A growing body of evidence suggests that European elderberries have the natural ability to influence blood sugar levels, something that may help countless diabetics better manage their disease.
Elderberry, a species of plant with fruits and flowers are used for medicinal purposes, although the leaves and stems are toxic. Elderflowers are white in color and the berries are black when ripe. The fruit has a sweet and tart flavor. Elderberry tea is made from both dried elderberry fruit and its flowers.
In searching for new and innovative ways to combat type 2 diabetes, scientists have been investigating folk medicine to combat the disease. Prior to the discovery of insulin in one hundred years ago, diabetes was approached with a combination of diet and natural remedies that included an infusion made from elderberry flowers and fruit.
A 1989 study noted that European elderberry could improve the body’s ability to process glucose. Another study in 2000 compared that infusion with an injection of insulin and noted how elderberry had similar results to insulin. A 2010 study determined that European elderberry flower not only increased the output of insulin, it also improved the body’s sensitivity to insulin.
Elderberries are loaded with flavonoids that help to reduce swelling, fight inflammation, and boost the immune system. A research published in the Journal of Nutrition reports that elderberry has insulin-like properties that improve glucose transport and oxidation, as well as glycogenesis.
Elderberry’s immense potential to help manage diabetes prompted the World Health Organization to call for more research to be done. European elderberry in particular, which already has a traditional track record in the treatment of diabetes, may hold the key to a brighter future for diabetics. Now that it can be processed into standardized preparations, it may soon be a welcome tool to reach for on the pharmacy shelf, a safe, potent, and natural asset in our fight against type 2 diabetes.
However, it is important for a patient taking diabetes medication to consult a doctor before drinking this tea for diabetes, as it may cause a too rapid reduction in blood sugar levels.
