Sea Buckthorns

Figure 1. Sea Buckthorns and their orange-yellow fruits.

Sea Buckthorns or Hippophae rhamnoides are deciduous shrubs in the family Elaeagnaceae. Sea Buckthorns are also referred to as sandthorn, sallowthorn, or seaberry. Sea Buckthorns produce orange-yellow berries, which have been used over centuries as food, traditional medicine, and skin treatment in Mongolia, Ladakh, Russia, Ukraine, and northern Europe where they originated.

Sea Buckthorns are rich in various vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds. It’s naturally full of antioxidants, which help protect your body against aging and illnesses like cancer and heart disease. Its berries are especially rich in vitamins A, C, K, and E. They also contain considerable amounts of iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and zinc. In addition, its seeds and leaves are rich in phytosterols, a plant compound with purported cardioprotective benefits. Sea Buckthorns are also a good source of Linoleic Acid (LA) and Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA).

Taken as a dietary supplement, Sea Buckthorns are commonly promoted for skin health (Sea Buckthorns are rich in unsaturated fat, antioxidants, phytosterols, carotenoids, and vitamins E and K), to help with wound healing (Sea Buckthorn oil is also rich in palmitoleic acid, which is a type of fat naturally found in human skin that can be used to treat burns and promote wound healing), to help with acne and eczema (due to LA and GLA), heart health (due to phytosterols and antioxidants), immune system (due to flavonoids), liver health (due to healthy fats, vitamin E, and carotenoids), and others.

Sea Buckthorns have been used for centuries and are generally considered safe. Potential side effects appear to be rare but may include digestive symptoms and joint pain.