Are you looking for a way to aid your body, skin, and internal organs become healthier and live longer, you should consider the health benefits of elderberry. Elderberry can be used as a whole, where every part of the elder plant is used, including the berries, leaves, and flowers.
Elderberry syrup is the most popular form of elderberry for natural treatments, but it is definitely not the only way to get these berries. You can also get fresh and dried forms, powder liquid, and even supplements.
The following information will walk you through the 9 main health benefits of elderberry, from boosting your immune system and helping with your digestive system, to treating allergies and improving your blood sugar levels.
Ways to Use Elderberry
If you are interested in consuming elderberry, as opposed to trying out the supplement or topical applications, then the following list will be very useful for you. Keep in mind it is not a complete list – there are many different ways to use these berries.
- Make your own elderberry syrup
- Try making a homemade elderberry jelly to put on toast or muffins
- Create fruity baked goods with elderberry and other berries
- Add some elderberries to juice or smoothies for a sweet and nutritious kick
- Make an elderberry tart
Learn about these 9 health benefits of Elderberry:
- Boosts cardiovascular health
- Lower blood pressure
- Diuretic
- Helps balance blood sugar
- Mitigates cold and flu symptoms
- Loaded with antioxidants
- Deflates allergy symptoms
- Improve your digestion
- Promotes healthy skin
- Support bone health
Elderberry Benefit #1
Boosts Your Cardiovascular Health
Elderberry have been shown to be effective at supporting cardiovascular health. Like many other fruits and vegetables, elderberries are great for your heart health. The fiber and other nutrients in the elderberry can help reduce your blood pressure and help with your cholesterol levels. It helps to promote the good cholesterol, while reducing the bad cholesterol. Elderberry is also effective at protecting your arteries and blood vessels, both of which can lead to heart disease. It is the potassium in elderberry that helps reduce your blood pressure.
Wondering how you can use elderberry for your cardiovascular health? Just look at all these different forms this bright purple fruit comes in:
Fresh berries
Dried berries
Elderberry syrup
Elderberry Elixir
Capsules and supplements
Elderberry tablets
Pure elderberry liquid
There are a lot of options available for using elderberry more often and getting all these heart-healthy benefits from it.
Elderberry Benefit #2
It Works as a Diuretic
Elderberry is remarkable for your digestive system. Many people find that they need to take an over-the-counter diuretic to help move things along, but if you can get a natural diuretic from your food, wouldn’t you be more interested in moving that direction?
Elderberry is often used as a diuretic by eating the fruit, taking a supplement, or the ever popular elderberry syrup. Bear in mind that you do not eat these berries like you would other berries, but they can easily be used to flavor your food if you prefer that over taking the medicinal syrup often found in natural health food stores. It is much more pleasant to take the elderberry syrup, as opposed to conventional medicinal diuretics.
By using elderberry on a regular basis, you promote good digestive health and have a diuretic that isn’t as harsh on your body as many of the over-the-counter alternatives out there. Give this a try if you are having trouble with your digestive system.
Elderberry Benefit #3
Assists in Keeping a Balanced Blood Sugar
Elderberries are also amazing for lowering your blood sugar. This is what is going to be beneficial at helping to prevent or treat diabetes. There have been many research studies performed on the effects of certain foods and herbs on the blood sugar levels, looking at what does or does not stimulate glucose.
The most recent study was published in the Journal of Nutrition, which found that elderberry can lower the blood sugar levels in your body by stimulating glucose metabolism.
While type 1 diabetes is often genetic, type 2 diabetes can happen at any time in your life. Many people think it is only for people who consume high amounts of sugar or who are overweight, but that is not the case. Anyone can get type 2 diabetes, whether you are considered high risk or not. The best thing you can do is lower your blood sugar, which is why fruits like elderberry are so amazing.
It can also help if you have diabetes by naturally helping to lower your current blood sugar levels. With the right diet, you might even be able to get rid of your diabetes altogether.
Elderberry Benefit #4
Mitigates Cold and Flu Symptoms
Do you need help with cold and flu symptoms? There are many natural remedies for illnesses like the common cold, chest cold, and flu, including garlic, various herbs, turmeric, and yes – elderberry. When trying to get helping hand with cold and flu… handy elderberry syrup is to the rescue.
