There's so much to love about plants. They decorate our homes, help clean the air, make us smile … the list goes on and on. Plants also help us live a healthier life, from the kale you add to your daily smoothie to the elderberry syrup you take each morning to traditionally support your immune health.*
But do you know what makes elderberries so beneficial? A quality elderberry product is made from berries that contain naturally occurring anthocyanins, but what is an anthocyanin and why is it important? Let's break down this beneficial component of the elderberry.
Anthocyanins: What Sets the Elderberry Apart from Other Fruit
Anthocyanins are a type of flavonoid. Flavonoids are a very large group of phytonutrients that have antioxidant properties and may play a key role in neutralizing free radicals.* Anthocyanins, therefore, are thought to contribute to the traditional immune-supporting properties of elderberries.* However, more science is needed to confirm the connection between anthocyanins and immune health outcomes. Anthocyanins are what give the berries their intense, dark purple color. A good way to tell if a fruit is rich in phytonutrients – or anthocyanins – is by its color. The darker the berry, the more anthocyanins!
The Best Elderberries for Anthocyanins
While all elderberries contain anthocyanins, certain cultivars have higher levels of anthocyanins, making them the preferred choice for high-quality elderberry products. The Haschberg cultivar is one such example; it contains a high level of naturally occurring anthocyanins.
Our commitment to high-quality elderberry is something we take seriously. Nature's Way selects cultivars such as the Haschberg variety for this reason when creating our high-quality elderberry extract. We source our berries from mountainous locations across Europe, where they're grown at optimal altitude and hand-picked at their peak, just as nature intended.
The elderberries are then inspected for quality and frozen on the same day they're picked to ensure freshness and turned into a 100% elderberry extract. From the moment they're harvested, our elderberries are handled with care to deliver the fruit to you as nature intended. The berries are handled and extracted using technology designed to collect and retain anthocyanins, along with other natural properties of the berry. Every lot of extract is tested for anthocyanins to ensure we're bringing you the best of the berry in every batch. You can also tell whether a product contains naturally occurring anthocyanins by its color. For example, Nature's Way Sambucus® Gummies are made with no added colors and instead get their dark hue from our unique elderberry extract.
Whether you've been enjoying elderberry products for years or are new to its “berry good” benefits, you can rest assured that when you choose Sambucus, you're choosing the ultimate in elderberry. From the cultivars chosen to the timing of harvest, to the painstaking extraction and standardization process, everything we do is to ensure potency of anthocyanin content in every milligram of extract in Sambucus. These high-quality products have been created to unite nature and science – and to help you feel your best all year long.