A delicious purple drink may hold the secret to shedding pounds, groundbreaking research suggests. Scientists have found that consuming this particular fruit beverage regularly can stabilise blood sugar and boost fat burning, as well as boost gut health.
Researchers from Washington State University in the US discovered that drinking elderberry juice for one week resulted in significant improvements to how the body processes sugar and burns fat. The study, which was published in Nutrients journal, involved 18 individuals with obesity who each had a week-long phase drinking daily elderberry juice followed by another seven days consuming a placebo beverage.
A three-week “washout” interval was employed between these phases to eliminate lingering influences. During the experimental period, each participant drank 355 grams of the designated liquid split equally between morning and afternoon servings.
Remarkably, just one week of indulging in elderberry resulted in a dramatic 24 percent decrease in blood sugar levels post a carb-rich meal. In addition, test subjects saw an increase in fat oxidation both during rest and physical activity when on the elderberry regimen.
The findings were striking – those on elderberry juice torched 27 percent more fat compared to their placebo counterparts. This heightened fat-burning effect was also present during a half-hour walk at a moderate pace.
Patrick Solverson, an assistant professor at WSU’s Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, remarked: “Elderberry is an underappreciated berry, commercially and nutritionally. We’re now starting to recognize its value for human health, and the results are very exciting.”
Following on from the promising weight loss perks, it turns out downing this juice can also amp up your gut health. By analysing stool samples, scientists found that elderberry juice encouraged the thriving of good bacterial species whilst giving the boot to the less desirable ones.
It increased levels of bacteria known for producing beneficial compounds called short-chain fatty acids that are vital components in metabolism and gut health. Part of what makes elderberries so powerful is their anthocyanin content. These are water-soluble pigments that give fruits and vegetables their red, purple, and blue colour.
Comparatively, elderberries hold a treasure trove of these anthocyanins more so than other berries like blackberries, blackcurrants, and strawberries. Solverson added: “Food is medicine, and science is catching up to that popular wisdom. This study bolsters the ever-growing dossier that supports elderberry’s role, a remedy steeped in folk tradition, in buttressing metabolic and prebiotic health.
“Elderberry is an underappreciated berry, commercially and nutritionally. We’re now starting to recognize its value for human health, and the results are very exciting.”