Have you ever wondered why you never see fresh elderberries on the shelves of your local grocery store? Instead, this elusive little berry is usually bottled into tinctures, steeped into sugary syrups, or—if you can find it!— fermented into wine. And with good reason, as it turns out.
Many parts of the elder tree, including its bark, roots, and the seeds of its fruit, contain a particular type of glycoside that can cause digestive reactions. The good news? Heat destroys these glycosides, rendering the foods that contain them safe to eat. That’s why the elderberry is traditionally processed with heat (or fermentation) before it’s consumed.
After the harvest of our organic elderberries, they’re pasteurized to neutralize the toxins while preserving the maximum amount of nutrition within. This means you can enjoy this immune-boosting berry in a convenient, versatile form without worry. Nothing to bellyache about there!
