Elderberries, a fruit which grows in both North America and Europe has been found by scientist to contain phytochemicals, which help prevent and fight flu.
This was released in the report of research carried out at the University of Sydney and other separate researches. The report revealed elderberry contains potent antiviral properties, which help in combating infections like flu by hindering proteins which are vital for the virus to attach and gain entry to the cell of its host.
According to researchers from Sydney, the fruit helps the cells of the infected host to release cytokines, a chemical messenger which communicate with the immune system to respond against the invading pathogen.
They also went an extra mile to determine the actual component of the berry which help to fight off the flu. This was done by producing and introducing a juice serum with the berry to different body conditions before, during and after ultimately infecting the host body.
The observation from the experiment mentioned above shows that the serum was more effective at preventing the virus from spreading at later stages which is vital in curbing the effect of the virus on the body.
In another statement released by Golnoosh Torabian, a separate study author, he claimed that the deep purple berries have a potent antiviral effect contrary to the flu virus in specific.
Although the health benefits of elderberries have long been documented, with the new researches, it has been proven that the fruit can also protect against harmful UV rays if applied to the skin and help fight off cancer. However, Healthline has warned that the deep purple berries must be properly cooked before consumption as it is toxic when eaten otherwise.
