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While not as popular as strawberries or blueberries, elderberries are just as tasty and nutritious.
In fact, drinking elderberry juice can help boost your immune and digestive systems.
Elderberries come from the elder plant (Sambucus nigra) that is native to North America and Europe.
An elderberry tree can grow up to 20 feet and it is related to the honeysuckle. The plant often grows in a shrub-like cluster of stems, but some varieties are smaller and single-stemmed.
The plant bears fruit that is reddish-brown to purple and shiny black in color, which is why it is sometimes called black elderberry.
Elderberries are widely used for medicinal and culinary purposes. The berries are even used as ingredients in various skin creams and other cosmetics.
Fresh elderberry juice contains antioxidants and the following vitamins and minerals:
Incorporate nutritious elderberry juice into a balanced diet to reap the following health benefits:
It can prevent the common cold and the flu
Drinking elderberry juice can help prevent ailments and respiratory conditions like chest congestion, common colds, cough, flu and a sore throat.
As a natural antiviral, elderberry juice can help cure common colds, the flu and fevers.
It can boost your immune health
Elderberry juice is naturally rich in vitamin C, making it the perfect home remedy for some bacterial diseases. The juice can help boost your immune system, which is key to preventing and curing various infections and diseases.
It can improve your digestive health
Drinking elderberry juice can help help your digestive system healthy. The beverage improves digestion by promoting the secretion of digestive juices.
The juice also helps prevent conditions like constipation.
It can help fight cancer
Studies suggest that elderberry juice also has anticancer properties and prevents free radical damage linked to cancer.
It’s a natural anti-inflammatory
You can relieve arthritis and joint pain by drinking elderberry juice.
It promotes skin health
Elderberry juice is good for your digestion, immunity and skin health. Consuming elderberry juice help promote skin health by reduces signs of aging like dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles.
According to experts, elderberry juice boosts skin health thanks to its high antioxidant content.
While elderberry juice is considered generally safe to consume, not everyone should drink the beverage.
If you are foraging for berries, don’t harvest elderberry fruits that are not completely ripened. Immature fruits are poisonous and can cause nausea.
When foraging for elderberries, learn how to distinguish the fruits from other plants. The elderberry may look similar to other berry-producing trees but red berries of similar species are very toxic. Only use dark purple or blue to blackberries that are safe to eat.
Homemade elderberry syrup can be taken as a sore throat remedy or drizzled on ice cream or pancakes.
You can drink elderberry juice as is or combine it with apple, blackberry, or rhubarb juice to make a refreshing beverage.
Take one teaspoon of homemade elderberry syrup once or twice a day to boost your immune health. If used to treat illness strikes, a study suggests taking at least three teaspoons about four times per day.
Elderberry syrup
Ingredients for 4 small 8-ounce bottles:
Preparation:
Elderberry syrup can be refrigerated for several months. You can also store the syrup in a cool, dark pantry since the raw honey acts as a natural preservative.
Elderberry juice
This recipe for elderberry juice is easy to make and pairs elderberries with juicy apples.
Note that the concentrated juice can be mixed with cold water in the ratio 1/3 and a couple of ice cubes. If you prefer a warm drink, add some rum to keep the cold away.
Ingredients for 2 liters:
Preparation:
Make elderberry syrup or consume homemade elderberry juice to boost your immune health and prevent colds and the flu.
Sources:
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