5 Harmful Effects Of Elderberries On Your Health

Elderberries are the delicious fruit berries belonging to the Sambucus genus of the flowering plant of the Adoxaceae family. These berries are mainly found in the temperate to subtropical regions of the world and are widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, and also in some regions of southern Hemisphere like Australia, Asia, and South America. These berries are an excellent source of many nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and polyphenols, etc. and provides a number of health and beauty benefits. However, too much of everything is bad and the same is true for the elderberries. In this article, we will know about the major side effects of eating too many elderberries, but first, let’s take a look at the below-mentioned nutrition chart of elderberries.

# Too Much Dietary Fiber Is Bad For Stomach

Elderberries are very useful for our stomach and improve our digestive health.

This benefit of elderberries is mainly due to the presence of dietary fibers in them. The dietary fibers present in the elderberries acts as a natural laxative which means they improve bowel movement and ensures smooth elimination of stool from our system. This provides relief from constipation and also helps in the treatment of various digestive problems such as abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, gas, bloating and flatulence, etc.

Although dietary fibers are good for our digestive health, it is advisable to consume elderberries in moderation. This is because excess intake of dietary fibers has been found to give rise to various health issues such as poor absorption of nutrients by our intestines, intestinal gas, intestinal blockage and bloating, etc.

# Too Many Antioxidants Are Bad

Elderberries are a good source of antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin A and other antioxidantal compounds like phytonutrients and polyphenols, etc. in them.

The antioxidants and the relevant compounds present in the elderberries fights with the free radicals of our body, stabilizes them and prevents them from causing oxidative damage to our cells and tissues, and reduces the risk of various cancers.

Free radicals are nothing but the unstabilized ions that get formed in our body during the oxidation process. As these are unstabilized, so, they steal electrons from the neighboring molecules and while doing so, it causes oxidative damage to them.

# May Cause Toxic Effects

Black elderberry can be toxic in nature because of the presence of a cyanide-related compound in it. The leaves, seeds, and bark of the black elderberry tree are known to cause poisonous effects if consumed. Same is true for eating elderberries that are unripe and not cooked thoroughly. As explained by the U.S. National Institute of health.

Some common symptoms of ingesting these toxic elderberries are gastrointestinal problems like abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, and severe diarrhea.Some other health issues that may arise from consuming unripe elderberries are a headache, dizziness, weakness, seizures and rapid heartbeat.

# Is Diuretic In Nature

Elderberries are diuretic in nature which means they enhance the production of urine in our body, and this property of elderberries helps in eliminating excess fluid from our body. This is very useful for the individuals especially the elders who find it difficult to excrete fluid from the system in a natural manner because of their weak bodily functions ( because of old age, health problems, and other complication).

# May Cause Hypoglycemia

Elder may decrease blood sugar levels, and the National Institutes of Health advises people taking medications such as metformin or insulin to regulate blood sugar to be cautious about using elderberry supplements. Taking elderberry along with these medications may increase the risk of developing low blood sugar, a condition known as hypoglycemia.

Elderberries are found to be very beneficial for individuals suffering from diabetes and for those who are at the risk of developing diabetes. This benefit of elderberries is mainly because of its low glycemic index.