Elderberry is the most conventional medicinal plant. It may not save you from Covid-19, but this antioxidant-rich berry still has some effective health benefits that make it a die-for fruit.
What exactly elderberry is and why are we coercing you to be impressed by it?
The elderberry is a fruit that comes from a Sambucus nigra tree and it's a good ingredient to boost one’s immunity. The plant grows up to 30 feet and has clusters of white leaves and purple berries (1).
Fun Fact: Sambucus nigra is native to Europe however it grows in other areas of the world as well (2).
Moreover, we are convincing you of this fruit for two reasons:
- We know the world is going through a global pandemic. So, it is crucial to look for ways to boost your immunity and elderberry is a good option.
- Secondly, this fruit has many health benefits that we’ll discuss in this post.
Americans and Europeans have used this fruit for decades to get relief from cold, flu, and many other health issues.
Quick cue: Cooked elderberries work effectively to reduce the symptoms of cold and flu while raw berries are poisonous.
So, let us take a plunge into the top 10 health benefits of Elderberry that prove it's good for health.
Top 10 Reasons Elderberry is Good for Health
- Carries a Great Number of Nutrients
- Good for Heart Health
- Helps Prevent Cancer
- Strengthens Bones
- Improves Vision
- Enriches Brain Health
- Fights Cold and Flu
- Treats Acne
- Enhances Skin and Hair Health
- Helps Reduce Wrinkles
- Carries a Great Number of Nutrients
Elderberries have numerous vitamins and nutrients that benefit human health. Moreover, it's a low-calorie food that is packed with antioxidants.
A cup of elderberries has:
- 106 calories
- 26.7 grams of carbs
- Less than 1 gram each of fat and protein (3).
A cup of elderberry also carries:
- 870 mg of vitamin A
- 406 mg of potassium
- 52.2 mg of vitamin C
- 9 mg of folate
- 55 mg of calcium
- 2.32 mg of iron
Nutritional Advantages
Elderberries have many nutritional advantages. All of these nutrients mentioned below are found in elderberries and help human health in one way or another.
- High in vitamin C. Around 52 mg of vitamin C is available in a cup of fruit that makes up to 57% of the daily value (4).
- High in dietary fiber. The fruit carries 10 grams of fiber in one cup of fresh berries that makes up to 36% of the daily value (5).
- It is a good source of phenolic acids. The compounds are powerful antioxidants that help reduce damage from oxidative pressure in the body (6, 7).
- It is a good source of flavonoids. The fruit contains the antioxidant flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin. While the flowers of the fruit carry up to 10 times more of these compounds than the berries themselves (8).
- Rich in anthocyanins. Anthocyanins as the compounds that provide the fruit its characteristic dark black-purple hue. These are strong antioxidants having anti-inflammatory effects (9, 10).
- Good for Heart Health
Elderberries have positive impacts on heart and blood vessel health.
It is known that blueberries are wealthy in potassium- they have tremendous potassium to sodium ratio. Therefore, elderberries can assist to regulate blood pressure and assure the blood vessels alleviate.
Side note: High potassium reduces the strain on the heart.
Elderberries also lower cholesterol levels. Studies have demonstrated that elderberry juice may reduce the status of fat in the blood and lessen cholesterol. Plus, a diet that is rich in flavonoids like anthocyanins helps to reduce the hazard of heart disease (11, 12).
Moreover, elderberries may lessen the degrees of uric acid in the blood. Elevated uric acid is associated with improved blood pressure and unfavorable aftermaths on heart health (13,14).
What’s more? Elderberries boost insulin secretion and enhance blood sugar levels. That leads to the prevention of type 2 diabetes which is a major risk aspect for heart and vascular disease. Blood sugar administration is crucial to stave off these situations (15, 16).
- Helps Prevent Cancer
Scientists belonging to different parts of the world employed elderberries in cancer treatment and got great success. This is because of the presence of quercetin in elderberries. The ingredient’s remedial consequences boost the immune system and benefit the treatment (17).
Additional studies demonstrate that elderberries can also deal with prostate cancer. The berries are perceived to hinder a biochemical process called hedgehog signaling, which has been correlated to cancer (18).
- Strengthens Bones
The nutrients such as calcium, iron, and potassium present in the elderberries are recognized to strengthen bones. They improve bone mineral density that in turn chops the chance of osteoporosis.
