Elderberry Benefits: Facts and Myths You Should Know
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There is a lot of buzz around elderberries and their immune boosting powers. This is especially the case right now, as we approach cold and flu season. As a nurse, I only want the facts, the truth and the proof. I want to know the science and research behind a trend. So, I set out to learn everything I could about elderberries and deliver it to you, our loyal readers, on a silver platter. My research is based only on scholarly journals and articles. Without further ado, here are the elderberry benefits: facts and myths you should know (from a nurse).
Elderberry has been used in folk medicine for centuries to combat a range of illnesses from burns to eczema to easing pain. However, can it really treat the flu? Should I be handing out elderberry gummies to my kids everyday like Pinterest says I should? Let’s find out!
Words Matter
I want to make sure that we are all on the same page. There are a few words that I think need defining for the purpose of this article, by the Merriam-Webster dictionary:
- Prevent- To keep from happening or existing
- Cure- To restore to health, soundness or normality
- Improve- to enhance in value or quality: make better
- Reduce- to diminish in size, amount, extent, or number
4 Facts About Elderberries
Fact #1- Elderberry is High in Vitamin C and B6
Elderberries are high in immune boosting Vitamin C and Vitamin B6, two nutrients known to support our immune systems. That is to say, just 1 cup (145 grams) of elderberries provides 58% and 20% of the DVs for vitamins C and B6, respectively.
Fact #2- Elderberry is a Powerful Antioxidant
Elderberries are powerful antioxidants that can help reduce damage from oxidative stress in the body. Antioxidants that are in elderberries include anthocyanins, flavonols, phenolic acids and proanthocyanidins. If you want more information on antioxidants, read the article at THIS LINK on ways to get glowing skin through food.
Fact # 3- Black Elderberry Reduces the Severity and Length of the Flu
Black elderberry extracts and flower infusions have been shown to reduce the severity and length of influenza. One study of 60 people with influenza found that those who took 15 ml of elderberry syrup four times per day showed symptom improvement in two to four days, while the control group took seven to eight days to improve.
Fact # 4- Uncooked Elderberries are Unsafe to Eat
The uncooked berries, leaves, bark and root contain the chemicals lectin and cyanide, which can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. However, cooking the berries and seeds removes the cyanide.
4 Myths About Elderberries
Myth # 1- Elderberry Prevents the Flu
While it may boost your immune system, there is no conclusive evidence which supports the claim that taking elderberry extract will prevent you from getting the flu. However, it may provide you with a better chance at not getting the flu because of the powerful antioxidants that support your immune system. It’s just not 100% guaranteed to stop you from getting the flu.
Myth #2- Elderberry Can Cure the Flu
If you find yourself in the annoying situation of contracting influenza, taking elderberries alone cannot cure your illness immediately. It can, however, decrease the length and severity of your symptoms if taken on a regular basis along with rest, hydration, and a healthy diet.
Myth #3- Elderberry Prevents the Common Cold
Again, there is just not enough research to support the claim that taking elderberries this cold season will stop you from catching an annoying bug. However, taking it may reduce the length and severity if you do catch a cold. In a study done on air travelers, researchers found that elderberry supplementation reduces cold duration and symptoms.
Myth #4- Elderberry Lowers Blood Pressure
There are many articles circling the internet claiming that elderberry extract lowers blood pressure. Elderberries may reduce the levels of uric acid in the blood. Elevated uric acid is linked to increased blood pressure and negative effects on heart health. There are also studies in rats that have shown a reduction in blood pressure after given the polyphenols extracted from elderberries. Yet, more human studies and further research are needed to support this claim.
Final Words
Elderberries have been associated with many different health benefits. However, most of the research done has been in a lab setting and not extensively on humans. In the end, more research is needed to prove many of the claims that we all read on Pinterest and Google.
What we do know for sure is that if you do get the flu or a cold, taking elderberry extract will reduce the severity and length of the illness. We also know that by taking elderberry on a regular basis, you reduce your overall chances of contracting a virus because of the added immune support.
Therefore, there’s no harm in you and your family taking elderberry in its many forms (syrup, gummies, tea, drops) to support your immune system this cold and flu season.
Other ways to support your immune system can be done through good sleep habits which you can find at this LINK, slowing down and relaxing which can be found at this LINK and eating a healthy diet which can be found at this LINK. Enjoy!
