Elderberry
Article by Stefan Burns - Updated September 2022. Join the Wild Free Organic email newsletter!
Elderberry clusters I harvested while living in Sofia, Bulgaria
| Name: | Elderberry, Linnaean - Sambucus nigra |
| Color: | Green to purple leaves, white, yellow, and pink flowers, black berries |
| Constituents: | Glucosides (anthocyanins), terpenes, alkaloids, tannins |
| Effect: | Potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, improves digestion, improves nutrient partitioning |
| Preparation: | All parts of the elder contain poisonous cyanogenic glycosides which require heat treatment to become of use. Dried berries can be brewed into a tea, or the berries can be prepared into a syrup or jam. Can be powdered as well. |
| Dosing: | 1-5 grams brewed into a tea. 500 mg of powder for general health purposes, 1+ grams for help with an infection, and 3 grams spread out (1 gram morning, afternoon, night) for nutrient partitioning benefits. |
| General Notes: | It's the anthocyanins that are responsible for most of the health benefits from elderberry. Anthocyanins are phytopigments also found in other berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries) and other foods like the skin of black beans. Anthocyanins are really potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatories which elderberry an excellent digestive aid and supportive of arterial health and the circulatory system in general. Some promising evidence exists that anthocyanins help partition nutrients towards muscles instead of body fat. Elderberry is most often used to aid in the treatment of infections (cold, flu, etc). |
What is Elderberry?
Elderberry is a genus of flowering plants known as Sambucus consisting of many different species and subspecies. Elderberry plants can be found as small shrubs and bushes and if they continue to grow they can become quite large trees. Elderberry plants have a “corky” type of bark that is mottled tan to brown in color, their leaves grow in a pinnate arrangement in clusters of 5-9 leaflets, and at the end of their branches are where you’ll first observe elderflowers and then once ripened, elderberries (1). For this article, when the words “elderberry” or “elderberries” is used, I’m referring to the actual berries, and if I’m referring to the plant I’ll refer to it by it’s genus Sambucus.
Elderberries contain a wealth of unique plant phytochemicals which have various beneficial biologic interactions within the human digestive system and body (2). Elderberries contain many different polyphenols like flavonoids, as well as unique plant pigments known as anthocyanins. In particular, the predominant anthocyanin found in elderberries is cyanidin 3-glucoside, which gives elderberries their dark purple color. Anthocyanins are potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory plant phytochemicals which are good for health and wellness because of their beneficial interactions throughout the body.
All parts of the Sambucus plant do contain cyanogenic glycosides which produce poisonous hydrogen cyanide when hydrolyzed enzymatically, but if elderberry is prepared properly then cyanide toxicity is not a concern, more on that in the Safety and Toxicity and How to Make Elderberry Juice sections below.
Types of Elderberry
There are many different species of Sambucus as the genus of plants grows worldwide, the most common are listed below:
Sambucus nigra - The most common species of elderberry found in Europe and North America. Grows mature dark purple fruits
Sambucus cerulea, a subspecies of S. nigra found in western North America
Sambucus canadensis, a subspecies of S. nigra found in eastern North America
Sambucus australis - Found in South America. Grows large dark purple fruits
Sambucus peruviana - Found in Central and South America. Grows dark purple/black fruits
Sambucus javanica - Found in subtropical and tropical Asia. Grows dark red fruits.
Sambucus sieboldiana - Found in Japan and Korea. Grows mature red fruits
Is Elderberry Antiviral?
Before going into the general health and wellness benefits of elderberry and its chemical constituents that are responsible for its beneficial effects, we’ll discuss the antiviral capabilities of elderberry because this is what most people have heard elderberry is good for and want to learn more about.
Viruses are incredibly tiny “semi-life forms” that replicate themselves (and by extension, their DNA), by infecting cells or microorganisms like bacteria. Once a virus can attach to the cell-membrane, it inserts its genetic instructions into the cell, where the cell then begins producing more copies of this code as well as the viral proteins that house it. If the virus’s plan works, then after some time the cell is chock full of new viruses and it explodes, releasing the new viruses throughout the body to repeat the replication process. Two things happen during this viral replication process.
First, infected cells use a bunch of valuable resources like amino acids to create the viruses, which eventually when the infection comes under control by the immune system (hopefully), are then processed as waste by the body. This creates a resource drain on the body commiserate to the degree of infection.
