Elderberry juice shows benefits for weight management, metabolic health
Washington State University
SPOKANE, Wash.—Elderberry juice may be a potent tool for weight management and enhancing metabolic health, according to a recent Washington State University-led study.
A clinical trial published in the journal Nutrients found that drinking 12 ounces of elderberry juice daily for a week causes positive changes in the gut microbiome and improves glucose tolerance and fat oxidation.
Elderberry, a small dark purple berry found on elder trees native to Europe, is commonly used as a medicinal plant and supplement to promote immune function. Its other potential health benefits are poorly understood, however.
“Elderberry is an underappreciated berry, commercially and nutritionally,” said corresponding author Patrick Solverson, an assistant professor in the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine’s Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. “We’re now starting to recognize its value for human health, and the results are very exciting.”
The researchers tested the effects of elderberry on metabolic health in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial with 18 overweight adults. Participants consumed either elderberry juice or a placebo with similar coloring and taste, specially designed by North Carolina State University’s Food Innovation Lab, while maintaining a standardized diet.
Clinical testing following the intervention showed that participants who consumed elderberry juice had significantly increased amounts of beneficial gut bacteria, including firmicutes and actinobacteria, and decreased amounts of harmful bacteria, such as bacteroidetes. A healthy gut microbiome is essential for nutrient absorption and supports physical and mental health.
In addition to positive microbiota changes, the elderberry intervention resulted in improved metabolism. Results showed that the elderberry juice reduced participants’ blood glucose levels by an average of 24%, indicating a significantly improved ability to process sugars following carbohydrate consumption. Results also showed a 9% decrease in insulin levels.
Additionally, results suggested that elderberry juice can enhance the body’s ability to burn fat. Participants who received the elderberry juice showed significantly increased fat oxidation, or the breakdown of fatty acids, after a high carbohydrate meal and during exercise.
The researchers attribute these positive effects to elderberry’s high concentration of anthocyanins, plant-based bioactive compounds that have a variety of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and antimicrobial effects.
“Food is medicine, and science is catching up to that popular wisdom,” Solverson said. “This study contributes to a growing body of evidence that elderberry, which has been used as a folk remedy for centuries, has numerous benefits for metabolic as well as prebiotic health.”
Other berries contain anthocyanins, but typically in lower concentrations. A person would have to consume four cups of blackberries a day to achieve the same anthocyanin dose contained in 6 ounces of elderberry juice, Solverson said.
Although elderberry products are less popular in the U.S. than in Europe, demand exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic and elderberry continues to be a growing market.
The researchers have filed for a provisional patent for using the bioactive components of American black elderberry for weight management and gut health through supplements or other applications. The WSU Office of Commercialization is assisting with commercialization opportunities with more information available at commercialization@wsu.edu.
This research was supported by a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under award number 2020-67018-30851. The research team included collaborators at Colorado State University, North Carolina State University and the University of Vermont.
With an additional $600,000 in NIFA funding, the researchers plan to explore other applications of elderberry juice, including whether it can help individuals who have discontinued weight loss medications maintain their weight. They note that further studies are needed to both confirm their initial findings and to determine the long-term effects of elderberry in various populations.
Journal
Nutrients
Article Title
A One-Week Elderberry Juice Intervention Augments the Fecal Microbiota and Suggests Improvement in Glucose Tolerance and Fat Oxidation in a Randomized Controlled Trial
Can carrots be used to treat diabetes?
Current research from the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) reveals that carrots may help regulate blood sugar and improve gut flora – a combination that could potentially benefit individuals with type 2 diabetes.
University of Southern Denmark Faculty of Health Sciences
Could an ordinary carrot improve the treatment of type 2 diabetes? A new study from SDU suggests so. The researchers found that carrots can enhance the body's ability to regulate blood sugar and positively influence the composition of gut bacteria.
Type 2 diabetes affects millions worldwide, with numbers on the rise in Denmark and globally. In Denmark alone, the number of cases has more than quadrupled since 1996.
Treatment typically involves dietary changes and medication, though many people experience side effects from common pharmaceuticals. According to researchers from SDU, Odense University Hospital, and the University of Copenhagen, who collaborated on the recently published study, carrots could offer a natural and potentially side-effect-free way to complement existing treatments.
