The elder starts to bloom in mid-May. They are impressive, the white flowers with their strong smell at the beginning of the flowering period. Many housewives like to harvest the small, dark berries and use them to make jam, jelly or syrup. But what about raw elderberries? Are they edible or is it better to stay away from them? And how do red and black fruits differ? Do all fruits have the same rules?
toxicity
Dangerous glycoside contained in elder plant parts
Both the elder flowers and the berries contain Glycodis sambunigrin. This is similar to deadly nightshade poison and releases the dangerous hydrocyanic acid. Although elderberries and elderflowers are usually not fatal unless they are consumed in large quantities, they are poisonous.
Black elder is a coveted wild fruit tree
consumption
Eating raw elderberry plants
From a medical point of view, the elderberry is considered to be slightly poisonous. A robust, healthy adult usually has no problem after eating fewer berries. However, if the berries, leaves or parts of the bark are eaten by children, pets or sick people, symptoms can develop.
These include:
- vomiting and nausea
- diarrhea and general upset stomach
- Difficulty breathing in mammals
- Vomiting, digestive disorders and unconsciousness in birds
elderberries
Ripe and unripe elderberries
If the elder has already ripened, the toxicity drops rapidly. Each gram of ripe fruit contains 0.06 mg glycosides. This means that an average adult can consume around 200 raw berries without experiencing any symptoms.
elderberries
boil down
Consumption as cooked, heated fruit
As soon as elderberries have been boiled or heated, they lose their toxicity. The poison content disappears through the heating process, but a temperature of at least 76.3 degrees is required. To reduce the poison content, you should proceed as follows.
- only harvest ripe berries
- remove individual, unripe fruits from the lush umbels
- remove all stems and dried fruit
- cook the elderberry at more than 80 degrees for at least 20 minutes
Attention: Contrary to what many people think, elderberry does not lose its toxicity by freezing!
prepared elderberries
Red elderberry
Peculiarity with red elderberry
The previous rules apply to black elderberries, but the procedure is different for red ones. Here the poison is not in all parts of the plant, but only in the core. Due to the size of the individual fruits, it is difficult to stone them individually, but it is a safe measure.
If you want to bypass this work, you can do as follows:
- Using a fork, remove the ripe, red fruit from each cluster
- boil the fruit in the pot, they should not be crushed
- juice the fruit carefully and sieve out all the seeds
- process the juice into jelly or syrup
Red elderberry
signs of intoxication
Symptoms of eating red elderberry
The symptoms of poisoning when eating red elderberries are usually stronger than with the black specimens. Here the poison is in the cores, which are also considered the seeds of the plant. While an adult usually recovers without harm, children and pets are at risk in the event of poisoning.
The main symptom is severe vomiting and diarrhea as the body defends itself against the ingested toxin. This circumstance is the main reason why extracts from red elderberry fruit were taken as an emetic in earlier years. Today, the substance is no longer used in herbal medicinal products either, black fruits are used here.
remedy
Elderberry as a remedy not poisonous?
The black and red specimens of the elder fruit are not only poisonous, but can also be used to help with health problems. Elderberry juice is particularly popular, but tea is also made from the elderflower. The natural medicines are used for the following indications.
Elderberry, black elderberry
- Cold symptoms of any kind
- Disorders of bladder and kidney function
- Strengthening of the circulatory system and heart
The reason for the healing effect is the massive amount of vitamin C it contains. Elderberry plants also contain vitamin B, various fruit acids and essential oils. It also contains so-called anthocyanidins, which are considered antioxidants. This protects the body's cells from free radicals, which can slow down the aging process. Naturopaths also attribute an antipyretic and pain-relieving effect to the elderberry plant, but this has not been scientifically proven.