Second, infected cells eventually breakdown and trigger inflammatory pathways in the process. The release of cytokines effectively sends a signal far and wide that there is a “spill in aisle 6” that requires cleanup. The diseased or dead cell is then processed by the immune system, all of this causing a stress to the body. Now multiple this by millions and millions of cells during a viral infection and you can quickly see why viral infections have the potential of causing a huge amount of stress and fatigue to the body.
Elderberry has been shown to help with viral infections in a multitude of ways.
Anti-Influenza Activity of Elderberry
Using elderberry lessens the severity and duration of flu symptoms in several strains of influenza viruses (3). The compounds found in elderberry like anthocyanins and quercetin interfere with viral host cell receptor recognition and receptor binding, effectively suppressing viral entry and viral transmission from cell to cell. Elderberry does this by blocking the functioning of the glycoprotein spikes viruses use to connect to cells.
It’s been observed that using elderberry for its antiviral effects is effective at the onset and throughout the flu. Viral inhibition by elderberry is stronger against the late stage of the influenza cycle than it is at the early stage, so if you get the flu begin using elderberry syrup or elderberry extract as soon as possible and keep using it until the flu passes. Other elderberry products exist too that can be used, go to the end of the article to see all the natural elderberry treatment options at your disposal.
Elderberry Improves Natural Immunity
The innate immune response is the first line of defense against viruses and critically important for overcoming any type of infection. Elderberry also shows antiviral activity by activating the healthy immune system (4). The polyphenols that elderberry contains like quercetin and anthocyanins beneficially modulate the release of cytokines and their receptors. These polyphenols are also strong antioxidants, so they neutralize any inflammatory free-radicals produced during the infection, reducing the cumulative stress the body experiences during the infection. Elderberry also activates macrophages, the white blood cells that engulf and “eat” pathogens and viruses.
The anthocyanins found in high concentrations in elderberries are taken up by endothelial cells (cells that form a barrier between vessels and tissues), protecting them against oxidative stress. Many diseases are characterized by oxidative stress, and this means that in addition to the usefulness of taking elderberry for a cold or using elderberry for a flu, elderberry has the potential to help with many other health conditions like cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Elderberry and Covid
What about using elderberry for SARS-CoV-2, otherwise known as covid? Very little if any research has been done specifically examining the effect elderberry can have for a covid infection, but it’s safe to say that elderberry would be useful because of how to bolsters the natural immune system and through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Elderberry may have a direct neutralizing effect on covid viruses and their spike proteins, like has been demonstrated for flu viruses, but at this point the specific interactions elderberry has with SARS-CoV-2 are unknown.
Benefits of Elderberry
The health benefits any food or herb provide come down to its unique blend of constituents, these being the macronutrient ratios (fat, carb, protein), micronutrients like vitamins and minerals, and in the case of plants, the plant phytochemicals it contains like polyphenols, polysaccharides, terpenes, etc. The environment and how its grown influences the final chemical composition, and everything taken together naturally as it was grown provides the greatest holistic health effect. I mention this because it’s common to point out specific compounds, like quercetin, and attribute all the health benefits of a food to that one flavonoid, but it’s the synergy between many hundreds of chemicals together which cause the overall health effects of a food.
The many beneficial health effects of elderberry cannot be solely attributed to flavonoids or anthocyanins, but to all of its beneficial constituents working together. For this reason the less processed the elderberry product the better, and it’s why I prefer elderberry juice over extract powders or pills. The next section does go more into the specific chemicals found in elderberry, but first we’ll cover the general health and wellness benefits and other uses for elderberry beyond its antiviral uses.
Health Benefits of Elderberry
As with many different herbs, elderberry contains many different antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, and with excess inflammation being a main contributing factor to the development and progression of nearly one hundred chronic diseases, elderberry can help treat those conditions (5, 6). Elderberry in particular is very effective at neutralizing reactive nitrogen species, a type of free radical. We’ll start with elderberries impact on gut health because that’s where it’ll first beneficially interact with the body.
Elderberry is good for gut health because its beneficial phytochemicals like anthocyanins are taken up by epithelial tissues protecting them from oxidative stress. The digestive system is under constant stress (unless fasting) due to the rigors of digestion, and if diet quality is poor then this stress increases further. Conditions like leaky gut are characterized by reduced intestinal mucosa and degraded epithelial cells, and elderberry is very useful for all types of gut health problems. The digestive system is also the part of the body that has the most immune system activity because its the job of the barriers of the digestive to keep pathogens from entering the body, and by improving gut health elderberry improves immunity.