Moreover, the anthocyanins in the berries might stave off a bone loss in particular cases (19).
- Improves Vision
Elderberries are rich in vitamins A and B6, which helps stave off severe eye conditions such as glaucoma- a condition that damages optic nerve, and macular degeneration- a condition that can lead to permanent eye loss (20, 21).
Plus, the antioxidant property of elderberries also assists in ensuring eye health for an extended period.
- Enriches Brain Health
A study reveals that anthocyanins present in elderberry treat brain impairment and consequential problems such as Alzheimer’s (22).
Elderberries are also packed with quercetin that is a crucial flavonoid. It is significant for brain health. Quercetin curtains the harmful plague at a cellular level. Furthermore, it generates the mitochondria, energy generating cells, in your brains.
Fun fact: Mitochondria are the powerhouses that improve cell health.
- Fights Cold and Flu
Elderberry flower and its extracts help to lessen the severity and extent of flu (23).
Different forms of elderberry such as liquids, capsules, lozenges, and gummies are used to treat colds.
A study in 2004 says that 60 individuals having flu took 15 ml of elderberry syrup four times a day. After two-four days, the syrup showed improvement of symptoms while the control group took 7-8 days for improvement (24).
In another study, the 312 air travelers took capsules that had 300 mg of elderberry extract, three times a day. It was found that people who got sick had a shorter length of ailment and limited drastic symptoms (25).
However, there is still need to make more experiments to determine if elderberry prevents influenza (26).
- Treats Acne
The fruit carries high tiers of flavonoids that imply it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics. These properties safeguard healthy cells from deadly free radicals that give rise to skin issues.
The American Nutrition Association (ANA) endorses that if you use elderberry face wash, it’ll help you combat acne.
- Enhances Skin
Elderberry carries anti-aging and free radical fighting characteristics that keep the skin radiant for extended times.
Furthermore, these characteristics function as a biological detoxifying agent that helps to stave off distressing skin situations like breakouts, blemishes, and scars.
Key benefits
- The anthocyanins present in elderberries provide a natural improvement to your skin’s health.
- Anthocyanins also protect against skin injury (27).
- The distilled elderberry’s flower water restores skin condition and reduces freckles (28).
- If you apply the fruit extract, it can also lessen breakout, inflammation, and bruising.
- The fruit extract can help deal with herpes as well because the antioxidants present in it fight the herpes virus and provide relief.
- Reduce Wrinkles
Elderberries have high levels of vitamin A that helps to reduce wrinkles. American Nutrition Association (ANA) also asserts that elderberries have the ability to soften the skin, help alleviate the appearance of aging signs, and prevent or reduce wrinkles.
That’s with the benefits but let us tell you the amount of elderberry good for your health next.
How Much Amount of Elderberry Dosage Should You Take?
There is no basic dosage of elderberry that one should take. However, for flu, some researchers have employed 1 tablespoon of elderberry syrup four times a day.
The elderberry can be taken in the lozenge form with zinc that you can take several times daily after you have a cold. You can ask your health care provider for advice.
Furthermore, elderberries are found in supplements as well. You can take such supplements to ensure that you are taking a good amount of them. That will keep you healthy and active.
To make sure that you take enough and safe elderberry supplements, our supplement comes in powdered form. You can mix it with water and intake. The extract of elderberry that we take is 400 mg while its powdered form makes it 200 mg, which is present in the supplement.
You can check our website (insert link) for more details or to get the supplement.
The Bottom Line
Elderberry improves heart health, enhances antioxidant status and carries a variety of anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, and anti-inflammatory properties. Not only that but it also is a flavorful extension to a healthy diet and a reasonable resource of vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants.
With so many favorable health benefits, it is proved that the fruit is good for your health and you can consume it in its cooked form. You can also take it in supplement form for ease- click here to learn more about our elderberry supplement.
If you still have any queries about elderberry or its supplements, you can reach out to us at (insert ph) or visit our website (insert link) for more knowledge.
References
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/elderberry#bottom-line
https://www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-elderberry
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323288#nutrition
https://www.verywellhealth.com/elderberry-for-colds-and-flu-can-it-help-89559
https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/amazing-health-benefits-of-elderberries/#WhatAreTheHealthBenefitsOfElderberries
https://blog.mybalancemeals.com/health/7-benefits-of-elderberry-syrup/
