Elderberry is a small dark purple berry, already used as a medicinal plant to boost immune function. Lead author Patrick Solverson, professor of nutrition and exercise physiology, adds that “elderberry is an underrated berry, commercially and nutritionally, and yet its effects are exciting.”
The study tested the effects of elderberry on the metabolic health of 18 overweight participants, who consumed either elderberry juice or a placebo of similar color and taste, while following a standard diet. Clinical analyzes carried out after the intervention reveal that:
- participants who consumed elderberry juice had significantly increased amounts of beneficial gut bacteria, including Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, and reduced amounts of harmful bacteria, including Bacteroidetes;
- in addition to these positive changes in the microbiota, the elderberry intervention significantly improved metabolism: reduced blood glucose levels, improved the ability to process sugars after consumption and reduced insulin levels by 9%:
- beyond that, elderberry juice improves the body’s ability to burn fatwhether after the meal or during exercise.
What explanations? Underlying these benefits is most likely the high concentration of elderberry anthocyanins, bioactive, antioxidant compounds of plant origin that have numerous health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and antimicrobial effects. (Other berries contain anthocyanins, but usually in lower concentrations).
