Sea buckthorn is one of Mother Nature’s precious gems. The vibrant berry grows high in the Himalayas and is the secret behind all that we do here at Sibu. Sea buckthorn is more than a pretty berry; it’s packed with bioactive compounds and a long list of benefits.
If you’ve been curious, wondering what the sea buckthorn hype is all about, we’re here to share the answers.
Rooted in Healing: Sea Buckthorn as Medicine Throughout History
Sea buckthorn (or Hippophae rhamnoides, if we want to be scientific about it) has long been respected throughout history for its many healing properties. The earliest tellings of sea buckthorn come from Asia and Europe. In fact, one of the earliest tales comes from ancient Greece, dating back to about 5000 - 500 BC.
The story goes that these old race horses had been put out to pasture, and while there, they nibbled liberally on sea buckthorn berries. It turns out the healing power of sea buckthorn rejuvenated the horses and made their coats especially shiny and healthy-looking.
The history of sea buckthorn’s medicinal properties is also shown in the texts of Tibetan medicine, where it was used to treat everything from respiratory ailments to digestive issues. In Chinese medicine, it was valued for providing energy and cleansing the lungs of disease.
Today, we have both sea buckthorn’s rich history, along with science and research to show us how miraculous this little berry is. We now know that it has an incredible nutrient profile of vitamins, antioxidants, flavonoids, and essential fatty acids, including the rare omega-7.
We know quite a bit about the health and beauty benefits of sea buckthorn, and we’re learning more every day.
Healthy Benefits of Sea Buckthorn
When you invite Sibu sea buckthorn into your life, how exactly are you benefiting from it? It doesn’t matter if you choose our Omega-7 Plus softgels or Omega-7 Pure sea berry puree; you’re getting a boost of nutrients and antioxidants that support your health holistically, from head to toe.
Skin Health: Sea buckthorn is an unsung hero in skincare. With a rich omega-7 fatty acid content, sea buckthorn works overtime to support the skin both on the surface and from the inside out. It helps to preserve the skin’s elasticity, and support collagen production – both of which begin to decline as early as our thirties, and continue to decline at a rapid pace.
Sea buckthorn also protects the skin by creating and maintaining an effective moisture barrier, helping your skin look and feel better. The anti-inflammatory properties of sea buckthorn help to reduce inflammation and speed healing, making it great for individuals with inflammatory skin conditions, such as acne, eczema, and rosacea.
Cardiovascular Health: Sea buckthorn offers a unique blend of omega-7 fatty acids. There are omega-3 and omega 6 fatty acids, but also two of the more rare fatty acids – 7 and 9. This, combined with the berry’s powerful antioxidants, makes sea buckthorn a strong ally in supporting cardiovascular health.
Combined, the compounds in sea buckthorn work to reduce inflammation, lower LDL cholesterol, and support healthy circulation and blood vessel function, while also protecting against arterial plaque buildup.
Is sea buckthorn a magical elixir for cardiovascular health? Well, it won’t prevent or heal cardiovascular disease on its own, but combined with nutritional and lifestyle support, it can play an important role.
Digestive Support: Gut health is everything. It’s connected to everything from the strength of your immune system to neurological health. Sea buckthorn helps to support digestive health by repairing and strengthening the mucosal lining of the stomach and intestines, and it calms inflammation and irritation.
With its support, your body is better able to nourish a healthy, balanced gut microbiome.
Immune Strength: With our busy lives, we often overlook the small things we can do to strengthen and improve our immune systems. Without a strong immune system, you can feel dragged down, stressed, and you’re also more at risk of catching every little virus that comes your way.
Sea buckthorn is high in vitamin C. In fact, it has a vitamin C concentration level that’s higher than oranges. It also contains vitamin E, zinc, and flavonoids, which all work to support the body’s natural immune system.
Cellular Regeneration: The secret to healthy skin, no matter what your age or skin type, is cellular regeneration. Old cells die off, while new ones are born, and some might be repaired. The bioactive compounds in sea buckthorn help to support and encourage cellular regeneration, which is great not only for your skin but every cell in your body.
Sea Buckthorn by Any Other Name
In the United States, you’ll most often see supplements and products containing sea buckthorn with “sea buckthorn” listed in the ingredients. It is also sometimes called sea berry, but this can sometimes (not always) be dependent on what part of the plant (berry or seed oil) is used.
When using sea buckthorn products from other parts of the world, you may see it listed differently. A few alternate names for sea buckthorn include:
Sea Berry
Sanddorn
Obliphika
Sallowthorn
Siberian Pineapple
Regardless of the name, the general benefits of sea buckthorn remain the same; however, not all sea buckthorn is created equal. Different varieties and growing conditions can affect the quality and strength of sea buckthorn’s therapeutic properties.
Why Turkestanica Sea Buckthorn Is the Gold Standard
Sea buckthorn is a hardy shrub that thrives in the type of harsh climates where other plant life would perish. Sea buckthorn grows in regions from the Himalayas to the Baltic coast, and there are different varieties of the plant that can be found in each. We know of at least 150 species and sub-species of sea buckthorn that are out there growing in the world.
Of all the different varieties, it’s Turkestanica that is the gold standard, and it’s the variety that we use in every Sibu product.
Turkenstanica is found in high-altitude regions of the Himalayan Mountains. It’s wild-grown, wild-harvested, and completely dependent on Mother Nature, with no interference from us humans until it’s time to harvest.
Turkestanica is special among sea buckthorn varieties. It grows in nutrient-rich soil, without fertilizers or pesticides. It contains not only unmatched antioxidant levels, but also the highest level of the rare omega-7 fatty acid that is available on earth.
This is why we choose Turkenstania sea buckthorn over all others, and it’s why Sibu supplements and skin care products are the most potent and purest that you can find.
The Sibu Difference: Our Commitment From Berry to Bottle
At Sibu, we consider ourselves to be stewards of high quality sea buckthorn. Our commitment to quality, purity, and sustainability is behind everything that we do. Our standards are uncompromising, and we follow through at every step of the process.
In addition to using Turkestanica sea buckthorn, we also work directly with residents of Himalayan villages, providing meaningful work and ensuring they are provided with fair wages. We use harvesting methods that protect and preserve the local ecosystem, making sure that protecting the natural biodiversity of the region remains a priority.
The more we support the earth and the regions where sea buckthorn grows in the Himalayas, the more we’re able to ensure the sustainability of our processes.
When sourcing our oils, we use a process called critical CO2 extraction. This is our proprietary T7 process, which produces the purest, most potent sea buckthorn oil without chemicals or harming the environment.
Try Sea Buckthorn – Nature’s Brilliant Berry
The supplement and skincare markets are flooded with products that promise ultimate quality and, sometimes, miracles, but fall short. At Sibu, we’re committed to transparency, sustainability, purity, and quality. Our sea buckthorn truly is the highest quality, most potent available, and we stand behind the integrity of our products 100%.
When it comes to sea buckthorn, the variety matters, where it is grown and harvested matters, and the process used makes all the difference.
Whether you’re nourishing your body from within or supporting your skin through natural, gentle skincare, Sibu is the sea buckthorn brand you can trust.