If you are experiencing gut health problems, have a chronic disease, or simply want to learn more about the digestive system and microbiome, then I suggest you purchase the Holistic Gut Health Guide. In this 88 page all-in-one guide I share with you the things I personally learned that work in remedying gut health problems during my 10+ year long journey from constant IBS, leaky gut, and food intolerances to amazing gut health. Backed by the latest science on gut health and the microbiome when available, you’ll have everything you need to transform your gut health with the Holistic Gut Health Guide!
Elderberry helps the cardiovascular system in a few different ways. As touched on earlier, the anthocyanins found in elderberry are rapidly taken up by endothelial tissues of the arteries, blood vessels, and capillaries, and this helps to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Cardiovascular disease is characterized by inflammation that is no longer localized at the digestive system’s gut-blood barrier but is now more widespread throughout the body. This inflammation can be caused by a variety of factors, often many at once, such as pathogenic bacteria or too-large food particles freely circulating through in the bloodstream. The presence of these immune-stimulating factors chronically creates a stressful environment for the healthy functioning of cells, and if left unaddressed everything goes downhill.
An important component of healing from chronic inflammation, in addition to the critical component of treating the root cause of the inflammation, is to consume foods that naturally bring the bodies inflammation and autophagy systems into balance. Elderberry is one of these superfoods because it targets all three aspects that are required to really make a difference: by improving gut health, by boosting the immune system, and by making the tissues of the cardiovascular system more resilient.
Elderberry is good for treating obesity and diabetes because its anthocyanin content improves lipid metabolism, blood glucose parameters, and nutrient partitioning. These beneficial metabolic effects are also part of the reason elderberry is cardioprotective. In particular there is a lot of research that has been done using cyanidin 3-glucoside with mice and rats, showing it reduces the severity of obesity and diabetic conditions that form from eating poor quality diets when supplemented (7). The improved metabolic and nutrient partitioning properties of elderberry thanks to its anthocyanins and flavonoids are not only useful for those who are overweight, obese, pre-diabetic, and diabetic, but also for athletes and anyone who regularly exercises, as it’ll help shuttle more nutrients towards functional lean body mass and away from body fat storage.
Elderberry benefits the brain because many of its beneficial compounds are able to cross the blood-brain barrier (8). In the brain anthocyanins exert their antioxidant effects the same as they do anywhere else in the body, and unfortunately beyond that little is known of the specific ways anthocyanins interact with brain tissue. Like with any food/herbs that contain flavonoids, the flavonoids elderberry contains that make their way to the large intestine interact with the microbiome there, being synthesized by symbiotic bacteria into secondary metabolites that the body absorbs which also cross the blood-brain barrier. In this way flavonoids improve the functioning of the gut-brain axis, improving cognition and energy metabolism in the brain. The brain uses 20% of the bodies daily resting energy, and the more efficient and adaptable your metabolic systems, the more stable energy levels will be in the brain, meaning you’ll be snappier and more focused, free of brain fog.
What Can Elderberry be Used For?
These health benefits of elderberry are wonderful, but not everyone has some sort of chronic disease or health problem, some health issues are more mundane. As it translates to the day-to-day, elderberry can be used to:
Improves daily energy levels, reduces sudden sugar crashes, and lessens brain fog/fatigue
Reduce skin inflammation like rashes, autoimmune skin disorders, and clears acne
Helps ameliorate adrenal fatigue
Reduces the chance of getting sick and reduces the severity and duration of the illness
Improves meal digestion and nutrient absorption
Elderberry Micronutrients
Elderberry contains a variety of micronutrients, the most exciting from a health perspective being its flavonoids and anthocyanins. Both have been mentioned quite a bit up to this point, and now we’ll dig into the science behind these unique phytochemicals more.
Elderberry Vitamins
Vitamins present in elderberry are B vitamins, A vitamins, vitamin E (tocopherols), and vitamin C. The content of vitamin C in fresh elderberry fruits is 6–35 mg/100 g, whereas a lemon contains about 50 mg/100g of fresh juice.
Elderberry Minerals
Elderberry contains the following minerals: Potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, chromium, nickel, and cadmium.
Elderberry Polyphenols
The most important polyphenols in elderberry fruit are generally thought to be the flavonoids and anthocyanins.
Elderberry Flavonoids
The predominant flavonoids found in elderberry are quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin. Elderberry also contains flavonoids called catechins, which are most well-known for occurring in green tea such as green tea catechin EGCG.
