Elderberry And Your Immune Health

Native Americans also have a tradition of using the Elderberry. The Ethnographic accounts show that the elderberry plant provided medicine for the Native Americans. However, by utilizing the whole plant, they could make blow guns, dyes, food, kindling, musical instruments, and spiles for tapping sugar maples. Also, for some tribes, Elderberry’s lifecycle served as an indicator of seasonal rhythms, guiding the timing of other food harvests. 

Medicinally, the blossoms were used in teas or applied topically. The dark purple to nearly black in color berries, utilized fresh or dried, were cooked down into a rich, sweet sauce to drink—both approaches helped treat fevers and various illnesses. And due to the Elderberry’s remarkable antibacterial and antioxidant properties, healing excelled immensely.

Toxicity

While Elderberries are very beneficial to your immune health, they contain chemicals known as cyanogenic glycosides and alkaloids. Therefore, these chemicals convert to hydrogen cyanide in the gastrointestinal tract.

• The quantity of these glycosides varies according to the type of Elderberry and growing conditions; it should not be eaten raw like most berries.
• When consumed raw can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea.

However, the white flowers, known as Elderflower, can be ingested raw and are often used to flavor waters or tonics.

Natural Health

In the light of recent years, the appreciation for Elderberry continues to gain approval for its lucrative health benefits. Including the ability to strengthen the immune system against flu viruses. Elderberry is also the preferred treatment option during an illness over conventional medicine with harsh side effects and toxins.

Furthermore, Elderberry contains flavonoids making this berry an antioxidant-rich food, giving rise to one of the greatest strengths compared to other berries such as blueberries. In turn, Elderberry procures extraordinary usefulness to one’s health and wellness and may help reduce the possibility of developing cardiovascular disease.

What Makes Elderberry Medicinal?

Elderberry has antiviral properties that may prevent or reduce the severity of certain common infections, like cold and flu. Besides being an excellent source of vitamin C that provides 100g, which carries 60% of the daily recommended intake levels, vitamin A at 20% of RDA per 100g and B complex such as niacin pyridoxine 18% RDI/100g, aiding in the recovery from an array of ailments.

The orac value of 100g of fresh Elderberry is 10775 TE (Trolox equivalents), and its antioxidant value mainly comes from polyphenolic flavonoid compounds. Such as flavonoids isorhamnetin, kaempferol, and quercetin. These compounds assist in scavenging free oxygen radicals from the human body while protecting from cancers, premature aging, degenerative diseases, and infections.

Why are antioxidants important?

Antioxidants can neutralize free radicles, which are waste products of cells that increase oxidative stress. Free radicals can accumulate due to many stressors and insults from environmental causes, pollution, exposure to chemicals, inflammation, and ischemia.

When too many free radicals build up, cells are damaged, and inflammation results, causing heart disease, cancer, immune deficiencies, and many other acute and chronic illnesses.

Antioxidants can come in and “scavenge” or clean up the mess left by cell damage from free radicals. The body makes its antioxidants, but the best source of antioxidants are fruits and vegetables, especially “superfoods” that contain high levels of these compounds. Elderberries would be in this category.

Effective Against Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 (A/H5N1)

Elderberry’s antiviral activity on influenza is thought to be through many mechanisms of action, including suppressing the entry of the virus into the cell, modulating the post-infectious phase, and preventing viral transmission to other cells.

For instance, in the 1980s, Dr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu, a virologist in Israel, studied the European Elderberry (Sambucus Nigra L.) from the black elder tree for its natural healing elements. Hence, centuries of inspiring noted medicinal use. Therefore, Dr. Mumcuoglu developed and patented a natural formula called Sambucol. She articulated that Elderberry had been successful in studies regarding the effectiveness of eradicating influenza. 

Furthermore, Retroscreen Virology, a leading British medical research institute, announced that Elderberry was at least 99% effective against the Avian flu virus, H5N1, in cell cultures. Thus holds promise as an effective antiviral against the many strains of influenza.

Notable Points

• Taking Elderberry at the onset of symptoms significantly reduces the rate at which the virus can spread.
• Three flavonoids are naturally occurring plant antioxidants and a potent antiviral compound Antivirin, isolated from the Black Elderberry. 
• Flavonols and Polyphenols can bind to viruses and prevent infection.
• Elderberry stimulates the immune system by increasing the production of inflammatory cytokines.
• It inhibits the early stages of the flu virus by blocking essential viral proteins responsible for both the viral attachment and entry into the host cell. 
• Dramatically creates a reduction in cold and flu symptoms.
• Compelling evidence supports elderberries’ ability to fight an array of illnesses.

Immune support from one of nature’s most powerful superfruits

When considering Elderberry, buying an organic, high-quality Elderberry product is essential. Or, if you prefer to make your own, see my homemade Organic Elderberry Syrup.

To make your own organic elderberry syrup click for my recipe below.