Health Benefits of Elderberry

What are the health benefits of elderberry? What are elderberry side effects?

Elderberry wine has been a favorite of homemade wine makers for years. And the flowers, berries, leaves, bark, and roots have been used as medicinal aids and as a remedy for various ailments for centuries.

To begin with black elderberries are loaded with a variety of good nutrients. Elderberries contain fiber, vitamin A, most of the B vitamins and Vitamin C. There are potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and sodium. And there are flavonoids, tannins, carotenoids, and amino acids.

There are many health benefits of elderberry. They have the antioxidant properties and help fight free radicals. This berry can help lower cholesterol, good for your respiratory system, improve your vision, boost your immune system and strengthen your heart. Other elderberry benefits include the ability to soothe coughs and help aid in the recovery of flu.

There are many different ways to get the elderberry beneftis. Elderberries are added to pancakes and muffins or consumed as jam or jelly. Elderberry tea and syrup may help soothe sore throats, ease respiratory distresses and helps provide a quicker recovery from colds and the flu. Drinking elderberry juice or taking elderberry extract is the best way to get the benefits of elderberry.

For external use, elderberry extracts from the twigs, leaves and flowers may help or prevent infections, inflammations and swellings. You can make a skin wash of it to help heal your skin and cleanse your complexion.

While elderberries are good for you they should be treated with a certain amount of caution. While black elderberries have many health benefits, the leaves, roots, seeds and branches contain some amount of toxins. Eating unripe elderberries aren't advisable because of the toxic content.

So far, there are no known side effects to eating ripe elderberries, drinking the elderberry juice or taking the elderberry extract. But it may have some side effects for some people. If you notice that you get stomach upset, diarrhea or any other discomforts, don't take it or talk to your doctor for advice.

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