You’ve probably heard about elderberry and how good it is for boosting the immune system and reducing inflammation. It’s been used for thousands of years as a medicinal herb and even modern medicine can’t beat this superfood. Today, it is often made into jams, syrups, juices, gummies, and used in various recipes. The question on many people’s minds is: what does elderberry taste like? Is it sweet? Is it bitter? Is it similar to blueberries or grapes? In this article, you’ll find out about what kind of a plant elderberry is, its benefits, and how it tastes depending on the way it is prepared. Let’s jump right in!
What Is Elderberry?
Elderberry is a shrub with white flowers and bluish-purple berries. There are several types, but the most popular one is called black elderberry, or Sambucus Nigra. This type is native to Europe, Northern Africa and Southwestern Asia. Before trying out elderberry, it’s important to know that the raw stems, leaves, and unripe berries are poisonous if not cooked properly. So it’s best to buy elderberry that has already been prepared by professionals.
What Are The Benefits Of Elderberry?
Before we get to the taste, let’s discuss why you should add elderberry to your diet in the first place! There are so many elderberry benefits that have been known for thousands of years. First off, it’s extremely rich in antioxidants, which help fight off free radicals. Free radicals are unpaired molecules in our bodies that appear from internal or external sources (such as pollution and chemicals we’re exposed to). They can cause disruption and illness in our bodies, so it’s important to fight them off, which is why you should always focus on an antioxidant-rich diet.
In addition to this, elderberries also have lots of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. This herb is one of the best natural immune boosters and helps prevent and fight off the cold and flu, which means it should be a staple in your kitchen or pantry during the cold time of the year. Oh, and we’ve written a whole article on elderberry and coronavirus prevention in case you’re curious. It is also great at fighting inflammation, improving heart health, and even reducing wrinkles and acne!
What Do Elderflowers Taste Like?
The first part of elderberry that we’ll discuss is the flowers, which is the only part of elderberry that is not toxic and can be eaten raw. Elderflowers have a pretty strong honey-like smell. The texture is quite crunchy and juicy, making them taste pretty refreshing. As you would expect, elderflower does have a bit of a floral taste but it’s very subtle. It’s one of the sweetest edible flowers and has been described as having a taste very similar to lychee with some pear-like hints. As I mentioned, you can eat the flowers raw but they can also be made into a syrup, which is commonly used in baking.
What Do Raw Elderberries Taste Like?
So what does elderberry taste like raw? Well, raw elderberries don’t taste very good. They have a tart, bitter, and earthy flavor and they aren’t very sweet, which is why many people avoid raw elderberries. Some people also say that raw elderberries are just bland, which is why they prefer cooked berries (which have a completely different taste).
Of course, that’s not the only reason you shouldn’t eat elderberries raw. As I mentioned, raw and not fully ripe berries are highly toxic (because of two chemicals called cyanide and lectin) and can end up making you very sick. Although some people do still eat them, it’s best to avoid the raw berries altogether and turn to cooked and processed ones instead. Not only will you avoid the toxic chemicals but the taste will be much better once the berries are properly cooked!
What do cooked elderberries taste like?
As I just mentioned, elderberries taste quite differently once they’re cooked. While the raw berries are tart, bitter, and bland, cooked berries are much juicier and the blandness turns into sweetness. However, you’ll probably want to add in a few more ingredients to cooked elderberries to really make them taste good. Let’s get right into that
What Do Elderberry Desserts, Jams, Syrups, and Gummies Taste Like?
While cooked elderberries taste much better than raw berries and they’re a bit sweeter and less tart, they still aren’t as sweet as most people would prefer. For this reason, people often make various recipes from elderberries and add some sugar to them. Elderberries are often made into jams, syrups, juices, used for baking in various desserts, and they’re commonly made into gummies as a supplement.
Elderberry jams, syrups, juices, desserts, and gummies have a sweet, tart, and slightly earthy taste. Since they aren’t very sweet themselves, manufacturers usually add a certain amount of sugar, so the sweetness depends on the manufacturer (or on the amount of sugar you choose to add to your own recipes).
So yeah, elderberries can taste great when prepared correctly and they can be a yummy addition to many recipes. However, the taste is just one of the many benefits elderberry has to offer. As I mentioned, elderberry is a well-known medicinal herb that has been used for millennia. If you want all of elderberry’s benefits but don’t have the time or desire to bake desserts or make juices and syrups, we’ve got you covered!
We recommend these elderberry gummies by Gummies Garden
They’re NSF certified, cruelty-free, vegan, GMO-free, and gluten-free. Each gummy contains 100 mg of black elderberry, some vitamin C, zinc, and tapioca, making it the perfect mix of immune-boosting ingredients! By taking two of these elderberry gummies a day, you’ll help your body prevent and, if necessary, fight off the cold and flu and help reduce inflammation. Not to mention, you’ll be able to have a guilt-free elderberry treat every single day. What’s not to love? You must be curious about the taste and benefits of elderberry after reading this article, so go ahead and click here to get your first batch of these immune-boosting elderberry gummies TODAY!
