<p><strong>The Elderberry: A Tasty, Edible, Medicinal</strong><br />
Berries of all kinds are commonly referred to when experts are discussing power foods.<br />
Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries, are all nutrient dense items that provide a delicious way to nourish your body.<br />
Elderberries aren’t commonly mentioned on power food lists, but they should be.<br />
These tiny little nutrition balls are so full of vitamins and minerals, they rival nearly every fruit you can think of nutrition.<br />
Huge levels of vitamin C and A, calcium, and substantial amount of potassium, iron, calcium, and phosphorus, are all present in elderberries.<br />
If you’re looking for foods that offer a lot of nutrition in a little package, consider adding elderberries to your diet.<br />
In addition to their huge nutritional value, elderberries have a number of medicinal uses as well.<br />
Elderberries contain a number of medicinal components that are shown to help alleviate a long list of ailments.<br />
Elderberries are known by both farmers, and physicians to have antiviral properties that can help relieve symptoms, and speed up recovery for many health problems.<br />
From the flu, to herpes, elderberries have shown a positive healing effect on many problems.<br />
Whether you’re trying to get your vitamins and minerals, or find treatments for what ails you, elderberries are where it’s at.<br />
<strong>Nutrition in Elderberries</strong><br />
Want to get all of your days worth of vitamins and minerals in one sitting? Make a kale, spinach and elderberry salad.<br />
While kale and spinach are well known for being nutrition superstars, elderberries are less commonly known for their nutritional properties. Let me enlighten you.<br />
One cup of raw elderberries provides the following percentage of your daily values of each given vitamin: Vitamin A 17%, Vitamin C 87%, Thiamin 7%, Riboflavin 5%, Niacin 4%, Vitamin B6 17%.<br />
That’s quite a variety of vitamins, but that’s not even the most awesome thing elderberries offer.<br />
The minerals present in elderberries are somewhat hard to find in plant foods, making the elderberry even more nutritionally valuable.<br />
As for minerals, one cup of raw elderberries provides the following percentage of your daily values: Calcium 6%, Iron 13%, Phosphorus 6%, Potassium 12%, Zinc 1%, Copper 4%.<br />
That’s a high concentration of vitamins and minerals in one cup of fruit.<br />
<strong>The Medicinal Properties of Elderberries</strong><br />
As for medicinal properties, elderberries also possess some astonishingly potent benefits.<br />
In a study titled “Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections,” scientists explained their findings.<br />
“Symptoms were relieved on average 4 days earlier and use of rescue medication was significantly less in those receiving elderberry extract compared with placebo.” The study reads.<br />
“Elderberry extract seems to offer an efficient, safe and cost-effective treatment for influenza.”<br />
Though more research is needed to conclusively prove these benefits, it’s certainly a compelling piece of evidence that seems to verify what has been common folk knowledge in many communities for over a century.<br />
In another report from Purdue University titled “Elderberry as a Medicinal Plant” researchers break down the components in elderberry making it so useful as medicine.<br />
The study suggests that the healing properties are a result of elderberry’s high concentration of vitamins and minerals.<br />
Additionally, the study suggests that polyphenols known as flavonoids, which work as antioxidants, help rid the body of free radicals, and thus toxins.<br />
Whatever the case, it does appear that there’s a great deal of medicinal promise in these tasty little treasures.<br />
<strong>Why You Need Elderberries</strong><br />
We’ve all heard nutrition gurus plug goji and acai berries for their incredible nutritional properties.<br />
These berries are both definitely very good for you, as are the more traditional berries. What elderberries offer that sets them apart, is an incredibly accessible, option.<br />
They grow wild in many states, and are an inexpensive fruit, that can complete people’s diet, and alleviate their health issues.<br />
If these benefits are something you’re after, don’t hesitate to pick up some elderberries and incorporate them in your diet.</p>
<h5>Citations:</h5>
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<li>Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections</li>
<li>Nutrition of one cup of raw elderberries.</li>
</ul>
<h5>Featured images:</h5>
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<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul> License: Creative Commons</ul>
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<p>image source<br />
Emily Manke is a health, nutrition, travel, and entertainment blogger from Portland, Oregon.<br />
She contribute to a number of blogs, including the blog for this dentist in West Linn, Oregon.</p>

The Ever Useful Elderberry