Join The Discussion
So, what do you think about supplementing with elderberries? What has your experiences been with them? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Author
Sara Halcumb is a Registered Nurse, wellness blogger, mother and wife.
Sources:
(2014, August 5). Advanced research on the antioxidant and health benefit of elderberry (Sambucus nigra) in food – a review. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1756464614002400
(n.d.). FoodData Central Search Results. Retrieved from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171727/nutrients
He, J., & Giusti, M. M. (2010). Anthocyanins: natural colorants with health-promoting properties. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22129334
Porter, R. S., & Bode, R. F. (2017, April). A Review of the Antiviral Properties of Black Elder (Sambucus nigra L.) Products. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28198157
Tiralongo, E., Wee, S. S., & Lea, R. A. (2016, March 24). Elderberry Supplementation Reduces Cold Duration and Symptoms in Air-Travellers: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4848651/
20 Responses
I started giving my son elderberry gummies with his daily vitamins over a year ago. He made it through our terrible cold season last year with a couple very short colds that weren’t anything like the colds from the year before. The symptoms were easier to control with cold medicine and the duration was dramatically less. I totally attribute this to the elderberry!
That is so awesome! After researching it, I really think that it is worth giving to your family for the immune boost! I will be doing that this fall. Thank you.
My naturopath gave us an immune booster for the colds with a young baby in the house. First ingredient: Elderberry! 🙂
So cool! Gotta love naturopaths!
I’ve heard so much about elderberry but haven’t tried it yet!
Same here. A lot of people in my life supplemented with it and swear by it. After researching the immune boosting benefits, it seems like a no brainer.
I love our elderberry syrup! We make a huge batch that lasts us all year long. We haven’t been sick in years, so it must be working!
That is so awesome. I’m not sure if I want to make syrup or attempt to make gummies. Either way, I’m excited to see the results.
I just have to say. It means so much hearing this from a nurse. A lot of times when I repost on supplements I have no idea what to believe. Thank you so much for your opinion and advise!
Yes! It was a good one to research because it is so popular for boosting the immune system, and I had to know the science behind it. It seems that research supports the claim that it DOES boost our immune system and it can shorten the duration and severity of the cold and flu.
What are your thoughts on homemade vs store bought elderberry? Reason I ask is because I’ve heard of people using homemade elderberry but I get worried about the cyanide. And then when it comes to store bought, there’s a lot of extra ingredients you don’t really want. Did the studies show one was better than the other by chance? Thanks!
What I found in researching it was that if you want to make your own, just be sure to boil the berries, leaves, stems and flowers. Cyanide has a boiling point of 78F, which is not that high. So as long as you get the berries to a rapid boil, and then simmer for about 20 minutes, the cyanide will dissipate in the air. The only danger is eating the berries raw or dried. The studies did not say if one was better than the other. So the choice is yours. If you did buy it at the store, I would suggest going to a naturopath store or a health food store where you can get higher quality products. On the other hand, if you have the time to make it yourself, I would actually recommend going that route. It will be much cheaper in the end to make it yourself in larger batches. Plus, you can find really cool recipes online that add honey, cinnamon, and other herbs. I looked at buying elderberry syrup a couple weeks ago and was astonished at how expensive a small bottle was, and it didn’t actually contain very much elderberry extract. That is when I made the decision that I am going to make my own. I hope that helps! Good luck and either way you decide, tag us on social media so we know what route you went!!
My grandmother has an Elderberry bush and she always makes us an elderberry juice in the fall to help keep our immune systems boosted for the upcoming cold and flu season.
How cool! I would love to grow my own elderberries someday. Thanks!
Elderberry is something we love taking to keep us healthy! Especially when we are traveling and around extra germs.
I love to hear this, thank you!
This is a great analysis! I’ve been hearing about the latest hype of elderberry and was so curious about the facts of it before we tried it! Thanks for the awesome thoughts on it!
Thank you for reading. I really appreciate your feedback.
It’s great that you make these distinctions! I feel like people have a tendency to make blanket statements that perpetuate these myths! But I love elderberry syrup for colds! It certainly helps us!
Thank you, I really appreciate that. I agree, I ready so many things online that claim to cure or heal you, yet there is no research or factual reasoning behind it. I’m hoping that more people like you appreciate these posts that are based on facts.