A little-known fruit called elderberry has long been regarded as the ideal superfood for enhancing immunity and fending off seasonal illnesses like the flu and the common cold. According to a recent study, drinking elderberry juice on a daily basis can help you lose weight by improving your metabolism and creating favourable opportunities for your gut flora.
According to study published in the journal Nutrients, consuming approximately 12 ounces of elderberry juice every day for a week can change the gut microbial population and enhance the body’s ability to metabolise fat and tolerate glucose.
How to Eat Elderberry
Since elderberries may contain poisons or dangerous compounds that produce cyanide, which can cause nausea, vomiting, and severe diarrhoea, they are typically not eaten uncooked. By cooking them, their nutrients are released and the poisons are eliminated.
To make elderberry syrup, cut off the stems, simmer the berries in water and sugar, filter them, and then boil the liquid to reduce it until it becomes syrupy. You may drizzle this over a smoothie or plain yoghurt.
“Elderberry is an underappreciated berry, commercially and nutritionally. We’re now starting to recognize its value for human health, and the results are very exciting,” study co-author Patrick Solverson explained.
Elderberry Nutrition
Elderberries are rich in phenolic acid, flavonols, anthocyanins, dietary fibre, vitamin C, and other antioxidants. About 106 calories, 26.7 grammes of carbohydrates, and less than 1 gramme of fat and protein are included in one cup (145 grammes) of fresh berries.
What the Study Found Out
Eighteen overweight adults were split into two groups for the tiny randomised trial. Elderberry juice was given to one, while a placebo with a similar flavour and colour was given to the others.
Researchers revealed that those who drank elderberry juice had higher levels of gut microorganisms, including actinobacteria and firmicutes.
Improved Metabolism
Researchers also discovered that an enhanced metabolism was noted as a result of these beneficial microbial alterations. Optimising nutrient absorption can be facilitated by a healthy gut microbiome.
Better Sugar Control
Additionally, the experiment found that drinking elderberry juice improved the body’s ability to absorb sugars after consuming carbohydrates by lowering blood glucose levels by almost 24%. Participants’ insulin levels decreased by 9% after consuming the juice.
Fat Loss
Additionally, researchers discovered that among the group who drank the juice, lipid oxidation—the breakdown of fatty acids—occurs after exercise and after a high-carb meal. According to scientists, this might have occurred because of the presence of anthocyanins, which are bioactive molecules derived from plants that have anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and antibacterial properties.
Although anthocyanins are present in other berries as well, their quantities are often smaller. For instance, four cups of blackberries must be consumed each day in order to equal the anthocyanin content of six ounces of elderberry juice.
