A new study led by Washington State University researchers finds that elderberry juice may be an “effective tool” for weight management and improving metabolic health.

The study, published in the journal Nutrients, found that consuming 12 ounces per week elderberry juice A press release from Washington State University states that daily results in positive changes in the gut microbiome.

“Elderberry is an underappreciated berry both commercially and nutritionally,” said Patrick Solverson, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. ” Solverson is one of the corresponding authors of the study.

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He said the study’s results were “very exciting” and that scientists were “beginning to recognize” the value of elderberries to human health.

Elderberries are small, dark-colored, purple berries Grows on the elder tree native to Europe. They have long been promoted as a way to improve the immune system, a press release from Washington State University noted.

Elderberries are found on the elderberry tree, which is native to Europe. (iStock)

The findings suggest elderberries may have other potential medicinal uses, the university said.

“Food is medicine, and science is catching up to that popular wisdom,” Solverson said.

“This study adds to growing evidence that elderberry, which has been used as a folk remedy for centuries, has many benefits for metabolic and prebiotic health.”

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Study tested metabolic health in 18 participants overweight adults.

During the experiment, participants drank either 12 ounces of elderberry juice per day or a placebo that looked and tasted like elderberries.

“Food is medicine, and science is catching up to this popular wisdom.”

WSU said their diets were otherwise unchanged.

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After the experiment, researchers found that people who drank elderberry juice had “significant increases in beneficial gut bacteria, including Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, and decreases in harmful bacteria, such as Bacteroidetes.”

Study participants drank 12 ounces of elderberry juice every day for one week. (iStock)

The press release states that those who drank elderberry juice experienced improved metabolism.

“Results showed that elderberry juice reduced participants’ blood sugar levels by an average of 24 percent, indicating a significant improvement in the ability to process sugar after consuming carbohydrates,” Washington State University said.

Additionally, those who drank elderberry juice experienced a 9% drop in insulin levels.

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Elderberry can also enhance a person’s abilities burn fatthe release said.

“Participants who received elderberry juice showed significantly increased fat oxidation, or fatty acid breakdown, after a high-carbohydrate meal and during exercise,” Washington State University said.

Washington State University said people who drank elderberry juice during the experiment (not pictured) experienced improvements in their metabolism. (iStock)

Elderberries are rich in anthocyanins, “plant-based bioactive compounds that have a variety of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and antibacterial effects.”

These anthocyanins may explain why elderberries have these effects in humans, the release said.

While other berries and foods contain anthocyanins, elderberries have particularly high concentrations of the compound.

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“A person would have to eat four cups of blackberries per day to achieve the same dose of anthocyanins found in six ounces of elderberry juice,” says Solverson.

Fox News Digital reached out to Washington State University for further comment on the study.