Black Elderberry
(Sambucus Nigra) Elderberry is a shrub or small tree that bares these little black berries and delicate white dainty flowers called elderflowers. The elderberries should only be eaten after being properly brewed, and the elderflowers should be infused into a syrup. Since 1644, and possibly long before that, the elderberry and elderflower were recognized for it’s medicinal properties. Europeans and Native Americans used this berry and flower to resolve many ailments. They would create tinctures, syrups, and tea for administration.
The Elderberry is high in Vitamin A, B6, C, iron, and potassium as well as phytonutrients and bioflavonoids. It stimulates the immune system by inhibiting the virus invading the body. It has a high antioxidant count, lowers cholesterol, improves vision, aids in heart health and great for coughs, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections sinus issues, nerve pain, inflammation, chronic fatigue, allergies, and constipation.
The Elderflowers have antiviral action and the extracts of the fruits have been shown to inhibit 10 strains of influenza virus types A and B, and HIV and herpes simplex virus. Both leaves and flowers have been shown to have anti-inflammatory action, while the berries are rich on anthocyanidins, they have a strong free-radical scavenging activity – thus are antioxidant.
Sources:
Fisher, C. 2009. Materia Medica of Western Herbs. Vitex Medica, New Zealand.
FAQ:
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I TAKE ELDERBERRY AND HOW MUCH IS ONE DOSE?
OG always recommends for you to talk with your doctor and do your own research when it comes to using elderberry. Some of our customers take it preventatively year-round, others take it only when they are sick, just like medicine. An adult dose is approximately one tablespoon and a child dose is approximately one teaspoon. You can take elderberry once a day or up to three times daily if actively fighting a cold or flu.
WHAT MAKES OG ELDERBERRY PRODUCTS DIFFERENT FROM THE STORE BOUGHT?
Two things distinguish us from store-bought elderberry syrup: ingredients and cost. As opposed to glucose syrup and other additives, we use local raw honey in our syrup which has natural enzymes proven to improve seasonal allergies upon consistent use. Also, we don't add preservatives to our syrup, and our syrup is roughly 1/2 of the cost of store-bought elderberry syrup.
HOW DO I STORE MY ELDERBERRY SYRUP AND HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?
OG elderberry syrup will last approximately 4-6 weeks in the refrigerator (maybe a bit longer). You can also freeze our elderberry syrup in ice cube trays for up to 6-8 months and thaw out smaller amounts as necessary. This is a great option for those families who do not intend to use elderberry syrup preventatively on a daily basis.
HOW MUCH ELDERBERRY SYRUP DOES MY FAMILY NEED?
We get this question a lot. Here is a quick reference to how much elderberry syrup we suggest based on your family size.
Our 8 oz jar would give one adult 15-20 doses. This is a good place to get your feet wet with elderberry.
One Adult - 16oz
Two Adults - 32oz
One Child - 16oz
One Adult, One Child - 32oz
Two Adults, One Child - 32oz and 16oz
Two Adults, Two Children - 32oz and 16oz
The suggested quantities are based on each family member taking their suggested dosage of elderberry syrup once daily and to allow the family to use up that quantity in the 30-60 day shelf life of our syrup. Our 16oz jar holds approx. 30-60 adult dosages or 90-180 child dosages. We sell our syrup in 16oz and 32oz jars. An adult dose is 1 Tablespoon. A child serving is 1 teaspoon. We always recommend checking with your physician before beginning any health regime. A lot of our customers use our elderberry syrup daily year round, some use it daily during cold/flu season and some use it only when they are showing symptoms of a cold or flu. We recommend to our customers to do your research, ask your doctor and use our syrup how it best fits you and your family's needs.
