Is okroshka on birch juice useful? Answers nutritionist

Okroshka on birch juice – a great alternative to kvass or fermented milk products.

brand-chef of the Warm Talks chain of boarding houses for the elderly

“Birch sap is a colorless, slightly sweet-tasting plant juice that is extracted from birch trees by incising the bark.”

What we’ll tell you about

Is okroshka on birch sap useful?

In itself, the composition of the okroshka is not harmful. Let’s understand how birch juice affects the body.

It is rich in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, iron, magnesium and calcium. These nutrients help strengthen the immune system, support bone health, improve skin and hair health, and aid digestion.

This drink also has powerful antioxidant properties. Antioxidants protect the body’s cells from the harmful effects of free radicals, which helps prevent the development of various diseases, including cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular pathologies.

In addition, such juice is an excellent source of energy and helps fight fatigue and weakness. It helps to improve concentration and increase efficiency.

In order for this drink to retain all its useful properties, it must be properly stored. To do this, it is recommended to use a glass jar with a tightly closing metal or plastic lid.

Before transferring the container should be presterilized or treated with boiling water. Store the juice in a dark place at a temperature from 0°C to +10°C.

If the above conditions are met, the shelf life of the drink will be up to a week. It can also be frozen or canned. Determine the spoilage of the product by turbidity, the presence of sediment at the bottom, sour odor and taste. In this case, it is worth refusing to use it.

Contraindicații

Despite the fact that this drink has many useful properties and is widely used in folk medicine, its use is not recommended for everyone.

One of the main contraindications is individual intolerance to the product. Allergic reaction to the components of the juice manifests itself in the form of itching, swelling, redness of the skin. In some cases, anaphylactic shock (severe systemic allergic reaction of immediate type) is possible. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct an allergy test before using it.

It is also not recommended to drink birch juice for people with kidney disease. In particular, those who have stones or renal failure. This is due to the fact that the drink has a diuretic effect and can increase the load on the paired organ.

People with increased stomach acidity or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) should refrain from drinking this drink. It can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and exacerbation of gastritis.

In addition, the juice contains a fairly large amount of sugar – glucose and fructose. Therefore, it is contraindicated for people with diabetes or those who monitor blood sugar levels.

With caution should be consumed by pregnant or lactating women.

What to pay attention to when choosing birch juice?

Nutriciologist of international class, teacher of nutriciology courses at Psychedemia

“It is not safe to collect the sap on your own. Various impurities, germs or dust can get into the product.”

The composition of this drink is influenced by a number of factors. These are the place of growth, the type of soil, the type and age of the tree. It is not enough to find a place away from roads, industrial plants and landfills. Danger is posed by birches growing under power lines.

Also, the collection ban applies to all city parks, botanical gardens, estates, vacation homes. Trees absorb harmful substances and exhaust fumes, which directly affects the quality of the drink and, as a consequence, human health.

Harmful is the sap from trees whose trunks have mold and rot. All damaged birches are better to bypass.

As for the store product, buying bottled birch juice, carefully read the label. Sugar and artificial flavorings can be added to it. This affects the taste and usefulness.

In any case, industrially produced juice is the best option in terms of safety for human health.

Recipe for okroshka on birch juice

Ingredients:

• birch juice – 500 ml;
• lemon juice – 1 tbsp;
• salt – to taste;
• potatoes – 3 pcs;
• eggs – 3 pcs;
• cucumber – 2 pcs;
• radish – 6 pcs;
• avocado – 1 pc;
• green onions and dill – to taste.

Preparation:

1. Boil the potatoes and eggs and let them cool down.
2. Chop finely green onions and dill.
3. Wash all the vegetables thoroughly. Then cut cucumbers, radishes, avocados into small cubes.
4. Peel the cooled potatoes from the skin and cut into cubes.
5. Peel the eggs and divide them into whites and yolks. Chop the whites. Crush the yolks with a fork and add lemon juice.
6. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
7. Pour the resulting mixture with birch juice, add the yolk, salt and mix everything.
8. The dish can be garnished with herbs.

What other juices can be used?

Analogous to birch juice for okroshka can be considered coconut water. It also has a slightly sweet flavor and is a low-calorie drink.

Also, kvass based on birch juice can be used as a dressing for the okroshka.

Popular options are lemon and tomato juices.