Elderberries are the best things to have around during cold and flu season. Taking a teaspoon a day can ward off illness, and a tablespoon a day can help your body bounce back from illness quicker.

A clinical trial published in 2004 showed 1 TBSP of elderberry extract given to flu patients four times daily “recovered in an average of 3.1 days compared to 7.1 days for those given a placebo.”

Beyond boosting your immune system, elderberries are anti-inflammatory and have anti-cancer compounds.

For those of you following ORAC ratings (ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) elderberries top the list with a rating of 147 (blueberries are only a 62!).

Elderberries contain antioxidants, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, copper, B vitamins and more. Continue reading →