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I am posting this because I believe it may help those who want to try it- My hubby and I take Sambucol elderberry extract when we feel cold symptoms coming on. Yesterday, my hubby came home early from work because he was having nasty cold symptoms. Long hot shower and sambucol and he is without symptoms this morning. That happened earlier this winter, as well. Took the stuff and his cold was gone in less than two days. I didn't catch cold either time. No, I don't have stock in the company, but I do think it works :)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11399518
which led me to look up elderberries;
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/elderberry
interesting! (you guys do keep me entertained just looking things up)
i've never had an "elderberry" but my neighbor gave me a jar of elderberry jam for christmas; maybe i ought to try that out :)
hmmmmm, good thing i read that 2nd link---i better not run out & pick the fruit & eat it raw huh?
When I was a little tike (5-9) my grandmother often took me berry-picking in the Midwest. I was too young to realize I was being exploited as cheap labor. I loved it. She did a lot of canning, so we were always on the outlook for something all Spring/Summer long.
Elderberries were on the list. Some things I would add is to Maryland article about avoiding dwarf elder (Sambucus ebulus) and unripe or raw berries, but it can be noted that the difference between the two plants is so extreme youd have to be very naive to pick a dwarf berry, and second anyone may be tempted to sample a raw or unripe elderberry so perhaps a warning is in order but let me assure you that unless every taste cell in their mouth is dead and their nose is totally congested they will NEVER do it again. So the plants more or less police themselves. (Smile)
Back in the early fifties berry picking was pretty easy compared to today. Used to be farmers would allow fence rows alone and they were a haven for berries, shoots, dandelions, thistle, and mushrooms. We would go out in the very early spring and look for the various flowers marking the spots to return. They were also a haven for predators which helped keep the birds from getting all the berries. But later various rusts and blights were identified and misidentified with wild plants and berry bushes out came the herbicides - and that was that. I understand that out West; Wyoming, Montana, etc. where it is mostly open and fewer herbicides picking can still be good.
She always made a dozen or so preserves/jams, and the rest mostly Jellies. Jellies are much easier to make and require less attention but contain less of the good stuff compared to a preserve. As a kid I loved the jellies, as an adult I miss the preserves. (LOL)
Jarca, I know what you mean, I stay busy just checking out links folks put out, like yours on the elderberrys. LOL
BJ
glad i could entertain you bj LOL
Another good one Motsy is Umcka.
J