What is elderberry?
If you’re living in the 21st Century like the rest of us, chances are you’ve at least heard of the elderberry craze - and for good reason! These small blue or purple colored berries from an elder tree are packed with antioxidants and vitamins that may play a role in boosting your immune system.
Although elderberries may look similar to a blueberry, they cannot typically be eaten raw. Usually, they are consumed in the form of elderberry syrup, juice, lozenges or chews. They are very tart if not cooked and are known to cause gastrointestinal problems when eaten raw, so it is not recommended.
However, the flowers and leaves of an elder tree can be eaten fresh or cooked and are known to have some traditional uses of their own in folk medicine, such as pain relief, swelling and inflammation to name a few.
What are the potential benefits of consuming elderberry?
As far back as 400 BC, Hippocrates, AKA the “Father of Medicine”, was known to utilize elderberries in his practice and often referred to the elder tree as his “medicine chest”. Today, elderberries are a common ingredient in alternative medicine touting the fruit as a versatile healing and preventative agent.
Most of the potential benefits of consuming elderberries are not relied on by medical testing and advice, but instead through old wives’ tales and word of mouth with uses dating back to early Native American tribes and the ancient Egyptians.
Reminder: Elderberry consumption is NOT an invitation to skip out on your annual flu shot!
While most of the benefits of elderberries are typically relied on by personal testimonials, experts agree that consuming elderberries as part of a nutritionally balanced diet can be beneficial for your overall health.
What are the nutritional benefits of elderberry?
Elderberries are low in calories and high in nutrients, so they are sometimes grouped into the “superfood” category. While we don’t like to give that much power to a tiny fruit, there is no denying that elderberries contain some really great nutritional components.
Elderberries have roughly 50mg of Vitamin C per cup and about 10g of dietary fiber. The berries, whether fresh or juiced, contain Phenolic Acids, Flavonols, and Anthocyanins that are all known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties!
How should you consume elderberries?
The way you chose to add elderberry into your diet or daily routine can vary based on your budget, lifestyle and access to certain products.
Some of the most popular ways of ingesting elderberries are to cook them into a pie or infuse them into syrup, juice, chews, lozenges, and extracts. Depending on which method you chose, it can be an additional expense to your current wellness routine and also be hard to find a good quality brand.
Life’s Gum® BerryDefense® contains Elderberry Juice Powder as part of a special BerryDefense® blend that helps support your vision, cardiovascular system and overall wellness. We’ve packed this into the liquid center of every piece of Life’s Gum® in addition to Vitamins B6, C and D3, probiotics, zinc, hemp seed oil and Black Currant and Aronia Berry Extracts (the remaining parts of the BerryDefense® blend)!
Because Life’s Gum® BerryDefense® contains the active ingredients, like elderberry, in the liquid center, they are released starting on the first few chews which allows for a faster, more effective delivery than other methods!
Additionally, Life’s Gum® BerryDefense® has multiple health boosting ingredients within one piece of gum, which saves your time and your money from buying multiple different vitamins and supplements!
