“Collecting herbs in March: birch sap”

Katyciai Basic School of Silute Region“Healthy Herbs Outlook”

2015-2017

Subject Extracurricular activities

Form 10

Number of the students 11

Teacher Algimantas Valaitis, a teacher of History and Civic Education

Topic Traditional Lithuanian beverages with the healing properties

Of birch sap.ObjectivesThe students will: find out the properties of birch sap,gain practical skills to collect birch sap.

Methods

Materials

Theoretical study on birch sap. Workshop “How to collect birch sap”

http://naturalus.sveikas.lt/lt/kiti_naturalus_vaistai/berzu_sula__sveikatingumo_gerimas/https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sula

A drill and a hammer, containers and wooden tubes.

V. Kaunienė, E. Kaunas Vaistingieji augalai, 1991J. Vasiliauskas Gamtos vaistinė, 2011

Results and outcomes

Presentation “Birch Sap”. 5 – 10 litres of birch sap.

Students make a research on the internet materials to find out the properties of birch sap, as well as the ways to collect it.After that they go to the school park, choose a birch tree and try to collect birch sap.

A short description

• Beržų sula – tradicinis lietuviškas gėrimas. Ypač populiari ji buvo XX a. pirmoje pusėje.

Birch sap/birch waterBeržų sula

• Birch sap is a traditional Lithuanian beverage. It was very popular in the first half of the 20th Century

Beržo sula

• Birch sap is the liquid rich of the nutrients which flows through the birch tree from its roots to the branches in spring.

Birch sap/birch water

• Sula – tai prisotintas maistinių medžiagų tirpalas, kuris pavasarį iš šaknų perduodamas medžio vainikui.

• The fresh birch sap is a clear uncoloured liquid with a slightly sweet taste.

• Birch sap contains organic acids and sugars (glucose, xylitol and fructose), as well as minerals and vitamins (C and B group)

• Šviežia sula yra skaidrus, bespalvis, saldoko skonio skystis Joje yra organinių rūgščių, cukraus, mineralų ir vitaminų.

Birch sap/birch waterBeržo sula

The time to collect birch sap

• Birch sap is collected at the beginning of spring when the average temperature of the air is 4 – 5 C. Such a sap taps for 1 – 2 weeks.

• Sula renkama pavasario pradžioje, kai vidutinė paros temperatūra būna apie 4 – 5 C. Sula bėga 1 – 2 savaites.

Laikas, kada gaunama sula

A collection of the sap

• To collect the sap a small hole has be drilled into the lower part of a birch trunk. A tube, traditionally a wooden one, and a container are also needed for the collection of the sap. A tube inserted into the hole leads the sap into the container.

• Sulai rinkti beržo kamieno apačioje pragręžiama nedidelė skylutė, į kurią įstatomas latakėlis. Tradiciškai jis yra gaminamas iš medžio.

Sulos gavimas

• It is possible to get 100 or even more litres of the sap from one birch during 1 –2 weeks.

• Iš vieno beržo galima surinkti 100 ar daugiau litrų sulos per 1 – 2 savaites.

Sulos gavimas A collection of the sap

Nutritional value per 100 g

Energy 4,6 kcal (19kJ)Sugars 1,1 gFat less than 0,1 gMineralsCa 60 mg(6%)Fe 0,1 mg (1%)Mg 11 mg(3%)Mn 1,1 mg(52%)P 6,4 mg(1%)K 120 mg (3%)

Percentages are approximated for the recommended daily ration of minerals for adults.

The health benefits of birch sap

• Birch sap has diuretic, detoxifying and cleansing properties. It increases metabolism, activates diuresis and helps to eliminate such organic wastes as uric acid and cholesterol.

• Beržų sula pasižymi diuretinėmis, detoksikuojančiomis ir organizmą valančiomis savybėmis. Ji skatina metabolizmą, padeda pašalinti toksinus ir susidariusias nereikalingas organines medžiagas (pvz.: šlapimo rūgštį , cholesterolį).

Beržų sulos nauda sveikatai

• Birch sap contains only 5 calories per 100 ml. Therefore it is suitable for the people willing to loose their weight.

• 100 ml beržų sulos yra tik 5 kalorijos. Todėl jos yra tinkamos gerti, norint mesti svorį.

The health benefits of birch sap

Beržų sulos nauda sveikatai

“This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained there in.”