Elderberries

« WellTellMe • Forum • Natural Health • Nutrition & Food • Fruits & Vegetables • Elderberries »

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #30 on: December 28, 2007, 09:39:36 PM » by healthybratt

I just read that suggested dose of elderberry extract is 1 T 4 times a day for an adult. The Elderberry syrup is also 1 T. Okay, so is the honey that much more helpful or are we getting enough of the extract in our syrup "mix"?

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #31 on: December 28, 2007, 11:10:53 PM » by HeyMom

Quote from: healthybratt on December 28, 2007, 09:39:36 PM

was this in a book or on a website?
I would think that the honey is just that much more helpful

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #32 on: December 28, 2007, 11:11:47 PM » by healthybratt

Quote from: HeyMom on December 28, 2007, 11:10:53 PM

Quote from: healthybratt on December 28, 2007, 09:39:36 PM

was this in a book or on a website?
I would think that the honey is just that much more helpful

On the bottles.

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #33 on: January 01, 2008, 01:36:06 PM » by moepigtails

I was wondering the same thing. I just got some yesterday and my hubby and I are being the guinee pigs in our house. I had to put it in the fridge b/c the taste is really not the best imo., it is very thick. I hope the fridge is an ok place for it, anyone know? So far I havent really noticed much of a change in my cold, but have only had 5 doses of it. Anyone else had any experience with this?

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #34 on: January 17, 2008, 02:05:44 PM » by abbilynn

I just read that elderberries raw are poisonous. Is this true?

"Both flowers and berries can be made into elderberry wine, and in Hungary an elderberry brandy is produced (requiring 50 kg of fruit to produce 1 litre of brandy). The alcoholic drink sambuca is made by infusing elderberries[citation needed] and anise into alcohol. The berries are best not eaten raw as they are mildly poisonous, causing vomiting, particularly if eaten unripe. The mild cyanide toxicity is destroyed by cooking. The berries can also be made into jam, pies or Pontack sauce. All green parts of the plant are poisonous, containing cyanogenic glycosides (Vedel & Lange 1960)." - from Wikipedia

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #35 on: January 17, 2008, 02:34:42 PM » by steadygirl

Quote from: abbilynn on January 17, 2008, 02:05:44 PM

This is what I found on it from here: http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/elderber.asp
"The cooked ripe berries of the edible elders are harmless, but raw elderberries can cause nausea if eaten in excessive quantity. Unripe berries and all parts of the elder plant itself are mildly toxic. The ripe berries are rather distasteful eaten raw, although I've heard you can develop a taste for them. Wine made from the uncooked berries is neither toxic nor distasteful. Indeed, it is delicious. Still, some people prefer to cook the berries before making wine. This renders the juice quite delicious as is, but it cerainly improves when made into wine. I do not believe there is any difference in taste between the wines made from uncooked and cooked berries, but the cooked berry wine seems more colorfast than the uncooked berry wine."

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #36 on: January 17, 2008, 04:19:26 PM » by abbilynn

Thank you steadygirl. Grin

I think I will cook them (if and when I find them!). haha Cheesy

abbilynn

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #37 on: July 02, 2008, 04:32:36 PM » by sweetestday

I just found out that there are three types of elderberries... European, common, and red. I have the red ones abundantly in my yard, and have picked a bunch to make a glycerin tincture with. Does anyone know if the red elderberries have the same medicinal qualities as the common elderberry?
Also... I'll be doing a search on the web... but has anyone successfully made a glycerin tincture with elderberries, and how did you do it?
Thanks!

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #38 on: July 02, 2008, 04:59:26 PM » by sweetestday

Quote from: herbfever on July 02, 2008, 04:57:21 PM

Quote from: sweetestday on July 02, 2008, 04:32:36 PM

I don't recommend using the red one. They have the highest toxicity of all the elders. Black or Blue Elderberry is what is used medicinally.

Hope that helps.

Thanks. I just discovered that on my own searches. After I spent all that time picking and destemming!

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #39 on: July 06, 2008, 05:20:56 PM » by kamom

I heard that if you stick them in the freezer and destem them the next day, they come of much easier. Haven't tried it, but I plan to.

My question is, does making elderberrie tea with the blossoms (drying them for winter)have the same effect as cooking and using the berries to make syrup?

I really want to know. It seems like it would be easier dring the blossoms and making tea, then trying to make syrup and have it last for long term use.

