Traditionally drunk as a healing tonic in eastern European countries, in recent years the watery sap from inside birch trees has emerged as a new healthy living super-drink called Birch Tree Juice.

Since then, birch tree harvesting has been refined to an exact science to make sure the product is as nutritious as possible. The sap is collected in spring, when mineral and micronutrient levels in the trees are at their highest, meaning you’re left with a drink that ticks pretty much every nutrient box there is.

In 2003, scientists at the University of California investigated the effects of a group of compounds called saponins, which are found in birch trees. They discovered that this group of chemicals lower cholesterol levels by preventing the absorption of ‘bad’ cholesterol in the body.