• Decrease font size
  • Reset font size to default
  • Increase font size

Main Menu

Articles

Newsletter


Receive HTML?

Information

Home Health Nutrition Elderberries Enhance Night Vision and More
Elderberries Enhance Night Vision and More PDF Print E-mail
Written by Susannah Singer   
Elderberry bushes, or elder trees, grow small dark berries called elderberries. The European Elder is a hardy plant found across Europe and North America, growing in moist soil along streams and roadways.
by SusannahSinger


Elderberry bushes, or elder trees, grow small dark berries called elderberries. The European Elder is a hardy plant found across Europe and North America, growing in moist soil along streams and roadways.

A fast growing plant, the elderberry produces tiny white flowers in the spring and clusters of berries in the late summer. The most popular species is the European elderberry which produces a dark blue berry. However, some say the American Elder is slightly sweeter. The latter may be found in abundance east of the Rocky Mountains. Some are known to live 80 to 100 years!

Even the Greek philosophers believed in the medicinal value of elderberry. For example, Hippocrates called it his "medicine chest." It was used for centuries on those suffering from constipation, the common cold, arthritis, and asthma.

Elderberries contain potassium and large amounts of vitamin C, and have been proven in quite a few recent studies to strengthen the immune system.

Elderberries are also a great source of anthocyanins, containing three times as much as carotenoids. These are powerful antioxidants that protect cells from damage caused by environmental toxins, poor diet, and stress. They also reduce the damaging effects of bad cholesterol and discourage platelets from sticking to blood vessel walls, thus reducing the risk of atherosclerosis.

Elderberries not only help in dealing with stress, but they actually improve vision, especially at night. This is because elderberries help the body make rhodopsin, also known as visual purple, a chemical in the rods of the retina designed to see in reduced light.

The white flowers of the elderberry bush may be pressed into tonics, lightly battered and fried into fritters, or stirred into muffin or sponge cake mix for a light, sweet flavor. Elderberry may be purchased either as a juice or juice ingredient, and as a dietary supplement. Suggested dosage is 400 mg of a 6 percent anthocyanin extract daily.

Elderberries are only good cooked. First, they have a bitter flavor alone and are often either sweetened or cooked with pears or apples to naturally sweeten them. Second, the berries contain toxins that are removed when they are cooked. But once cooked, elderberries are used for pies, jams, syrups, extracts, and for garnishing, dying, or flavoring other food.

Discard the roots, stems, twigs, and leaves of the elderberry, as well as any unripe fruit. These are all poisonous. Also avoid red elderberries. Evidence shows these to be high in certain toxins, even when cooked. Stick with the purple, black, and blue berries.

About The Author:

There are a variety of ways you can enjoy the power of the elderberry. The important thing is to make sure the form in which you buy the elderberry will give you all the benefits the elderberry herb has to offer.

Kindly provided by 4Girls.dk You are welcome to use this article on your own website, if you include this link.
 
Members : 2569
Content : 3681
Web Links : 3
Content View Hits : 539792