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #40 on: July 06, 2008, 08:01:24 PM » by kamom

Bumping this up...would someone with a good herb book look for an answer for me Undecided

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #41 on: July 06, 2008, 08:18:24 PM » by BJ_BOBBI_JO

I have no experience with elderberries.

Do they grow on a vine, bush or tree?

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #42 on: July 06, 2008, 08:23:36 PM » by kamom

They are tiny,white bunches of flowers on bushes or small purple berries.
They are used for fighting flus and colds.
My question is do the blossoms work as well as the berries?

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #43 on: July 06, 2008, 08:36:29 PM » by Kitty

Real quick, if I understand your question...

Practical Herbalism has a section on elderberries...it say that all parts have long enjoyed a high reputation in domestic medicine. At present, though, only the berries and flowers are widely used (the others parts being too drastic in their action).

They list a tincture and tea made from the flowers...they were used in bronchial and pulmonary affections, and in scarlet fever, measles, and other eruptive diseases...there's another big ol' list I don't have time to list right now...Sounds like they are effective for many things--on par w/ the berries. Calls them a "time-tested" safe remedy. "Measures and doses are not critical." Can be used liberally.

HTH.

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #44 on: July 06, 2008, 08:44:29 PM » by kamom

Thanks! That does help. Maybe I'll do both, dry some flowers for tea and then make some syrup too, with the berries.
When it says 'all parts' do you think I could dry the leaves and use them too? Undecided

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #45 on: July 07, 2008, 03:32:06 AM » by Kitty

Still referring to PH...

The flowers apparently retain the greatest flavor. Huh

The leaves are included in a list of parts being generally considered as too drastic in their action.

They say the leaves are "still occasionally used in the preparation of an ointment as a domestic remedy for bruises, sprains, chilblains (?), for use as an emollient, and for applying to all kinds of tumors, swellings and wounds." p. 155. A recipe is included.

Quote

The flowers are collected by cutting the entire cluster when fully opened in the spring/summer. If the clusters are piled on a canvas in the open sun for 2-3 hours, the flowers can easily be shaken from the stems. They must then be dried as rapidly as possible, using gentle heat. Gentle handling and quickness in drying is essential to avoid discoloration and spoilage.

Actions of the
Leaves: emollient, vulnery (topical), purgative (strong), expectorant, diuretic, diaphoretic

Flowers: diaphoretic, anti-catarrhal, anti-spasmodic, febrifuge, aperient, anti-inflammatory [p. 156]

I wish I could find some! Grin

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #46 on: July 08, 2008, 02:48:30 PM » by healthybratt

Apparently elderberries are a very strong natural fiber type laxative. I tried using them as a replacement for blueberries in a muffin recipe. I wouldn't recommend the muffins - they tasted gritty and sandy Tongue

but if you needed some help with digestion, you might grind some into a powder and add them to whatever concoction/food you needed some additional fiber help. Grin

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #47 on: August 20, 2008, 12:56:44 PM » by BJ_BOBBI_JO

Hurry fast need info.

Huh

SEEDS. Tell me about elderberry seeds. Does each berry contain 1 seed or many?

What color are the seeds?

What color are the tiny stems the berries are on?

What type of bark does the elderberry shrub/tree have? Bumpy? smooth? What?

Thank you for any replys.

- From BJ the impatient wild berry and weed eater. LOL.

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #48 on: August 20, 2008, 01:30:35 PM » by lewisquiverfull

Quote from: BJ_BOBBI_JO on August 20, 2008, 12:56:44 PM

Hurry fast need info.

Huh

- From BJ the impatient wild berry and weed eater. LOL.

Elderberries will have one very small seed in the berry, the seed is about the same size of a blackberry seed. You can't usually see the seed until you cook the berry down and strain the juice from the berry.
The seeds are an off whiteish color (mine usually stain some when I cook the berries down).
When the elderberries are ripe the stems will be the same dark purple color of the berries.
Smooth bark on the shrub.
The berries will be in a cluster, the berries are very small, about the size of bb pellet.
Any more questions? Huh

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #49 on: August 20, 2008, 01:44:40 PM » by healthybratt

The seeds are also inedible (in my opinion). They are like chewing on gravel. They also seem to have a strong laxative effect. Shocked

We attempted making elderberry bran muffins. Not so great but the bran mixed with the elderberry seeds made quite an impression. Roll Eyes

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #50 on: August 20, 2008, 08:52:43 PM » by sweetestday

There's also the rather toxic red elderberry that has red berries in a cone shaped mass. This time of year I would think you'd be seeing the common elderberry, though.

