What You’ll Need
- Leftover mass from sea buckthorn juice (seeds and skins that remain on the sieve)
- Baking paper and a food dehydrator (or oven set to low temperature)
- Coffee grinder or spice mill
Preparation
1. After juicing, press the remaining skins and seeds in the sieve to squeeze out all the liquid. Spread the drained mixture thinly on baking paper and place it on the trays of your food dehydrator.
2. Dry at around 45 °C (113 °F) until fully crisp, usually 6 to 8 hours depending on the thickness of the layer. This gentle temperature helps preserve delicate antioxidants and fatty acids that would otherwise be damaged by heat.
3. Once completely dry, grind the mixture in a coffee or spice grinder until it reaches the desired texture. A rougher grind works especially well in baked goods and smoothies.
4. Keep the sea buckthorn meal in an airtight container, stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.
How to Use Sea Buckthorn Meal
- Add a teaspoon to yogurt or smoothies.
- Mix into porridge, granola, or doughs to enrich flavor and fiber content.
- Use as a natural color and flavor enhancer in pancakes, energy bars, or desserts.
- Experiment with skincare recipes: blended with honey or yogurt, it can make a simple, vitamin-rich face mask.
For the curious
Sea buckthorn contains heat-sensitive compounds such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and vitamin C. Drying at temperatures below 50 °C helps protect these nutrients and keeps the flavor bright rather than bitter. A little patience results in a richer, more aromatic product that truly reflects the berry’s character.
This knowledge isn’t new. Sea buckthorn has been known since classical antiquity. The Greek botanist Theophrastus described a thorny shrub called hippophae around the 4th century BCE, and later the physician Dioscorides mentioned its use for improving horses’ strength and coat condition — the name itself means “shiny horse.”
Centuries later, the plant spread across Central Asia and Siberia, thriving where few others could. It grew on dry riverbeds and coastal dunes, fixing nitrogen in poor soils and helping prevent erosion long before anyone called it sustainable. For herders and travellers, it was a small but reliable source of food and oil during long winters.
Modern research has largely confirmed what those early observers noticed. The seeds contain a balanced range of omega-3, -6, -7, and -9 fatty acids that protect the plant from drying or freezing. The skins are rich in carotenoids and polyphenols, compounds that defend against sunlight and oxidation. Even after juicing, most of these remain in the material left on the sieve.
Turning that mixture into a coarse meal isn’t a new idea; it’s simply a continuation of an old principle — using the whole berry. Sea buckthorn has always rewarded those who look a little closer.