Quercetin-type flavonoids are widely distributed in plants and are generally regarding as being some of the most biologically useful. Quercetin is a long lasting anti-inflammatory substance that effects many different cell types throughout the body. Quercetin stabilizes the functions of mast cells (immune cells that release histamine) and has gastrointestinal cytoprotective activity. Quercetin modulates inflammation and immunity, a powerful combination for many who are over-inflamed with overactive immune systems (9).
Elderberry Anthocyanins
The two main anthocyanins elderberry contains are cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-sambubioside. Four metabolites from these two also exist, the metabolites being peonidin-3-glucoside, peonidin-3-sambubioside, peonidin monoglucuronide, and cyanidin-3-glucoside monoglucuronide. Elderberry contains a lot of anthocyanins, reaching levels between 600-1250 mg per 100 g.
Anthocyanins have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune-stimulating, antimicrobial, antiallergic, and antiviral properties. These beneficial properties make anthocyanins promising therapeutic options to help in the treatment of many different chronic degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Because anthocyanins are such potent antioxidants and free radical scavengers, they are also being investigated as chemoprotective agents.
The mechanisms underlying the absorption of anthocyanins is not well known, but the absorption and bioavailability of anthocyanins depends on the type and sub-form. With a large enough dose, such as 720 mg, anthocyanins levels can remain highly elevated in the blood for 4-6 hours, and levels will reach baseline by 24 hours (10).
Elderberry Safety and Toxicity
Is Elderberry Poisonous?
There are safety concerns that you should be aware of with elderberry. Elderberry is an amazing plant with many health and medicinal uses, but only if prepared properly, as elderberry contains plant molecules known as cyanogenic glycosides. When cyanogenic glycosides undergo enzymatic hydrolysis, poisonous hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is released. There are very few reported cases of elderberry consumption causing illness, though there was one incident in 1983 where a group of people at a religious center in California made a raw elderberry juice using the berries, leaves, and stems, and allowed the mixture to soak overnight before consumption. Eleven people got sick and one person who drank five cups of the mixture had to be hospitalized. No one died, and later analysis of their blood showed no elevations in serum cyanide levels (11).
CC4.0 | DOI - 10.3390/molecules26051384
Researchers who examined the American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) for cyanogenic potential found that stems and green berries from the plant had much more cyanogenic potential that other parts of the plant (12). Hydrogen cyanide also boils off slightly above room temperature, so any hydrogen cyanide that is present or forms during the preparation process will off gas during the boiling process, just make sure to keep your workspace well-ventilated. When preparing elderberry for use only ripe berries are to be used, never leaves or stems from the plant, and after the mashed berries are boiled for 15+ minutes, the pulp is strained and the seeds and skins are removed. More of making elderberry juice in the next section.
To answer the question of “is elderberry poisonous?”, if you prepare elderberry properly, or buy a commercial product, the total cyanogenic potential is extremely low and poses no threat to your health.
Elderberry Allergy
Avoid consuming elderberry if you have a known allergy or hypersensitivity to elder or from plants in the Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) family.
How to Make Elderberry Juice
There are many ways to prepare elderberry, from making elderberry juice to elderberry syrup or elderberry extract, and I encourage you to experiment with whatever different preparation methods you desire. Elderberry syrup and extract are good to make because they last for a long time, whereas elderberry juice is best consumed within 1-2 weeks of preparation.
Thus far I have made a lot of elderberry juice, as it was the easiest option available to me as I traveled around Europe for 6+ months. It’s a straightforward process as you can tell with the photo gallery below.
Elderberry Juice Recipe
Once your elderberries are plucked from the shrub/tree, destem the berries by running your fingers through the berry clusters gently. Discard the stems once completed.
With your elderberries now in the container you’ll boil them in, pluck out any stem bits that made it into the pile, as well as any bright red and green berries.
Mash and crush the elderberries into a pulp using either a masher or your good ol’ hands.. Elderberry juice rinses off easily and is only lightly staining, and using your hands makes it easy to feel the berries that are still intact and then crush them. This process will release quite a bit of juice but not enough to comfortably boil the berries.
Add water to the elderberry pulp and juice, increasing the total volume of the pots contents by 2-3x. For the volume of elderberries I processed in the images above I used 2 liters of mineral water.
Bring the elderberry mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to a low rolling boil for 15 minutes. During this time it’s good to stir the mixture occasionally, and foam from the top can be skimmed off at the beginning if desired (eventually it’ll boil off).
