It’s a rainy but pleasant day to talk about the different health benefits of elderberry.
Elderberries are also called as Sambucus, Elder, and Elderberry Sambucus.
This is my list of the health benefits of elderberry.
1. Elderberry Is Rich In Vitamins And Minerals
Raw elderberry is a good source of nutrients including lots of dietary fiber and some protein.
For your vitamins, vitamin B6 and vitamin C are the most notable. Other vitamins you can get are vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, and B9.
100 grams of raw elderberries can give you 12% of your daily iron needs. Besides this, you also get calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.
2. Helps With Respiratory Health
You may want to drink elderberry juice if you have bronchitis, a cough, cold, or a sore throat.
Elderberries contain anthocyanins that help relieve inflammation and soothe irritation.
It’s also said to have expectorant qualities that can flush out phlegm or mucus out of your respiratory tracts.
Elderberry juice may be a good optional fruit drink for people who have asthma.
3. Elderberry Supports Your Immune System
Elderberry is rich in vitamin C. And vitamin C is an excellent nutrient in boosting your immune system.
Furthermore, in a study (Evaluation of the immune defense in diabetes mellitus using an experimental model) conducted with rats, researchers noticed that there’s an increased number of white blood cells because of the polyphenols from elderberry.
Your white blood cells are like your body’s soldiers that fight substances that come into your body that may cause diseases.
4. May Help With Skin Care
There could be a reason as to why some skincare products have elderberry as part of their ingredients.
It’s probably because it’s a source of vitamin A.
And its antioxidants are useful in improving your skin’s glow and tone, reducing age spots, and reducing or delaying wrinkles.
Elderberry also has antiseptic effects that are useful in fighting acne.
5. Elderberry Helps Against Cold And Flu
According to “A Review of the Antiviral Properties of Black Elder (Sambucus nigra L.) Products,” the extracts from elderberry and flower infusions help reduce the length and severeness of influenza.
There are also other studies like “Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract” which showed similar results.
The control group who were given elderberry syrup showed improvement within 2 to 4 days, while the other group who didn’t take them 7 to 8 days before improving from influenza.
6. May Help Reduce Weight
Elderberry has high contents of fiber which can make you feel fuller faster.
This helps in avoiding overeating that can lead to increased weight.
The B complex vitamins can also stimulate your body’s metabolism which can lead to burning fats in the long run.
7. Elderberry May Help Detoxify Your Body
Elderberry flowers were found to have diuretic qualities.
This means that it stimulates urination according to a study conducted in rats.
This may help you regularly release excess salt, toxins, and water waste out of your body.
8. Is Rich In Antioxidants
Antioxidants can be found on the fruit, flower, and leaves of elderberry.
These antioxidants help reduce the effects of oxidative stress on your body that can lead to different chronic diseases.
The bad news, however, is that antioxidant activity is reduced when elderberry has been processed.
Arnica is another plant that can be consumed for its antioxidant activity.
You can check my article on arnica’s health benefits here.
9. Elderberry Helps With Digestion
Elderberry is high in dietary fiber which is excellent in optimizing digestion.
This can help prevent digestive disorders like constipation, diarrhea, gas, and other gastrointestinal problems.
Fiber also helps with improved nutrient absorption.
10. May Help Keep Your Heart Healthy
Different studies can tell you that elderberry has the potential in helping with keeping your heart healthy.
In this study, “A systematic review on the sambuci fructus effect and efficacy profiles,” researchers observed that consuming elderberry juice may help reduce blood cholesterol levels and may even reduce the fat levels in your blood.
Other studies will also tell you that it can reduce blood pressure levels.
To add more, it seems to have a positive effect on blood sugar levels and uric acid levels.
Improved blood sugar levels can help prevent or reduce the effects of type 2 diabetes, which is a risk factor for heart disease.
While elevated uric acid levels can be linked to an increased blood pressure level which can be bad for your heart.
11. Elderberry Helps Reduce Blood Pressure Levels
Elderberry is a source of potassium. And potassium is considered to be a vasodilator.
This just means that it can help your blood vessels relax, making blood flow smoother thus reducing blood pressure.
Conclusion
These are some of the health benefits of elderberry that I’ve come across while searching online.
I’ve eaten different berries but I’m not sure if I’ve already eaten elderberry.
The high content of antioxidants you get from elderberry is my favorite health benefit of elderberry.
What’s your favorite health benefit on the list?
Unlike me, you may be more familiar with elderberries, but please discuss it first with your doctor or medical professional if it’s safe for you to consume it.
Please share this article with someone you know who can benefit from learning more about elderberries.
Thank you!