Drink Elderberry Tea During Cold & Flu Season
Have you ever heard of elderberries or elderberry tea bags? Here are some things you should know about this fruit which can be beneficial to good health, especially during cold and flu season.
Elderberry, also known by the scientific name of sambucus nigra, is a large shrub plant that grows to about 4 to 6 meters in height. It is usually found in American, European and African countries. This shrub has white flowers with five petals that grow during the summer. It also bears a fruit that comes in a dark purple to black color. Both the fruit and the flower are used in making wines, pies, jams and some are used to put flavor in drinks. The flower and the fruit are very beneficial, but the elderberry leaves and stems are dangerous on the other hand. Elderberry contains a lot of compounds known as sabucin, sugar and potassium nitrate.
By drinking elderberry tea you can alleviate fevers particularly those caused by a virus. Other health benefits include soothing the mucous lining of the throat or nose therefore increasing our resistance against infections. It can also be used as a decongestant by clearing the airways and breaking down phlegm when you have a cold or allergies and in some cases asthma. Additionally it helps in stabilizing high blood pressure and lowering cholesterol levels.
Other benefits of elderberry tea are the ability to treat inflammations. It is rich in Vitamin C that makes it useful to act as an immuno-stimulant that can help fight ailments like herpes, lowering joint pains and can be used on skin disorders like boils.
It should be noted that elderberry tea has a diuretic effect that can relieve water retention in the body. Another thing that the tea can do is help those with constipation and flatulence with its laxative effect. It can improve the function of both the kidneys and the liver.
Just like flower tea or other herbal teas, elderberry tea acts as a sedative that can provide you a relaxing and stress-free feeling which aids in giving you a well, restful sleep. Those with insomnia should try drinking this tea.
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