Seabuckthorn

A thorny shrub of the cold deserts of Ladakh and the Himalaya, whose bright orange berries, sold as Leh berry, are rich in vitamin C, carotenoids and omega-7 oil.

Sea buckthorn, Hippophae rhamnoides, is a hardy, thorny shrub of cold, dry mountains across Europe and Asia, including Ladakh, Lahaul and Spiti, where its fruit is sold as Leh berry. The small orange berries are sour and oily, and cling densely to the branches.

The berries are rich in vitamin C, carotenoids, vitamin E, flavonoids and an unusual oil high in palmitoleic acid, an omega-7 fat. Tibetan and Mongolian medicine have long used them for the skin, digestion and cough. Laboratory and small human studies suggest antioxidant, skin and heart benefits, but larger trials are still needed.

• Immunity
• Skin health
• Heart wellness
• Energy and vitality