Legend has it that the sea buckthorn was the preferred berry of Pegasus, the mythological Greek horse, for its flight-inducing qualities.
A relatively recent entry to the list of 'rediscovered' foods, this unassuming orange berry, native to Europe and Asia, might not help lesser mortals like us take to the skies, but it's making its presence felt in the medical world for its health benefits.
Sea buckthorn is available in the form of supplements, oils, essences, or even cosmetics. Its juice was the official drink used by Chinese athletes during the 2008 Beijing Olympics and they won 51 gold medals.
Pharmaceutical company Tangut, which introduced seaberry essence to the Hong Kong market in January, claims the berry has brought relief to many people suffering from mouth ulcers by accelerating healing and boosting immunity.
A study by the University of Saskatchewan in Canada and the Indian Institute of Technology have discovered that sea buckthorn berries contain a potent mixture of vitamin A, K, E, C, B1 and B2. In fact, the berries provide 10 times more vitamin C than oranges and are the third-highest source of vitamin E in the plant world.
Also found were high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids, folic acid and flavonoids that help to strengthen the immune system and heart and provide protection from disease. It's interesting that it's the only plant known to contain essential fatty acids 3, 6, 7 and 9.
The superfruit is said to contain more than 190 bioactive nutrients and has a high abundance of some of the rarest and most powerful antioxidants in the world.