When a monster cold hit me last week, I tried everything: extra fluids, Vitamin C, Echinacea and zinc; daytime TV and chicken soup. Nothing helped.
I called my healthcare provider, and she had two words for me:
“Elderberry elixir.”
Photo courtesy of Irish Gardeners
As a dietitian, I work within the traditional western-medical community, but I am also a firm believer in holistic medicine, alternative and complementary practices. Unfortunately, aggressive marketing, infomercials and endless pop-ups take their toll. I’m skeptical of almost every new diet book, miracle cure or superfood I hear about. But this cold was bad enough—and my work-week demands steep enough—that I was willing to give it a try. First, some research.
I was surprised to find several peer-reviewed journal articles (see below) supporting the evidence that elderberry elixir has anti-viral properties and can shorten the duration of cold and influenza symptoms by as much as four days. Four days!
I tried it. It tasted good. It worked.
How?
In short, the research found that elderberry disrupts a virus’s ability to enter a host cell; viruses are parasites, they can’t survive on their own. Some of its strength may be attributable to the high concentration of anthocyanins in elderberries. Anthocyanins are the natural chemicals responsible for dark purple and red color in grapes, strawberries, pomegranates and the like.
Anthocyanins are also potent antioxidants that fall in the larger group of beneficial chemicals known as phytonutrients. It is believed that there may be over 200,000 phytonutrients in common foods.
At this time, only a small percentage of these phytonutrients have been identified and debate continues over exactly how they help human nutrition. In any event, it’s one more argument for eating as many fruits and veggies as you can get your hands on.
–Kathy Egan, RD
Note:
For a peer-reviewed article, see Anthony Jacobs in Wellness Foods Europe 2010.
Check out this piece on the American Botanical Council’s site, and peruse its journal, Herbal Gram. (Some articles are available to the public; others require a subscription.)
