| Elderberries are small, dark berries that grow in | | | | blood vessel walls, thus reducing the risk of |
| clusters on elder trees (also called elderberry bushes). | | | | atherosclerosis. |
| The European Elder is found in temperate climates | | | | Elderberries actually enhance night vision because they |
| across Europe and North America. It is a hardy plant | | | | make rhodopsin or visual purple in the eyes. This helps |
| often growing in the moist soil along roadsides and | | | | in seeing in reduced lighting. It also helps in dealing with |
| streams. | | | | stress according to recent studies. |
| Elderberry bushes are fast-growing and have | | | | The white flowers of the elderberry bush may be |
| compound leaves and tightly clustered bunches of tiny | | | | pressed into tonics, lightly battered and fried into fritters, |
| white flowers in late spring, followed by clusters of | | | | or stirred into muffin or sponge cake mix for a light, |
| berries in late summer. The European elderberries are | | | | sweet flavor. Elderberry may be purchased either as |
| black to dark blue, and are most frequently used in | | | | a juice or juice ingredient, and as a dietary supplement. |
| recipes, extracts, and syrups. The American Elder, also | | | | Suggested dosage is 400 mg of a 6 percent |
| popular, is said to be slightly sweeter. It is found most | | | | anthocyanin extract daily. |
| anywhere east of the Rockies. Some species have | | | | The ripe berries, cleaned and cooked, can be made |
| life spans between 80 and 100 years. | | | | into many things: extracts, syrups, pies, jams, or used |
| For centuries, elderberries have been used in folk | | | | as garnish, dye, or flavoring. Some eat them uncooked |
| medicine for a variety of ills, including arthritis, asthma, | | | | but they do contain toxins and it is better to be safe |
| constipation, and as a cure for the common cold. In | | | | by washing and cooking them before eating. Also, |
| 400 B.C., Hippocrates referred to the elderberry as his | | | | elderberries are bitter and need sweetener to be |
| "medicine chest." | | | | palatable. Many like to cook them with other fruit like |
| Elderberries contain potassium and large amounts of | | | | apples or pears to sweeten them. The tiny seeds in |
| vitamin C, and have been proven in quite a few recent | | | | the berry leave a gritty taste, even after cooking, but |
| studies to strengthen the immune system. | | | | the seeds are safe. |
| Elderberries are also a great source of anthocyanins, | | | | The red-berried elder contains toxins and is best |
| containing three times as much as carotenoids. These | | | | avoided. Stick with blue, black, or dark purple |
| are powerful antioxidants that protect cells from | | | | elderberries, and leave the reds alone. And remember, |
| damage caused by environmental toxins, poor diet, and | | | | the leaves, twigs, stems, roots, and unripe berries of all |
| stress. They also reduce the damaging effects of bad | | | | elderberry plants are not edible, and contain toxins that |
| cholesterol and discourage platelets from sticking to | | | | can make a person quite sick. |