Charis Cuisine

Discovering Elderberry
Enjoy! ~ Susan Oshel, CPM

Elderberry is the fruit of the elder tree, and as a supplement it is often used for colds and flu.  Elderberries have been used for their medicinal benefits for thousands of years throughout North America, Europe, Western Asia and North Africa.  In the Middle Ages, it was considered a Holy Tree due to its ability to improve health and longevity.  Elderberries are full of powerful nutrition and have incredible health benefits.

There are many varieties of elderberry, but this one is VERY common over most of the US and Canada.  It is known as American Black Elderberry, or Sambucus Nigra.  Some of the other varieties, like the red elderberry are not as tummy friendly or as effective in regards to antiviral activity, so be sure to positively ID your find before using it.

Elderberries contain natural substances called flavonoids.  They seem to help reduce swelling, fight inflammation, and boost the immune system.  Studies have found that elderberry eases flu symptoms like fever, headache, sore throat, fatigue, cough, and body aches.  The benefits seem to be greatest when started within 24 to 48 hours after the symptoms begin.  One study found that elderberry could cut the duration of flu symptoms by more than 50%.
 

Elderberry Vinegar Recipe

This recipe is so simple!

Toss your fresh or dried berries into a jar of cider vinegar, and shake them up. 

Let the berries sit in the vinegar at room temperature for a few weeks until it turns very dark, shaking daily.

Tuck the jar away in the fridge labeled “Elderberry Vinegar”.
 

Where to purchase American Black Elderberries

Amazon offers organic dried American Black Elderberries
Mountain Rose Herbs supplies organic dried American Black Elderberries
If you want to grow elderberries, many nurseries supply elderberry bushes

There are different ways to extract benefits from herbs:  Water, glycerin, alcohol, and vinegar are common substrates used in extracting herbs, and each one pulls different qualities.

The water or glycerin pull out the gentler, nourishing properties of the herb, like water-soluble vitamins and minerals.  Alcohol extracts the stronger, medicinal properties of the herbs, but I’m not as comfortable using this with children for daily dosing.  But vinegar pulls out a good mix of both medicinal and nutritive properties.  And with vinegar extraction, there is no heat required…the acetic acid acts on the berries (or other herb) over time, so you get best of both worlds.

Elderberry vinegar is also excellent as a salad dressing!

Conclusion

Elderberry is an amazing herb.  The juice of the berries is a very effective treatment and preventative for the common cold, as well as the flu, and the rest of the plant has strong medicinal actions as well, but it’s safest to use these externally.   The rest of the plant: leaves, stems, shoots and root, has historically been used for several common, but difficult to treat skin conditions, such as eczema, cradle cap, and rashes.  Elder is common throughout Europe and North America, and has a long history of use both as medicine and food. 

Be advised: Only the dark black or blue elderberries are edible, eating the berries raw or drinking raw juice may cause nausea or stomach upset (especially if eaten or taken in large quantities). Cooking deactivates these compounds, however, and cooked elderberry juices and dishes have been enjoyed for centuries with no unpleasant side effects.  Ingesting stems, shoots, leaf buds and leaves will also cause nausea in even small doses.  A tea, made from the inner green bark is most noted for it’s ability to produce a laxative effect quickly.  It's advised not to eat the young leaves and shoots. 

Elderberry Tree or Bush

Elderberries grow in temperate to subtropical regions of the world.
It is more widespread in the Northern Hemisphere.

They start producing when the plants are 2 to 3 years old.

See more about growing elderberries in The National Gardening Association

Many thanks to the following resources:

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/supplement-guide-elderberry

http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_sanic4.pdf

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/e/elder-04.html

King’s American Dispensatory, 1898, Harvey Wickes Felter, M.D., and John UriLloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D.

http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/kings/sambucus.html

http://reference.medscape.com/drug/american-black-elder-elderberry-344473#10

http://www.morethanalive.com/Childrens-Composition

http://kaweahoaks.com/html/elderberry_poisoning.html

http://reference.medscape.com/drug/american-black-elder-elderberry-344473#5

http://www.bulkherbstore.com/EW

http://www.zhealthinfo.com/sambucol.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1082892/

http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/Elderberry/elderber.htm

http://www.eattheweeds.com/ufos-2/look-alikes/elderberry-or-water-hemlock/