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Berry berry healthy

Seabuckthorn berries are rich in protein, vitamins and minerals

Seabuckthorn is a hardy shrub that bears yellow and orange berries. It is native to China, Mongolia, Russia and Northern Europe.

The seabuckthorn juice sold in tetra packs in India comes from berries that grow in Ladakh and Leh.

The ancient Greeks fed their horses the shrub's leaves to induce rapid weight gain and to produce a glossy coat.

Food uses: The fruit is edible fresh, but juice is the most important product of the sea buckthorn berry. The leaves are rich in flavonoids and carotenoids, and tea from the leaves is popular in the Himalayan regions of India and Tibet.

The pulp and seeds contain polyunsaturated oils rich in essential fatty acids. The fruit pulp is an ingredient in candies, sport and health drinks, jams, jellies, liqueurs and marmalade.

Nutrition: Sea buckthorn berries are among the most nutritious and vitamin-rich fruits around. Hundred grams of the fresh berries typically contain 600 mg of Vitamin C, which is several times the daily requirement of this vitamin. It also holds carotenoids, vitamin E, flavonoids and appreciable amounts of B Vitamins. Berries contain up to 13 per cent soluble sugars, but, overall, they are low in calories and very high in protein content.

They contain 11 out of 14 essential minerals. Sea buckthorn is an excellent source of essential fatty acids too.

Sea buckthorn leaves contain even greater concentrations of flavonols and sterols found in the fruit. High in protein, the leaves are also an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. They are rich in calcium, magnesium and antioxidants like lycopene.

RAJIV M.

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