Research has shown that elderberry syrup works wonders for various symptoms related to these illnesses, including congestion and headaches from both the cold and flu, inflammation, and digestive issues as the result of the influenza (flu). Try a little elderberry syrup with other natural remedies for a day or two to see if you notice any changes.
As always, consult your doctor before trying any natural remedies. With a flu, if you have a high fever or dehydration, get medical attention right away.
Elderberry Benefit #5
Elderberry is Loaded with Antioxidants
Everyone wants more antioxidants in their body. Elderberry, like many other fruits and herbs, provides an exceptional amount of antioxidants. Antioxidants work to keep you from getting illnesses and fight off infections since they protect your cells from free radicals. These free radicals can do a lot of damage to your body, lowering your immune system, and making you susceptible to illness.
Elderberry also has vitamin C, which is another great way to raise your immunity and keep you from getting illnesses and chronic diseases. Elderberry has about the same amount of antioxidants as other berries, including goji berries, blackberries, and blueberries, also with a high amount of flavonoids. Additional immune-strengthening compounds also exist in elderberry, which is another great bonus.
If you want to use the berries alone, try adding them to a cup of hot tea for added flavor, or using them to flavor a fruit smoothie along with other immune-boosting fruits and veggies. If you want to try a smoothie, elderberry is great with the following ingredients for antioxidants and to boost your immunity:
Oranges or grapefruit
Cherries
Blueberries and blackberries
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale
Get creative when making your fruit smoothies to help boost immunity and get all those antioxidants.
Elderberry Benefit #6
It Improves Your Digestion
This is a big benefit and one of the main reasons people will use elderberry, aside from helping with immunity and using as a natural treatment for the cold and flu. So many people have digestive problems, and even though they try elimination diets and allergy tests, can never really figure out what the issue is. In some people, it is not getting enough fiber, while others just have an overly sensitive stomach.
Regardless of the reason for your digestive problems, elderberry can help a lot. This handy little fruit (or syrup) provides a decent amount of dietary fiber, which is going to help tremendously with your digestive problems. This includes helping to relieve your gas, get your bowels moving in the morning, getting rid of chronic constipation and diarrhea, and improving your digestive and gastrointestinal system as a whole.
Don’t forget that when you get more fiber into your diet, it doesn’t just help with your digestive system, but it can also help with general gut health.
Elderberry Benefit #7
Promotes Healthy Skin
Who doesn’t want to have healthier skin? Elderberry works similar to many other fruits and herbs. It can really improve your skin rejuvenation and give you a more youthful, glowing complexion. Some people will use the actual berries from the elderberry plant, while others use tinctures or various masks made from the berries, flowers, and leaves of the elder plant.
Elder (especially the flower) will help your skin in the following ways:
- Make it softer and more supple
- Give you a naturally glowing complexion
- Help with acne and blemishes when combined with other acne-fighting ingredients
You can try making your own mask or scrub with elderberry.
Elderberry Benefit #8
Get Help with Your Allergies
Elderberry is great at helping with various types of allergies, including fighting off the allergens and helping out with your allergy symptoms. Elderberry plants are often used for medicinal and herbal remedies, and helping with allergies is definitely no exception.
The way elderberry helps with allergies has to do with how your body reacts to inflammation. Allergens tend to increase inflammation in your body, thanks to a reaction in your immune system. This inflammation can lead to allergy symptoms like swelling, redness, itching, coughing, and congestion. The elder plant and elderberries not only boost your immune system, but it can help to reduce the inflammation as well.
There are some different ways to use elderberry for allergies, from creating a topical product with elderberry and other herbs, to taking a supplement of elderberry.
Elderberry Benefit #9
Improves Bone Health
The last health benefit you should know about with elderberry is that it can improve your bone health. This is thanks to various natural properties of this plant, including anti-inflammatory properties and the antioxidants. As you know from the previous section about allergies, elderberries are great at reducing inflammation in the body. This not only helps with allergy symptoms, but can help with your joints and bones as well.
It is particularly useful for people who have osteoporosis at an older age, as that often accompanies arthritis.
Now that you know the top health benefits of elderberry, you can get started using it. Remember that there are a variety of ways to use or consume elderberries. From making a tincture, elixir or topical application to help with your skin and various bacterial infections, to consuming it for flavor and getting all the added antioxidants.
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