Elderberry: an age-old household remedy

The elder is a shrub that is found throughout Europe. In springtime, its umbelliferous (umbrella-shaped) white flowers can be seen in countless hedgerows, parks and gardens. In the autumn, the shrub bears a mass of red-purple berries, which contain high concentrations of anti-oxidants. Biotona Elderberry Juice is made from organically cultivated elderberries.

DIY elderberry syrup

Recipes for elderberry syrup have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. In fact, it is very simple to make:

• All you need to do is pick some flowers from the branches and leave them to stand in a large glass pot with some water and some lemons on a sunny window ledge.
• After a few weeks, strain the fluid through a sieve and boil it down with sugar and citric acid.
• The result is a delicious syrup that you can use to make refreshing summer lemonades or as a dressing for desserts!

Throat pastilles

Did you know that elderberries have been used since time immemorial in popular medicine as a remedy for coughs and sore throats? The berries were also popular with chemists in days gone by, as witnessed by the countless remedies that have been handed down for preparations with Sambucus (nigra), which is the Latin name for the elder. Sambucus berries were widely used in throat pastilles and cough syrups and were in great demand during the winter season for the treatment of colds and influenza. Even today elderberry is still seen as an effective natural way to combat the most common winter ailments.

Elderberries: protein messengers

Biotona Elderberry Juice is a (five-times) concentrated juice of pure, fresh berries, which are packed full with anthocyanins and large quantities of anti-oxidants (especially vitamin C).

Anthocyanins stimulate the production of cytokines. These are proteins that play the role of 'messengers' in the immune system. Other proteins in elderberries ensure that the growth of the viruses that cause colds and flu are inhibited. It is the anthocyanins that also give the berries their distinctive red-purple colour.

Biotona Elderberry Juice is ideal for use in smoothies and both warm and cold drinks.

Recipes with elderberries

Below you can find two inspirational recipes with elderberry juice: a heart-warming, aromatic drink with apples and ginger and a delicious berry jam with chia. Good health!

Elderberry apple ginger warming drink

Mixed berry chia jam with elderberry