Elderberry juice for weight loss: How this ancient superfood can speed up fat burn

Elderberry, a lesser-known fruit, has been long considered the perfect superfood for fighting seasonal infections like cold, flu, and boosting immunity. A latest study delves into benefits of drinking

elderberry juice

daily which can lead to positive chances in your gut bacteria and improved metabolism, aiding in

weight loss

.
Drinking about 12 ounces of elderberry juice daily for a week can alter the community of microbes living in the gut and improve the body’s glucose tolerance and

fat oxidation

, according to research published in the journal Nutrients.
Elderberry is the dark purple berry of the European or black elder tree, which grows in Europe, North America, Western Asia, and North Africa. Since ancient times, it has been used for cold, flu, and other conditions. Some studies have supported elderberry’s benefits for colds, flu, and other upper respiratory infections. However so far there has been little research on other uses of this lesser-known berry.

How to eat elderberry

Elderberries aren’t consumed raw usually as they may have toxins or poisonous cyanide-producing substances that can cause nausea, vomiting, and severe diarrhea. Cooking them removes the toxins and unlocks their nutrients.
In case you are not clear about how to consume them, there are elderberry capsules, lozenges, and syrups available commercially for treating a cold or the flu.
Elderberry syrup can be prepared by removing the stalks, cooking the berries in water and sugar, straining them and boiling the liquid to reduce it until it takes on a syrup-like consistency. This can be drizzled over plain yogurt or smoothie.
“Elderberry is an underappreciated berry, commercially and nutritionally. We’re now starting to recognize its value for human health, and the results are very exciting,” study co-author Patrick Solverson said.

Elderberry nutrition

Elderberry is a storehouse of

antioxidants

with abundant vitamin C, dietary fibre, phenolic acid, flavonols and anthocyanins. One cup (145 grams) of fresh berries contains around 106 calories, 26.7 grams of carbs, and less than 1 gram each of fat and protein.

What the study found out

The small randomized trial was conducted on 18 overweight adults who were divided into two groups. One was given elderberry juice and the others a similar-tasting and coloured placebo.
It was found out that people who consumed elderberry juice reported increased amount of gut microbes including bacteria groups such as firmicutes and actinobacteria. The juice also reduced amounts of harmful bacteria such as bacteroidetes, as per researchers.

Improved metabolism

Scientists also found out that due to these positive microbial changes, the improved metabolism was also observed. A healthy gut microbiome can help optimize

nutrient absorption

.

Better sugar control

The trial also discovered that elderberry juice reduced people’s blood glucose levels by about 24 per cent which means its consumption improved the body’s ability to process sugars after carbohydrate consumption. Participants who consumed the juice showed a 9 per cent decrease in insulin levels.

Fat loss

Researchers also found out that elderberry juice helps in fat oxidation, or the breakdown of fatty acids, after a high carbohydrate meal and during exercise among the group who drank the juice. This may have happened due to the presence of anthocyanins, the plant-based bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and antimicrobial effects, say scientists.
While other berries also contain anthocyanins, their concentrations are generally lower. For example, to match the anthocyanin content found in six ounces of elderberry juice, one must consume four cups of blackberries daily.
“Our findings confirm the bioactivity of EBJ-sourced anthocyanins on outcomes related to

gut health

and obesity. Follow-up investigation is needed to confirm our findings and to test for longer durations,” scientists wrote.