What’s in Your Store-Bought Elderberry?

While shopping some time ago, I decided to check out the ingredients in the bottle of elderberry gummies and elderberry products on the store shelves. As expected, the ingredients needed to be better. I was not surprised because companies do this all the time. What do they do exactly? The companies add unnecessary ingredients to their products and market them as healthy. The success of their marketing comes from highlights such as no artificial dyes, all-natural, no artificial flavors or sweeteners, and more.

Let us explore some of those ingredients.

Sugars. The added sugar was the first thing that stood out to me on the label. Some of these companies will market sugar as fructose to make it sound healthy without sharing the type of sugar. While fructose is healthy and naturally found in fruits, some vegetables, and fruit juices, it can come from other sweeteners such as agave, honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar. Some elderberry products contain high fructose syrup, an artificial sugar from corn syrup that makes things overly sweet. Consuming processed fructose can cause detrimental side effects to the body. Beware of the many names of sugar, such as corn syrup, corn sweetener, syrup, fruit juice concentrate, and the other terms stated above. Sugar is sugar, and you need to know what sugars you are consuming to choose whether it will cause harm to your body or benefit your body.

The other type of sugar often found in the ingredients is glucose syrup. Glucose syrup comes from glucose, a simple sugar the body uses as energy from carbs. It is formed by chemically breaking glucose in starchy foods. Glucose can be a major enemy because it can prevent you from losing fat. Another issue is how it absorbs your bloodstream faster and spikes your insulin. This process stimulates insulin release, and the liver cannot produce glucose from other fuel sources.

Mislabeling. Many products need to be labeled correctly. The front of the bottle says that the gummies contain a natural berry flavor. Is the wild berry flavor from elderberry extract, fresh, or dried elderberry, or is it from fruit juice concentrate to enhance the flavors? Another question I had was about the potency of the product. Is it potent enough to help the body resolve illness? Considering that this product is gummies, this is a valid concern to consider.

If you are vegan or do not eat pork, these gummies are not for you because gelatin is an animal byproduct. They are not specific about the animals used, but the gelatin is usually from cows or pigs.

This product, as well as others, uses natural flavors. Natural flavors are an ingredient used to describe food additives. Stay clear from natural flavors because they are cleaning agents, fragrances, flavors, propylene glycol, synthetic preservatives like BHA, and much more.

What Do I Do Now?

Research. Now that you have more education, you can further research for yourself. Also, you can check your ingredient labels when shopping. Please remember that companies create labels in a specific way to attract you to the product, but the back of the product is what will educate you about the product.

Purchase Homemade Elderberry. Entice & Renew has quality elderberry syrup that contains additional herbs to enhance the medicinal properties of the syrup. Our elderberry syrup includes four ingredients: organic elderberries, organic ginger, organic cloves, and raw agave syrup to sweeten. Check out our Elderberry Syrup Herbal Elixir here for the fantastic benefits to help support your body.

Make Homemade Elderberry Syrup. Have you heard about our Elderberry Syrup Kits? Yes, it is a herbal kit of organic elderberry, organic ginger, and organic cloves to make elderberry syrup for yourself and your family. All you need to do is add water and the sweetener of your choice. With the kit, you have the option to make your elderberry gummies as well. 

Make Elderberry Gummies. Stay tuned for the recipe and tutorial. COMING SOON!

Disclaimer. This blog is for educational or informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice or consultation with healthcare professionals. 

Leave a comment down below to let me know your thoughts or to answer any questions. Be blessed.