7 Health Benefits of Elderberry Tea & 4 Tips

Diana Barkley (Senior Editor)

Elderberry tea is made by boiling the dried berries of the Sambucus tree until they form a soothing, flavorful tea. In this article, we’ll explore the many reasons why elderberry tea is good for your health, how to make the most of your dried berries, and even how you can grow elderberries at home for better health.

For thousands of years, elderberries have been used for their health benefits. Even the father of medicine, Hippocrates, once referred to the elder tree as his ‘medicine chest.’

Elderberry tea is one popular remedy from this ‘chest’ and is still enjoyed today for its many potential benefits and delicious flavor.

What Elderberry Tea Is: Interesting Facts

What Elderberry Tea Is: Interesting Facts

Elderberry tea is both full of flavor and great for your health and wellbeing. But there is more to this fantastic tea than initially meets the eye. Here are some fun facts about elderberries:

Elderberry has, apparently, remained unchanged since people first began enjoying it thousands of years ago.

While other fruits and vegetables have mutated over time (look at watermelons and carrots), elderberries have staunchly stayed the same.

Unripe raw elderberries are poisonous. They produce cyanide when consumed, which is of course quite a potent poison that could lead to anything from stomach upsets to coma.

You need to boil your fresh elderberries for at least 30 minutes to neutralize cyanide-inducing components. Bear this in mind if you decide to grow your own elderberries in your garden.

In fact, the seeds, stems, and leaves all also contain toxic substances that can cause nausea and other adverse effects.

Essentially, you’ll either want to use commercially prepared elderberry products and tea from a reputable source or cook your own berries really very well before consuming your tea.

Elderberry Tea Historically

Elderberry Tea Historically

Historically, elderberries were used to help heal burns and treat infections. The ancient Egyptians also used elderberries to improve their complexions.

Interestingly, the use of elderberries in traditional medicine spread far and wide, and Native Americans enjoyed them, too.

In European folklore, the elder tree was considered magical and protective. It was believed to ward off evil spirits and was often planted near homes for protection.

Why not plant your own elder tree near your home, and enjoy a little bit of myth and magic (as well as some excellent cups of tea.)

Origin and Where Elderberry Tea Comes From

Origin and Where Elderberry Tea Comes From

Elderberry tea has a very lengthy history, and has been used since ancient times. It was used by the Native Americans and ancient Egyptians, as mentioned above, to treat a variety of ailments.

It’s a largely unchanged plant since these times, which is interesting in itself. Many plants have evolved over time to adapt to their changing environments.

As far as we could find, Elder trees appear to have been fairly perfect from an early time.

What Elderberry Tea Is Made Of

What Elderberry Tea Is Made Of

Elderberry tea is simply made from fully ripened elderberries, which have been dried and then boiled in water. The tea is then strained, as most other teas, and served right away. The tea looks dark red in color, a little like other berry teas or hibiscus tea.

What Elderberry Tea Tastes Like

Elderberry tea tastes of berries. It’s both sweet and slightly tart, offering a lovely balance that’s quite moreish. Elderberry tea has earthy notes, which are great if you’re after a more neutral-tasting beverage.

If you prefer a sweeter tea, honey goes well with elderberry and of course adds health benefits of its own.

Nutritional Facts and Calories of Elderberry Tea

Nutritional Facts and Calories of Elderberry Tea

Elderberry tea is said to contain a range of vitamins, minerals, and healthy flavonoids. These include vitamins A, vitamin C, potassium, folate, calcium, iron, rutin and quercetin (the latter are both flavonoids).

Elderberries also contain polyphenols which are known to be effective antioxidants that can prevent cell damage and boost your immune system.

Elderberries have been consumed for their health benefits for thousands of years. It’s no surprise, then, that people still love these precious berries today.

We love elderberries brewed into a flavorful tea. Hot or iced, here are some of the health benefits you may expect from adding elderberry tea to your diet.

Supports Your Immune System

Elderberries are known for being filled with polyphenols, well-known for being a kind of antioxidant. Antioxidants are good for preventing damage to your cells and reducing the risk of certain illnesses, including heart disease and even some cancers.

Lowers Inflammation in Your Body

Lowers Inflammation in Your Body

Elderberry tea is filled with anti-inflammatory compounds that have long been used to promote healing and reduce inflammation. Early native Americans already used elderberry tea to reduce fevers and treat inflammation.

May Help with Respiratory Health

May Help with Respiratory Health

Elderberries are said to help reduce the ill effects of upper respiratory infections and even flu. They can reduce the severity and duration of respiratory symptoms.

Brewing up your favorite elderberry tea (or our elderberry and echinacea suggestion below) is therefore a great boost when you’re feeling particularly unwell.

Could be Helpful as a Mild Laxative

Did you know that elderberry tea may work as a natural laxative? If you’re feeling constipated, elderberry tea may help. Elderberries are well-known for promoting bowel movements and easing discomfort caused by constipation.

Supports Cardiovascular Health

Supports Cardiovascular Health

A study on elderberry juice discovered that it may help in the reduction of bad cholesterol levels as well as triglycerides (fat found in your blood).

Elderberry tea may have the same or similar effects, promoting heart health and reducing your risks of developing heart disease.

Beneficial for Your Skin Health

Once again, the polyphenols and antioxidants found in elderberries are known for promoting healthier skin. They’re even said to potentially reverse some of the harm caused by UV rays.

Apparently, some people also use elderberry oil to treat itchiness, dandruff, and scalp issues. So as far as your beauty regimen is concerned, elderberry tea is pretty great.