Once the boiling is complete separate the juice from the pump with a fine mesh strainer. Press on the pulp with a fork to release more juice, and once the berry pulp is relatively dry it can either be boiled again with the addition of more water or discarded/composed after the first use. All the seeds will be in the pulp, and you can spread the mixture around outside in the hopes of germinating a new elderberry plant (unlikely after the boiling, but hey worth a shot).
Elderberry juice has a very mild taste, it’s not sweet at all in my opinion, and you can sweeten the juice lightly with some honey, a tablespoon or two is all that’s needed. Lemon juice also makes a good addition to elderberry juice and helps it stay fresh longer due to the extra acidity and vitamin C.
Once the juice has cooled, store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 1-2 weeks, though it’ll probably be gone in just a couple days ;)
Other Elderberry Products
When fresh harvestable elderberries aren’t an option, then it’s a good idea to keep some elderberry flu medicine around the house primarily for viral prevention and treatment. Elderberry and zinc lozenges are a good combination medicine for this, as the zinc and elderberry combo coating the back of the throat helps prevent viral replication for an upper respiratory infection. Elderberry syrup is another good option for this, as is elderberry tincture, both products being sold by Mountain Rose Herbs.
Another option I like for cold prevention is elderberry tea. Elderberries can be harvested and dried oneself, or dried elderberries can be purchased from a reputable vendor like Mountain Rose Herbs. Take a spoonful of dried elderberries and steep them with boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Other herbs can be added to elderberry tea like chamomile, echinacea (another good antiviral), dandelion root, or medicinal mushrooms, play herbalist and see what you like!
Elderberry Herbalism
There are hundreds and hundreds of herbs that exist, all containing different chemical constituents and having different health effects. Some of these herbs are well studied, others less so. Elderberry is an excellent herb for a beginning herbalism to experiment with because it is easy to identify after a little study, has potent health and wellness benefits, is one of nature’s best antivirals, and is relatively common worldwide.
Please share your experiences using elderberry or ask any questions you have in the comments below!
References:
Malcom Stuart, et al. The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism. Crescent Books, New York.
Ulbricht C, Basch E, Cheung L, et al. An evidence-based systematic review of elderberry and elderflower (sambucus nigra) by the natural standard research collaboration. Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2014;11(1):80-120.
Torabian G, Valtchev P, Adil Q, Dehghani F. Anti-influenza activity of elderberry (Sambucus nigra). Journal of Functional Foods. 2019;54:353-360.
Schön C, Mödinger Y, Krüger F, Doebis C, Pischel I, Bonnländer B. A new high-quality elderberry plant extract exerts antiviral and immunomodulatory effects in vitro and ex vivo. Food and Agricultural Immunology. 2021;32(1):650-662.
Schmitzer V, Veberic R, Stampar F. European elderberry (Sambucus Nigra L.) and American Elderberry (Sambucus Canadensis L.): Botanical, chemical and health properties of flowers, berries and their products. Berries: Properties, Consumption and Nutrition. 2012:127-148.
Sidor A, Gramza-Michałowska A. Advanced research on the antioxidant and health benefit of elderberry (Sambucus nigra) in food – a review. Journal of Functional Foods. 2015;18:941-958.
Tsuda T, Horio F, Uchida K, Aoki H, Osawa T. Dietary cyanidin 3-o-β-d-glucoside-rich purple corn color prevents obesity and ameliorates hyperglycemia in mice. The Journal of Nutrition. 2003;133(7):2125-2130.
Hribar U, Ulrih NP. The metabolism of anthocyanins. Curr Drug Metab. 2014;15(1):3-13.
Li Y, Yao J, Han C, et al. Quercetin, inflammation and immunity. Nutrients. 2016;8(3):167.
Milbury PE, Cao G, Prior RL, Blumberg J. Bioavailablility of elderberry anthocyanins. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development. 2002;123(8):997-1006.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Poisoning from elderberry juice--California. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1984;33(13):173-174.
Appenteng MK, Krueger R, Johnson MC, et al. Cyanogenic glycoside analysis in american elderberry. Molecules. 2021;26(5):1384.
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More Immune Boosting Herbs
Elderberry is a fruit well-known for its antiviral properties, helping to fight viral infections preventatively, at the early stages, and during the late cycle of infection. Elderberry has many other health benefits too thanks to its flavonoids and anthocyanins, and it's easy to prepare into a juice, syrup, extract, or tea as you'll learn with this article.