 Medical science has only recently discovered a possible basis for the elderberry’s health-giving reputation. Studies have shown that elderberries are rich in the phytochemicals known as flavonoids and, among all foods tested, are the most concentrated source of anthocyanins, a class of flavonoids that are thought to act as powerful antioxidants within the body, stimulating the immune system to help protect the body’s cells from harm.
These anthocyanins are found in the purple pigment of black elderberries, and according to Dr. Gerhard Rechkemmer, president of Germany’s Federal Research Institute for Nutrition and Food, they have significantly greater antioxidant capacity than common antioxidants such as Vitamin C. In fact, Dr. Rechkemmer’s research has indicated that the anthocyanins in black elderberry actually boost the production of cytokines, the chemical messengers within our immune system that help to activate immune response. Similar results in recent clinical studies confirm this finding, suggesting that black elderberry can trigger a near 45-fold increase in cytokine production.
Now Sambucol® concentrates these immune supporting properties of the black elderberry into a flavonoid-rich extract, making the time-tested benefits of this ancient health aid safe and convenient for families today.
You can learn more about the black elderberry at the websites listed here. |
Researchers have uncovered evidence that black elderberry may have been cultivated by prehistoric man, and there are recipes for elderberry-based preparations in the records of Ancient Egypt. Historians, however, generally trace the tradition of the elderberry’s healing power back to Hippocrates, the ancient Greek known as the “father of medicine,” who described this plant as his “medicine chest” for the wide variety of ailments it seemed to cure.