Sea Buckthorn: The New Superfruit

Just when you thought there was no fruit more powerful than the açai berry, sea buckthorn is making itself known as the newest and most potent superfruit. Renowned for thousands of years in places like the Himalayas and Europe for its medicinal benefits, the berry possesses the highest antioxidant level of all known fruits, making it ideal for people looking to get a nutritional punch. Mildly tart, like an apricot, rich in vitamins C, E and A and chock full of omegas, the berry is known as the “Holy Fruit of the Himalayas.” Here are three products you’ll want to try.

Meaningful Food Co. CharmaVi™ Organic Sea Buckthorn Berry Juice ($24.99/250-gram bottle) is an organic sea buckthorn berry juice with the highest ORAC rating (antioxidant concentration) of any superfruit, more than açai or pomegranate. CharmaVi possesses adaptogenic effects that will increase the body’s resistance to stress, trauma and fatigue while promoting heart, liver and immune system health. This is the first legal supply of single-estate, traceable sea buckthorn berry juice to be sold in the U.S. With less than one-tenth the sugar content of other superfruit juices, CharmaVi is low glycemic and boasts key flavonoids plus 200 biologically active phytonutrients. CharmaVi, a custom blend of five berry varieties cultivated on a single European estate exclusively for Meaningful Food, is a tart and subtly sweet, bright orange juice that can be combined with water, other fruit juices or taken as a straight shot.

Republic of Tea’s Sea Buckthorn Green Tea ($10/50 tea bags) is made by a specialty tea company known for its innovation. Its Sea Buckthorn Green Tea is no exception. (It was chosen by foodspring.com as one of the top 3 beverages at the 2010 Summer Fancy Food Show. Watch the video: Top 3 Beverages.) The tea pairs this powerful, mildly tart berry with fresh green tea and ripe, sweet apples, resulting in a blend that is filled with antioxidants and other healthy attributes. The company sources its berries from the shores of the Northern Baltic Sea in Germany, where locals consume the berries to ward off cold and flu. Unbleached, all-natural tea bags packed in an airtight, recyclable tin are available in 50-bag counts or in the Traveler’s Tin, which has six tea bags for $4.50 and is perfect to take on the road.

Lucini Italia’s CharmaVi Infused Gran Balsamic Vinegar ($15.99/250-ml bottle) is produced, aged and bottled on a single estate in the Italian province of Modena, where they are crushed and produced under the guidance of a single curator. The tart flavors of sea buckthorn berries are infused with the natural sweetness of gran balsamico made from 100 percent Trebbiano grapes. Aged in small chestnut barrels, it has a luscious flavor and rich body. CharmaVi Balsamico is perfect for using in vinaigrettes, drizzling over grilled vegetables and steaks or brightening marinade recipes.

You can follow all of these companies on Facebook and Twitter.—Denise Shoukas

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor and is the author of foodspring’s food forager blog.

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