What are elderberry benefits and side effects every ethical consumer must know? Here are elderberry pros and cons and how buying them will impact your health, the environment, animals and laborers.
Food is something we consume every day and if you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on elderberry benefits and side effects.
You are going to learn all about elderberry benefits and side effects. This will include elderberry benefits for your health and potential risks, elderberry water footprint and elderberry carbon footprint, elderberry sustainability, if elderberry are vegan or impact animals in other ways, and much more.
After learning if elderberry are good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be able to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.
This post is all about elderberry benefits and side effects that every ethical consumer should know.
Must-Know Elderberry Benefits And Side Effects
Health
Elderberry health benefits may include:
- better digestion
- hydration
- reduced stress
- reduced inflammation
- detoxification
- boosted immunity
- heart health
- weight loss
Elderberries are…
- Gluten Free
- Not a common Food Allergen
★★★★★
- The fastest, easiest solution for making nutrient-packed smoothies.
- Load it up with your favorite whole foods like nuts, berries and spinach.
- Push, twist and blend your way to a healthier lifestyle.
- We love it!
Environment
Water footprint: low, 967 liters of water used to produce 1 kilogram of fruits / 116 gallons of water used to produce 1 pound of fruits
Carbon footprint: low, 0.9 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of fruits, a car driving equivalent of 2 miles or 3.25 kilometers
Destruction: low, there is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as pesticides have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc
Elderberries are…
- Sustainable
Animals
Kills: none, elderberry production does not require any animals to be killed
Harms: none, elderberry production does require any animals to be used
Indirectly kills or harms: none, no animals are indirectly killed or harmed from elderberry production as long as toxic chemicals have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as pesticides harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat
Elderberries are…
- Vegan
- Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems unless organic
★★★★★
- Perfect for children ages 2-8.
- Available in paperback, ebook, audio formats.
- Suitable for vegan kids and vegan families (does not include farm animals, animal food products or byproducts).
- Written + Illustrated by HEALabel's Adriane Marie.
Laborers
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Elderberries…
- May have laborer issues
elderberries are likely alkaline when fresh and raw and acidic when dried, canned or processed.
Are elderberries alkaline or acidic?
Elderberries are likely alkaline when fresh and raw and acidic when dried, canned or processed.
When you eat food, it is broken down to an ash residue that can be neutral, acidic or alkaline. Minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper and iron produce an alkaline ash; whereas sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and iodine, which are found in meat, coffee, dairy and alcohol, leave an acid ash.
Going alkaline easier than ever with this: Acidic and Alkaline Foods List
elderberries are gluten free.
Are elderberries gluten free?
Yes, elderberries are gluten free. Elderberries does not contain gluten. Elderberries are a type of fruit, therefore making it a naturally gluten free food.
While celiac disease may not be as rampant as many marketing trends lead us to believe, you may have a gluten sensitivity…
Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include: recurring abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea, constipation, tingling, numbness in hands and feet, chronic fatigue, joint pain, unexplained infertility and low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis).
There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.
Going gluten free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List
elderberries are not a common food allergen. elderberry benefits include fitting into a gluten free diet.
Are elderberries a common food allergen?
No, elderberries are not a common food allergen. Some people may experience allergic reactions to elderberries but it is relatively rare by comparison.
A group of the eight major allergenic foods is often referred to as the Big-8 and includes milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans.
These foods account for about 90% of all food allergies in the United States.
Severe food allergies can be life threatening. Following ingestion of a food allergen, a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.
Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List
elderberries have a low water footprint. elderberry benefits include not requiring too much water.
Do elderberries have a high or low water footprint?
Elderberries have a relatively low water footprint compared to other foods.
What is the water footprint of elderberries?
It takes 967 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of fruit / 116 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of fruit.
Did you know that water is a finite, non-renewable resource?
How much water does it take to produce an apple? A serving of rice? A steak dinner?
We need to be aware of something referred to as a “water footprint”. That is, the amount of fresh water utilized in the production or supply of goods we consume. As it turns out it takes significantly more water to yield foods that come from animals than foods that come from plants. Imagine how much water a cow needs to consume to generate a piece of beef. Not only how much water a single cow drinks, rather all the water that went into producing the crops that the cow ate.
Find out how much water your food consumes with this: Water Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
elderberries have a low carbon footprint.
Do elderberries have a high or low carbon footprint?
Elderberries have a relatively low carbon footprint compared to other foods.
What is the carbon footprint of elderberries?
It takes around 0.9 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of fruit, a car driving equivalent of 2 miles or 3.25 kilometers.
When calculating carbon emissions, some factors may include…
- farm equipment
- animal feed production
- hothouses (greenhouses)
- food processing
- packaging
- transport
- refrigeration
- freezing
- package waste and more
But that’s not all!
It’s best to keep the following in mind when grocery shopping:
- shopping locally reduces transportation emissions
- food without packaging reduces waste as well as the carbon footprint
- refrigerated and frozen foods increase carbon emissions
- seasonal foods reduce carbon emissions from hothouses (greenhouses)
- growing plant-based foods at home is the most environmentally sustainable method with zero carbon footprint
Find out how much carbon your food emits with this: Carbon Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
elderberries are sustainable.
Overall, are elderberries eco friendly? Are elderberries sustainable?
Elderberries production is relatively sustainable. There is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. Be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc. when using regenerative practices.
A 2018 Oxford University study – which is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet – found that ‘avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earth’ as animal farming provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of our farmland.
Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts of pollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes of climate change.
elderberries are vegan. elderberry benefits include not killing, harming or using animals.
Are elderberries vegan?
Yes, elderberries are vegan. Elderberries are a fruit berry and not an animal product or byproduct, therefore making it a vegan food.
Animals of factory farming are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environments…so much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. Growth hormones allow all kinds of animals to become fatter faster and live short lives.
Because we cannot see for ourselves how these animals live and what they endure does not mean it isn’t happening. The meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.
Go vegan for animals!
It’s the best way to help animals and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Speak for animals with your actions, for they cannot speak at all.
Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non Vegan Foods List
elderberries may have labor issues and human rights concerns.
Are elderberries a product that has labor issues?
At this time, there are no known specific reports of worker mistreatment regarding elderberry farming but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. Elderberries may or may not have labor issues.
Did you know the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? The labor involved behind each and every product cannot go unrecognized.
Some known problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Ultimately, fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
Finally, we can improve people’s lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.
Conclusion
Elderberry pros include:
- numerous health benefits
- sustainable
- vegan
- alkaline
- gluten free
- not a common food allergen
- low carbon footprint
- low water footprint
Elderberry cons include:
- possible laborer exploitation (as with most foods)
- pesticide ingestion and contamination if not organic (as with most produce)
This post was all about elderberry benefits and side effects.
Sources:
Plant fact sheet for red elderberry
American Black Elderberry – USDA Forest Service
Growing Elderberries: – The University of Vermont