The impact of carrots on blood sugar and gut bacteria
Researchers studied the effects of carrots over 16 weeks using mice induced with type 2 diabetes. The mice were placed on a high-fat diet to mimic an unhealthy human lifestyle. They were divided into two groups: one received a diet supplemented with 10% freeze-dried carrot powder, while the other received a diet without carrots. Both diets were calorie-matched, ensuring the only variable was the bioactive compounds in the carrots. Results showed that the group receiving carrot powder exhibited improved blood sugar regulation, as measured by glucose tolerance tests.
A glucose tolerance test measures how well the body regulates blood sugar after consuming a specified amount of sugar. In this study, mice were given a sugar solution, and their blood sugar levels were measured over time.
– Our study showed that carrots altered the composition of the gut microbiome – the billions of microorganisms living in the gut that play a crucial role in digestion and health. Mice consuming carrots exhibited a healthier balance of gut bacteria, explains project coordinator Morten Kobæk Larsen, associate professor at the Department of Clinical Research, SDU.
Additionally, these mice had more bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These small molecules formed when bacteria break down dietary fibres, help regulate energy metabolism and blood sugar while supporting gut health.
– Everything we eat affects the composition of gut bacteria, Larsen elaborates.
– Consuming carrots shifts the gut bacteria towards a healthier balance, benefiting mice with type 2 diabetes.
How do carrots work?
Carrots contain bioactive compounds that enhance cells' ability to absorb sugar, thereby aiding blood sugar regulation. These bioactive substances, derived from unsaturated fatty acids, are also present in other vegetables from the carrot family, such as parsley, celery, and parsnips.
– We see carrots as a potential component of future dietary strategies for type 2 diabetes, says Lars Porskjær Christensen, professor of analytical chemistry and natural product chemistry at the Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, SDU.
– Other vegetables in the carrot family might have similar properties.
Could carrots help humans?
The researchers are cautious about directly applying their findings to humans.
– Our study used an animal model, and the next step is to conduct clinical trials, they explain. – Such studies are costly, and we are working to secure external funding to conduct a smaller clinical trial with carrots containing relatively high amounts of bioactive compounds. This could pave the way for larger clinical studies including studies in animals with purified bioactive compounds and thereby substantiate the preventive effects of carrots against type 2 diabetes, says Christensen.
Preliminary findings from a similar study on carrots' effects on colon cancer suggest that as little as 30–40 grams of raw or lightly cooked carrots daily could have beneficial effects.
According to the researchers, the concentration of bioactive compounds varies widely among carrot varieties. However, the right variety can provide sufficient doses of these compounds without needing concentrated products. For example, the 'Night Bird' variety, a purple carrot, contains relatively high concentrations of bioactive substances.
Does preparation matter?
Cooking impacts the amount of health-promoting substances, but they do not disappear entirely.
– Even with prolonged frying or boiling, some bioactive compounds remain. However, raw or lightly cooked carrots seem to be the best option to retain as many beneficial compounds as possible, Christensen advises.
The study is published in Clinical and Translational Science. Read more here: https://ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cts.70090
What are bioactive compounds?
Bioactive compounds are organic chemicals of biological origin that influence physiological processes. Many are derived from plants and fungi and can have either beneficial or harmful effects on humans. Some bioactive compounds from plants and fungi are used in medicines, while others in plant-based foods are believed to promote health and prevent diseases. Their effects depend on mechanisms of action, bioavailability, and concentration in food, which can vary by crop variety, cultivation, and processing.
Facts about carrots
The main bioactive compounds in carrots are falcarinol and falcarindiol, which the vegetable produces to defend against fungal infections. Besides their antifungal properties, these compounds have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic effects.
The study was conducted using 54 mice and funded by the Odense University Hospital Research Fund. The carrots used were organically grown by a Danish producer.
Facts about diabetes
As of 2022, approximately 350,000 people in Denmark lived with diabetes, 89% of whom had type 2 diabetes. Globally, over half a billion people have diabetes, with type 2 diabetes rates increasing in most countries. This rise is attributed to lifestyle changes, increased obesity rates, and an ageing population.
Journal
Clinical and Translational Science
Subject of Research
Animals
Article Title
Effect of carrot intake on glucose tolerance, microbiota, and gene expression in a type 2 diabetes mouse model
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