I recently made an elderberry mead using dried elderberries. The same dried elderberries I use to make elderberry syrup which I use to boost the immune system. Does anyone know if those same health benefits survive the initial fermentation process or (had I added the berries in conditioning) the secondary fermentation?
Surviving nutrients?
- Thread starter Jabne
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It's one of the best fruit meads I've made. Deep flavor rather than something fresh and light, which has been my experience with fruit meads.
Many of the health benefits of fresh fruit are due to flavonoids and other polyphenols, which are easily destroyed by heat. If the elderberries were dried w/o too much heat, then some of the health benefits may remain. Of course, fresh fruit is better.
If you want a deep dive, here is a research article related to this question: Polyphenols: food sources and bioavailability. I don't pretend to understand it all, but it does talk about flavonoids in red wine, so apparently they are not destroyed by fermentation.
If you want a deep dive, here is a research article related to this question: Polyphenols: food sources and bioavailability. I don't pretend to understand it all, but it does talk about flavonoids in red wine, so apparently they are not destroyed by fermentation.
DuncB
Well-Known Member
Interesting, I can never get to the berries down here before the birds and have only used the flowers for sparkling elderflower wine and recently in an elderflower saison which I hope to sample this weekend after a month fermenting and conditioning.
We just planted a bunch of berries. We'll see how difficult it is to protect them from the birds. I'm sure that it will be interesting. On the other hand, there is a blueberry farm down the road. Maybe I could buy them in bulk there.
DuncB
Well-Known Member
You stand a good chance of getting blueberries at the farm, not so sure about the elderberries though. Our elderflower is growing slowly and one cutting also making progress. A net from the garden centre was good for keeping the birds off our plum tree although it did catch a native pigeon which was a bit of a nightmare to untangle it's claws which resembled those of a bird of prey, which is odd for a vegetarian. But they do need to cling onto trees well so they serve that purpose.
Be interesting to try making an elderflower mead, I vacuum sealed and froze the flowers for the saison as we they in season here around October time.
Called a Kereru they are protected but look like they would be good eating.
I appreciate your finding this research. I think it answers the question however all it is looking at is the effects of alcohol on the bodys absorption of polyphenols and not about the effect of fermentation on those polyphenols. However, given the presence of polyphenols in the wine to begin with probably means they survived the fermentation process.
Since posting this question it also occurred to me that making a tincture with healthy foods like elderberry means soaking the berries in alcohol and it creates a powerful source of the healthy properties in the berries so given that knowledge I'm kinda thinking this may have been a stupid question...
DuncB
Well-Known Member
Lots of tinctures from health food shops etc are in alcohol as you say.
Placebo is also a very powerful medicine, so if you believe it helps it might actually be better.
Certainly not harmful.
Placebo is also a very powerful medicine, so if you believe it helps it might actually be better.
Certainly not harmful.
