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The Lion’s Den: Trendy Drink Made from Birch Water

Tradition meets modernity: an Estonian family business combines traditional birch water with new flavors. Do the founders of the TV show “The Lion’s Den” like it?

Birkenwasser: Traditional drink with potential

When the snow melts in spring in Estonia and other Nordic countries, it is time to harvest birch water. Inspired by her grandmother, the traditional extraction of the dew water contained in the birch trunk gave the Estonian Anne-Liis Theisen and her siblings the idea of ​​also marketing birch water in Germany.

With her family business “ÖselBirch”, the 27-year-old offers numerous new variants in addition to the classic birch water. With the flavors rhubarb, mojito, Aronia berry, sea buckthorn, and mint, there is something for every taste. Will the lions like it too?

Drained of course

The time to collect birch water in spring is short: the sap only runs out of the trunk for about 1-2 weeks before the first leaf buds appear. Birch water can be drunk neat – but it can also be fermented. This is important because it doesn’t stay fresh for more than five days.

Collecting birch sap does not harm the tree because the peg holes in the tree and the amount of sap collected are so small in relation that the tree recovers within a year. Birch sap has been tapped for centuries and has become a Nordic tradition!

Healthy birch water

Birch water – a probiotic drink with live cultures. The fermented juice from the birch trunk is also free of preservatives, vegan, gluten-free, and contains only natural traces of sugar. It is offered in an environmentally-friendly glass bottle.

With its slightly sour taste, birch water is somewhat reminiscent of kefir. Due to its slightly bitter aftertaste, birch water is also ideal for processing in cocktails or mocktails. Similar to coconut water, birch sap also contains valuable electrolytes and trace elements such as manganese, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, iron, and sodium.

With birch water to the lion deal?

In order to make her “ÖsellBirch” birch water a cult drink in Germany too, Anne-Liis is hoping for a 60,000 euro deal in the “Lion’s Den” and the expertise of the founders. Will the “lions” jump to your side? You will find out the answer on Tuesday, October 23 at 8:15 p.m. on VOX.

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Birch Leaves: Effect

Birch leaves have been used medicinally for centuries because of their diuretic properties. The medicinal plant can develop its potential particularly well if you prepare a birch leaf tea from it.

Birch leaves: you need to know this before using it

The birch was revered by the Celts and still has a permanent place among medicinal plants. Their draining effect is considered useful for a variety of ailments:
urinary tract infections
skin problems
colds
rheumatism
gout
The flavonoids from the leaves of the birch are responsible for the water-repellent effect. These secondary plant substances ensure that you excrete up to 15 percent more water than you take in. They support your body in all detoxification processes and, above all, relieve the kidneys and skin. Since you lose fluid through the flushing active ingredients, you should drink a lot to compensate. Water and unsweetened teas work best.

With its light green leaves, the birch has always been a symbol of spring. During this time you can also collect the young leaves and then dry them. To do this, spread them out on a tray or hang them up and store them in a dark room or box. The leaves are dry when you can rub them with your fingers. You can find the native tree mainly in wide open spaces or at the edge of the forest and recognize it by its distinctive white bark. If you can’t find any birch trees in your area, you can buy the already dried leaves from your pharmacy.

Caution: If you have edema caused by heart or kidney problems, you should avoid birch leaf tea. The same applies if you have a birch pollen allergy.

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Birch Sugar: Interesting Facts About The Sugar Substitute Xylitol

Birch sugar (xylitol) is a sweetener that is considered a healthy sugar substitute. We explain what you need to know about the sugar substitute.

Because high sugar consumption can be unhealthy, many people are looking for alternative sweeteners. In addition to sweeteners such as aspartame, you will find sugar substitutes in many sugar-free products. These include birch sugar (xylitol or xylitol). It is chemically related to sugar and is a natural intermediate product of glucose metabolism in the body. Birch sugar is one of the sugar alcohols, the so-called polyols. Despite its structural similarity to sugar, xylitol has different properties. You will learn more about this in the following sections.

Birch sugar: How xylitol is made

Not only we humans produce xylitol in our body – birch sugar or precursors thereof also occur naturally in many plants, not only in birch bark. Some types of fruit and vegetables, such as strawberries, also contain birch sugar.

On an industrial scale, pure xylitol is usually obtained in a complex process from wood or organic waste such as corn cobs or sugar cane fibers:
These vegetable raw materials contain xylans, which are usually extracted at high temperatures using sulfuric acid or caustic soda. This produces xylose, also known as wood sugar (because it is found in many types of wood).
Xylitol is produced from xylose under high pressure and with the use of a catalyst.

Birch sugar: calorie content and uses

Externally, birch sugar does not differ from white sugar. In principle, you can use it in all recipes as a one-to-one sugar substitute – it has the same sweetening power and otherwise behaves very similarly. However, xylitol is less soluble in cold water than sugar. It also has a cooling effect in the mouth and enhances mint and menthol flavors.

While household sugar has 400 kilocalories per 100 grams, xylitol only has 240 kilocalories.

According to the consumer protection initiative, there is no maximum limit for birch sugar in food – you can find it (sometimes under its E number E967) in various products such as:
sugar-free or reduced-sugar sweets and baked goods
Mustard
sauces
sugar free chewing gum
dietary supplements

Undesirable side effects of birch sugar

Products containing more than ten percent birch sugar must be labeled “Excessive consumption may have a laxative effect”. Like other sugar alcohols (e.g. sorbitol or erythritol), large amounts of xylitol can cause flatulence, abdominal pain and diarrhea. A single dose of up to 20 grams and a daily dose of up to 70 grams is well tolerated by most people. However, there is one exception: People who are sensitive to so-called FODMAPs usually do not tolerate xylitol very well, even in small amounts – because polyols are FODMAPs.

Otherwise, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) classifies birch sugar as harmless to health.

Caution: Xylitol is highly toxic for dogs, rabbits and some other animals because the substance causes extreme insulin releases in them.

Conclusion: birch sugar in moderation and preferably organic

As part of a balanced diet, there is nothing wrong with using birch sugar in moderation as a sugar substitute. You can get xylitol from organically grown raw materials both online (for example at **Amazon) and in organic shops. So you can be sure that these are free of genetic engineering.

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