugar prolongs shelf life. The easiest way is to bring the juice almost to a boil, pour it into jars, roll it up and wrap it overnight.

It’s very tasty to add such additives as mint, citrus fruits, etc. An unusual drink is made with duchess sweets (3-4 pieces per 3 liter jar). I recommend using .

The method of preparing concentrated syrup is interesting. To make it, the juice must be boiled until its volume is reduced by 7-8 times. We roll the resulting liquid into jars, and then serve it with pancakes and pancakes.

Such preparations can be made even for the winter - they have a fairly long shelf life. But there will be little benefit from canned juice - all active substances, unfortunately, disappear under the influence of temperature.

Is it possible to freeze?

If possible, it is better to freeze fresh birch sap. So, unique substances will not go anywhere, and can be stored for about 3 months.

It is better to freeze in plastic bottles. Just don’t fill it all the way and squeeze the container a little before putting it in the freezer. When liquid freezes, it expands and the plastic may simply burst. Afterwards, all you have to do is defrost the portion and enjoy the tasty and healthy drink!

Finally, I suggest watching a video about how to collect sap easily and without harm to a birch tree, without even having a drill at hand: