Let’s get ready for summer with elderflowers

If you like walking or running, if you enjoy doing it along the paths in the countryside, along riverbanks, or crossing hills between vineyards and olive trees in your lands; haven’t you been captivated by the scent of elderflower?
By the bright colors of its white and yellow flowers? Now is the best time to appreciate all its pleasantness and natural beauty.

This is a plant that was very common until a few years ago but still persists today. Both the flowers and the berries of elder can be used. The latter, however, are harvested between August and September. As white as the flowers are, the berries are ink-black. Its branches are hollow, and in the past, ancestral flutes were made from them. Our ancestors used the hollow branches to make blowpipes, or “sciòparoli,” as they were called in Veneto.

Elderflower syrup
Elderflower syrup is obtained through infusion, and nowadays, it has found a new use in preparing refreshing summer drinks, such as the Hugo cocktail.

What are the benefits of elderflowers?
They have a purifying action and promote the elimination of uric acid. The flowers are rich in bioflavonoids and are therefore recommended in diets to prevent the oxidative effects of free radicals. They support the proper functioning of the immune system and liver activity.
The bioflavonoids in elderflowers also reduce capillary fragility and have some analgesic properties. They are diuretic and help lower high blood pressure. Finally, thanks to their diuretic properties, they are a great aid in weight-loss diets.

Elderflower syrup: a boost for your diet
In short, a good glass of elderflower syrup diluted in water each day can even help with the swimsuit challenge.

S&M