This ‘underrated’ berry may help with weight management, new study says: ‘A variety of health benefits’

A new study led by researchers at Washington State University found that elderberry juice could be a “powerful tool” for weight management and improving metabolic health.

The study, published in the journal Nutrients, found that a week of consuming 12 ounces of elderberry juice each day caused positive changes in the gut microbiome, according to a statement from Washington State University.

“Elderberry is an underrated berry, commercially and nutritionally,” said Patrick Solverson, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at WSU’s Elson S. Floyd School of Medicine. Solverson is one of the study’s corresponding authors.

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The study results are “very interesting,” he said, and scientists are “starting to recognize” the value of elderberries for human health.

Elderberries are small, dark, purple berries They grow on elder trees, which are native to Europe. They have long been promoted as a way to improve the immune system, notes the Washington State University statement.

The study results suggest there could be other potential medicinal uses for elderberry, the university said.

“Food is medicine and science is catching up to that conventional wisdom,” Solverson said.

“This study contributes to a growing body of evidence that elderberry, which has been used as a folk remedy for centuries, has numerous metabolic and prebiotic health benefits.”

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The study tested the metabolic health of 18 overweight adults.

During the experiment, participants drank 12 ounces of elderberry juice each day or a placebo dyed to look and taste like elderberries.

“Food is medicine and science is catching up with that popular wisdom.”

Otherwise, their diet did not change, Washington State University said.

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After the experiment, the researchers found that those who had consumed elderberry juice “had significantly higher amounts of beneficial gut bacteria, including Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, and lower amounts of harmful bacteria, such as Bacteroidetes.”

Those who drank elderberry juice had an improved metabolism, according to the release.

“Results showed that elderberry juice reduced participants’ blood glucose levels by an average of 24%, indicating a significantly improved ability to process sugars after carbohydrate consumption,” Washington State University said.

Additionally, those who drank elderberry juice experienced a 9% decrease in their insulin levels.

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Elderberries may also improve a person’s ability to burn fatthe statement said.

“Participants who received elderberry juice showed a significant increase in fat oxidation, or breakdown of fatty acids, after a carbohydrate-rich meal and during exercise,” Washington State University said.

Elderberries are high in anthocyanins, which are “plant-based bioactive compounds that have a variety of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial effects.”

These anthocyanins are theorized as to why elderberries have these effects on people, according to the release.

While other berries and foods contain anthocyanins, elderberries have a particularly high concentration of these compounds.

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“A person would have to consume four cups of blackberries a day to achieve the same dose of anthocyanins contained in six ounces of elderberry juice,” Solverson said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Washington State University for further comment on the study.