Filled with Antiviral and Antibacterial Properties

Filled with Antiviral and Antibacterial Properties

Elderberries have been discovered to effectively fight bacteria growth as well as supporting the immune system when combatting nasty viruses.

An animal study also found that polyphenols in elderberries increased white blood cells, therefore boosting the body’s immune defenses.

Potential Risks

Potential Risks

As with any healthy food or drink, elderberry tea also has some risks associated with its consumption. Here we list some of the key reasons why you may wish to proceed with caution when trying elderberry tea. When in doubt, always speak to your healthcare provider first.

Raw Elderberries are Toxic

Raw Elderberries are Toxic

Elderflowers are fine for consumption both raw and cooked. Elderberries, however, are a different matter. The berries, seeds, leaves, and even the bark of Elder trees are toxic.

Whether you eat or drink raw elderberries or other toxic parts of elder trees, it can cause serious discomfort, including diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea.

This is one of the reasons people generally prefer to buy dried elderberries to make as tea, rather than making it from fresh fruit.

If you use caution, however, you can make your tea from your own elderberries, so long as you cook them really well.

You Could be Allergic to Elderberries

You Could be Allergic to Elderberries

Some people may be allergic to elderberries.

Symptoms include the usual allergic reactions, including swelling of the face, tongue, throat, or lips, difficulty breathing, and hives.

If you suspect you may be allergic to elderberries, stop consuming them and teas made from them immediately. If your symptoms worsen, seek medical help.

Elderberry May Interact with Some Medications

Elderberries may interact with certain medications. For instance, it possibly reduces levels of theophylline, which is a key component of some asthma and respiratory medications.

Elderberry tea may also interact with immune system suppressing drugs, as it’s known to stimulate your immune system, therefore rendering these less effective.

Is Elderberry Tea in Pregnancy Good For You?

Is Elderberry Tea in Pregnancy Good For You?

Apparently, nobody quite knows whether elderberry tea is safe to drink during pregnancy. Even elderberries on their own haven’t really been tested on pregnant women, so it’s generally recommended that they should steer clear.

If you’d really like to try elderberry tea in pregnancy, we recommend you speak to your physician or midwife first, to see whether they deem it appropriate in your situation.

If in doubt, just skip the elderberry tea and enjoy something that’s definitely pregnancy safe instead, for example rooibos tea or peppermint tea.

Elderberry tea as well as other concoctions made from elderberries have also not been proven to be either safe or unsafe for women who are breastfeeding. For this reason, it’s generally not recommended for breastfeeding women either.

How to Make Elderberry Tea: A Simple Recipe

How to Make Elderberry Tea: A Simple Recipe

Elderberry tea really couldn’t be simpler to make. All you need is dried elderberries and some water.

The trick here lies in what else you might wish to add to your elderberry tea. For a warming, fragrant tea that’s also good for you, try adding a cinnamon stick.

What you need:

• 2 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons of dried elderberries
• 1 cinnamon stick

Here’s how you do it:

1. Combine all of your ingredients in a saucepan and gently heat until your tea is just beginning to simmer. Turn down the heat and continue to simmer for around 15-20 minutes. You’ll notice the berries releasing more and more of their color, as the tea gradually darkens.
2. Once your tea looks intense enough for your liking, turn off the heat and let your elderberry tea stand for around 5 more minutes.
3. Strain your elderberry tea into your favorite tea cup or glass and enjoy. Alternatively, allow it to cool to room temperature before serving over ice.

Tips for Drinking and Serving Elderberry Tea

Tips for Drinking and Serving Elderberry Tea

As you’ll know by now, elderberry tea is delicious on its own and simply served on its own or boiled with a bit of cinnamon. With that said, here are a few more hacks to get the most out of your elderberry tea. So you can enjoy it for good health and the many benefits it offers.

Combine Elderberry with Echinacea for an Effective Cold and Flu Tea

Combine Elderberry with Echinacea for an Effective Cold and Flu Tea

Both elderberry and echinacea are said to be good remedies for cold and flu.

Echinacea is said to help boost immunity, reduce inflammation in your body, relieve symptoms of pain, and have both antioxidant and antiviral effects.

Therefore it makes good sense to combine the two for a cold and flu tea that’s delicious, hydrating, and effective and combatting at least some of the uncomfortable symptoms.

Make a Refreshing Elderberry Iced Tea

Make a Refreshing Elderberry Iced Tea

You could just chill your freshly made elderberry tea and then add ice.

Or, you could take it up a notch by preparing your elderberry tea with the addition of fresh ginger, cinnamon, and some honey.

Chill to room temperature before pouring over ice and adding a slice of fresh orange. This refreshing drink won’t just taste scrumptious, it’ll also help boost your immunity and make you feel better if you’re a little under the weather.

Grow and Dry Your Own Elderberries in Your Garden

Arguably the most popular elderberry plant to have in your own garden is Sambucus Nigra, which produces deep red/purple to black berries.

You’re always encouraged to wait until all of the berries have turned dark in color before harvesting them. Once this has happened, bring the berries to a boil as in our recipe above, but simmer for around 30 minutes.

Enjoy Some Fresh Elderberry Tea Lemonade

Enjoy Some Fresh Elderberry Tea Lemonade

Another fantastic way to enjoy elderberry tea is to mix it with some lemon juice and honey. Once you’ve prepared your tea in the usual fashion (omitting the cinnamon stick on this one), allow it to chill to room temperature.

Next, add some freshly squeezed lemon juice, a big dollop of honey, and ice. Stir and serve immediately. For an extra touch of refreshing zingyness, add a fresh peppermint sprig and lemon slices to each glass.

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