Have you ever heard about the wonders of elderberry tea? This ancient herbal medicine is one of the most commonly used in the world, and it has been used for centuries by early civilization like the native Americans and ancient Egyptians to treat illnesses using the raw berries, bark and leaves. Today, this medicinal plant is used as supplements instead. But there’s also the tea form which is one of the most efficient ways to make use of elderberry. Learn all you need to know about the elderberry tea!
Table of Contents
What is Elderberry Tea?
Elderberry tea is made from a flowering plant called Sambucus tree and belongs to the Adoxaceae family. There are many different varieties of Sambucus trees — including American elder, blue elderberry, red-fruited elder and dwarf elder — but the most common type is the Sambucus nigra and this is more widely known as the European elderberry. The name given is due to the plant being native to Europe even though it’s grown everywhere else in the world, too.
The Sambucus nigra can grow up to nine meters tall and it has flowers and berries blooming. The small white or cream colours flowers are known as the elderflowers while the black or blue small berries are known as elderberries. The wild berries have quite a distinct taste when eaten raw, hence it needs to be cooked before eating.
History of Elderberry Tea
Elderberry tea has been used since ancient times. The use of elderberry can be in various forms, but tea was and still is the most popular way of preparing elderberry. Traditional civilisations like ancient Egyptians and Native Americans have used elderberry tea to maintain and boost health and wellbeing, as well as improve skin complexion. There were even ancient writings from scholars and healers that mention elderberry and its usage.
Benefits of Elderberry Tea
There’s no question that the elderberry tea has amazing benefits as it’s been used for so long. It brings the question of what are these benefits that are so significant that people everywhere are drinking elderberry tea. Here are the top five benefits of elderberry tea, among a list that goes on and on.
1. Helps with cold and flu
People from the olden days and even till now use elderberry tea to help fight the cold and flu. Drinking elderberry tea assists our body to completely eliminate the infection of the cold or at least shorten the infected duration. While the elderberry tea works just as effective on its own to combat cold and flu, it’s recommended to add a pungent herb like ginger or rosemary to double the efficiency. With the cold-fighting qualities of the elderberry herb and the stimulating qualities of the pungent herb, a cup of this tea is definitely going to improve your infection instantly!
2. High in antioxidants
Another amazing thing about the elderberry tea is that it is rich in antioxidants. We all know about the positive effects antioxidants have on our bodies. A diet that includes high levels of antioxidants can greatly reduce the risks of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cancer. The fruits, flowers and leaves of the elderberry plant are potent in those. It is recommended to drink elderberry tea made fresh from the plant instead of the extracted syrup or supplements of elderberry as they have fewer antioxidants and other nutrients in them.
3. Rich in nutrients
On top of the high level of antioxidants, elderberry tea is packed with nutrients. They are extremely high in Vitamin C. Every 100 grams of the elderberry fruit can make up 60% of the daily intake that’s recommended for use for a sufficient, healthy amount. They’re also loaded with dietary fiber, phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins and so much more.
4. Improve heart health
Elderberry is great for improving heart health. It has positive effects on the blood vessels as well as reducing the level of fat in the blood. On top of that, elderberry tea can also improve the levels of uric acid in the blood, which is linked to risks of blood pressure if the levels are high. They can also improve blood sugar levels by increasing secretion. For those with high levels of sugar, the elderberry can help with that by lowering blood sugar levels and maintaining it at an acceptable level. Elderberry tea can also lower cholesterol levels due to the content of flavonoids and anthocyanins, which indirectly improves the heart health overall.
Side Effects of Elderberry Tea
While there are numerous benefits of elderberry tea, there are also some side effects that can potentially happen if not taken the right way or the right amount. Generally, elderberry tea is extremely safe, but do take note of some precautions.
Elderberry tea is completely safe when taking in small doses. Doctors and experts have mentioned that it shouldn’t be a problem to consume it, as long as it’s within an appropriate amount.
While there are some people who consume berries or flowers of elderberry raw, it is extremely recommended to cook them first. Toxic substances in the berry and flower are removed during cooking. Unripe or uncooked berries or flowers can cause diarrhea, vomiting and nausea. However, this doesn’t happen to everyone. But it’s best to be safe than sorry with these things.
It is not recommended for children, adolescents below the age of 18, pregnant women or nursing mothers to be taking elderberry tea. Even though there aren’t any cases of negative effects just yet for these groups of people, there isn’t enough evidence to show that it is fully safe for them.
The flower and berries of the elderberry plant are safe, however, stay away from consuming the other parts like twigs, leaves, roots, seeds and branches. They contain a type of cyanide known as glycoside, and it’s toxic for our body.
Elderberry tea is diuretic, so consult your doctor first if you’re taking other medications as well.
If you’re having reactions like rashes or difficulty breathing, it might be because you’re allergic to the elderberry plant. In this case, you should stop taking it.
Recommended Elderberry Tea Brands
All this talk about elderberry tea brings questions on where to get them. The best way to get your own cup of elderberry tea is to get dried elderberries and make them fresh on your own. However, there are so many tea brands that have mastered the elderberry tea product for ease of their using customers. Here are some brands to keep in mind as best and recommended elderberry tea brands.
1. Buddha Teas
Buddha Teas is no stranger to the tea industry. They’re one of the leading tea companies in the whole world! Buddha Teas brand is known to be all-natural and 100% organic, and not using any kinds of artificial flavourings and chemicals. They are also one of the best tea brands that have amazing elderberry tea products. Even though they sell elderberry tea bags, it’s extremely convenient for tea drinkers to quickly whip up a cup of elderberry tea when they crave one!
2. The Republic of Tea
Another famous tea brand is none other than The Republic of Tea. They are 100% organic, non-GMO certified and take very conscious notes of all of their products’ content. Their elderberry tea products have ones that are pure elderberry, but they also have blends including one with red rooibos for double the effectiveness. If you’re looking for a brand with a wide variety of elderberry tea, this one’s just for you!
3. Traditional Medicinals
Traditional Medicinals stick true to their brand name. They excel at herbal medicines from the traditional olden days. They are proud of their organic-certified character point, with certified non-GMO for all of their tea products. Highly reputable and extremely popular, Traditional Medicinals are also the top few brands for elderberry tea. Each tea bag is ethically sealed and the herbs used to make the tea bags are from ethical trading partners. So rest assured of the quality and process of this tea brand is nothing short of efficient and world-conscious.
Make Your Own Elderberry Tea
The elderberry tea is a magnificent brew that it’ll be good to know the ways to make it for yourself at home. There are various recipes out there for various uses, but the recipe that we will include here is the basic one where you can twerk to your tailored needs if needed.
Material
Dried elderberries, water, ginger slices, raw honey, cinnamon stick, ice (if wanted cold)
Tool
Saucepan, spoon, strainer, teapot, teacups
Steps
- Combine water, dried elderberries, cinnamon stick and ginger slices in a small saucepan.
- When the water is boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Strain out the elderberries, cinnamon stick and ginger.
- Remove ginger slices and cinnamon sticks.
- Get the juice out of the elderberries by pressing it with the back of a spoon.
- When the tea has cooled down a bit, pour it into the teapot and add honey.
- Taste and add necessary honey if needed.
- Add ice to the teapot for iced elderberry tea.
- Keep leftover tea in a mason jar. Elderberry tea can be stored in the fridge for up to five days.
Conclusion
The use of elderberry tea has been going on for centuries due to its numerous benefits, proving its effectiveness. While there are some downsides to it, they’re easily avoidable and preventative when following the measures correctly. At the end of the day, the plus sides of elderberry tea far defeat the minus sides, hence why they’re still famously consumed to this very day!
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