3. High in Antioxidants
During normal metabolism, reactive molecules may be released that can accumulate in the body. This can cause oxidative stress and lead to the development of diseases like type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Antioxidants are natural components of foods, including some vitamins, phenolic acids, and flavonoids, that are able to remove these reactive molecules. Research suggests that diets high in antioxidants may help prevent chronic disease.
The flowers, fruits, and leaves of the Elderberry plant are excellent sources of antioxidants. For example, anthocyanins found in the berries have 3.5 times the antioxidant power of vitamin E.
One study comparing 15 different varieties of berries and another study comparing types of wine found that Elderberry is one of the most effective antioxidants.
Additionally, one study found that antioxidant status improved in people one hour after drinking Elderberry juice. While Elderberry has shown promising results in the lab, research in humans and animals is still limited. Generally, consuming it in the diet has only a small effect on antioxidant status.