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #51 on: August 21, 2008, 06:59:41 AM » by lewisquiverfull

Quote from: sweetestday on August 20, 2008, 08:52:43 PM

There's also the rather toxic red elderberry that has red berries in a cone shaped mass. This time of year I would think you'd be seeing the common elderberry, though.

Is that elderberry or poke berry???
We've always called them pokeberries

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #52 on: August 21, 2008, 11:04:52 AM » by sweetestday

Quote from: lewisquiverfull on August 21, 2008, 06:59:41 AM

Quote from: sweetestday on August 20, 2008, 08:52:43 PM

There's also the rather toxic red elderberry that has red berries in a cone shaped mass. This time of year I would think you'd be seeing the common elderberry, though.

Is that elderberry or poke berry???
We've always called them pokeberries

I'm not familiar with pokeberries, but maybe it is another name for the red elderberries? I just know I spent a long time harvesting the red elderberries for tinctures, and then discovered that they were the wrong type of elderberry. The red elderberry goes to seed in june/July, and the common elderberry goes to seed in August.

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #53 on: August 21, 2008, 11:33:27 AM » by BJ_BOBBI_JO

I dont know if elderberries and pokeberries are related or not but I would think they are not because the poke plant is not a tree or shrub.

Pokeberry is a plant. And the berries should not be eaten but from my research of it the poke plant is good for helping those with cancer if it is properly used.

We have poke plants and their berries look so good to eat. They have tiny seeds in them and darkly stain your fingers if you mash them.

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #54 on: October 12, 2008, 09:20:24 PM » by naturalgirl

We were invited to pick a whole bunch of elderberries this last month. We did so, and have juiced some of them through my mom's champion juicer. I had to use some apples with it...the seeds gathered in the grooves of the blades and made it hard going for just elderberries. I've been looking into alternitive measures for the rest of them, and wondered if any of you know if heating the berries lessens the medicinal usage. Any leads or thoughts?

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #55 on: October 12, 2008, 10:38:24 PM » by Beth

do you have dried elderberries? I have made tea out of it and it kept us from getting the flu last winter. And those who did got over it faster by drinking the tea. I also made a glycerin tincture out of it that seemed to work as well. This was also with dried elderberries. I remember reading about the Israeli govt doing testing on elderberry tincture and why it worked against the flu virus. I think that would mean it was heated (to make the tincture).

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #56 on: October 13, 2008, 07:37:03 AM » by mhoward1999

Quote from: Beth on October 12, 2008, 10:38:24 PM

... tincture and why it worked against the flu virus. I think that would mean it was heated (to make the tincture).

I think the definition of a tincture would be a product made by soaking the dried herb (or whatever) in alcohol. I looked it up to be sure, and that is what I found, just by searching "defintion tincture." I dried a bunch of elderberries and then packed them into pint jars with Everclear. I plan to use them like you could cough syrup during cold season, only when I know I have been exposed or when experiencing symptoms. I wish I coud make some with glycerine(so I could take it and go to work, LOL!), but I don't know where to acquire it locally, and haven't been able to order online.

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #57 on: October 13, 2008, 08:15:03 AM » by havasmama_05

More Than Alive and Mountain Rose Herbs carry glycerin.

I don't know if this is OK to post, since you do have to buy the video, but Rebekah demonstrates making a great tonic with elderberry and bilberry in her Practical Herbs video that you can buy thru the WTM store. She even says how much to use if you're using the fresh fruit and not dried. You do cook it for about 12 hrs, so, no, heat isn't going to hurt it.

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #58 on: October 13, 2008, 10:28:53 AM » by hi_itsgwen

http://www.soaperschoice.com/cgi-soaperschoice/Web_store/web_store.cgi?query_price_low_range=0&cart_id=

Soapers Choice also has the USP grade glycerine at a great price.
I've also read an article on bulkherbstore where they suggest doing a half and half tincture/glycerite mix (prepared separately, and then mixed together). This cuts the alcohol and makes it taste better for kids.

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Re: Elderberries
« Reply #59 on: October 13, 2008, 10:45:51 AM » by mhoward1999

Quote from: hi_itsgwen on October 13, 2008, 10:28:53 AM

Does USP mean it's food grade? That's a good idea. I wonder how you would figure out the alcohol content. The only store bought cough syrups I know of that have alcohol are NyQuil and Vicks Formula 44. Does anyone know? I wouldn't want to take my homemade "medicine" and then drive unless I knew my stuff had the same or lower alcohol that storebought stuff.

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