The bark of Birch contains about 3 per cent tannic acid, which is highly prized for its use as a tanning agent.  The white epidermis of the bark contains empyreumatic oil, also known as Birch Tar.  The tar is almost identical to Wintergreen oil but contains a high concentration of methyl salicylates.  It also contains creosol and guailacol.  Besides the tar, the bark also contains salicylate and methyl salicylate.

About 15% of the bark of birch is made up of betulin and betulenic acid.  It can be felt on the tree as the powdery residue on the bark or just inside the papery layers.  It is rare to find “a single pure source of a single pure compound.”  Betulin is not at all soluble in water and is what makes Birch bark water resistant and so highly valued for canoes, shelter and as a food preservative, among other things.

Other medicinal constituents in Birch bark and leaves include saponins, bitters, glycosides and flavonoids, including hyperoside, quercitrin, myricetin galactoside, kaempferol, myricetin and quercetin glycosides. The bark also contains terpenoilds and triterpenes including betulin, betulinic acid, a pentacyclic triterpene and ursolic acid. Essential oils, bitters, resins and betuls camphor also exist in the bark.  It has been found that the essential oil content of Birch is highest in the month of May, which is unlike most other aromatic trees, which have essential oil contents that increase over the growing season.

The leaves of Birch contain betuloventic acid and the buds contain lipophilic flavone methyl esters, essential oils and saponins.

The Paper Birch can be tapped in the spring for syrup.  The season is a bit later than for Maples and the carbohydrate content which consistsis of glucose, fructose and sucrose is only about 0.9% compared to 2-3% in a Sugar Maple.  Nonetheless, Birch trees have been tapped and processed to make health drinks, wine and beer.