It helps melt fat.
Could elderberry juice be a simpler, more natural way to manage weight and blood sugar levels compared to medications like Ozempic or Wegovy? A recent small-scale study suggests that it might offer some promising benefits.
Participants who drank 12 ounces of elderberry juice daily for a week showed significant improvements in key health markers. Specifically, they experienced a 24% reduction in blood sugar levels and a 9% drop in insulin, according to research published in the journal Nutrients. Additionally, the juice seemed to promote healthier fat metabolism and beneficial changes in gut bacteria.
“Elderberry is an underutilized fruit both nutritionally and commercially,” said Patrick Solverson, senior researcher and assistant professor of nutrition and exercise physiology at Washington State University. “We are only beginning to understand its potential for improving human health, and these results are quite promising.”
Native to Europe, elderberries are small, dark purple fruits known for their medicinal properties. They have long been used to boost the immune system, but this study highlights their potential metabolic benefits as well.
For the trial, 18 overweight adults were randomly assigned to consume either elderberry juice or a placebo with a similar appearance and flavor. Those who consumed the juice showed a noticeable increase in beneficial gut bacteria and a decrease in harmful strains. A healthier gut microbiome supports better nutrient absorption and plays a role in regulating blood sugar.
Moreover, participants drinking elderberry juice demonstrated improved fat oxidation, meaning their bodies burned fat more efficiently after eating high-carbohydrate meals and during physical activity. This effect is attributed to elderberries’ high anthocyanin content—plant pigments responsible for their deep purple color.
Anthocyanins are well-known for their health-promoting properties, including reducing inflammation, improving blood sugar regulation, and combating harmful bacteria. According to Solverson, “Food is medicine, and science is finally catching up with traditional wisdom. Our findings add to the growing evidence that elderberry offers numerous metabolic and prebiotic benefits.”
While other berries contain anthocyanins, elderberries stand out for their concentration. For comparison, six ounces of elderberry juice provide the same anthocyanin content as four cups of blackberries, Solverson noted.
Despite the encouraging findings, researchers caution that longer-term studies are necessary to determine whether elderberry juice can lead to sustained weight loss or additional benefits like reduced cholesterol. Future research will also explore whether elderberry juice might help people maintain weight loss after discontinuing medications like Ozempic or Zepbound.
The potential health benefits of elderberry juice continue to intrigue scientists, with hopes that this ancient folk remedy could become a valuable tool in modern health management.
Discussion about this post