Elderberry can be made into the following:

• Tea: Dried flowers are utilized to make a sweet tea.
• Wine: Elderberry wine can be made from both flowers and berries.
• Brandy: Elderberry brandy is produced from fruit in Hungary which needs nearly about 50 kg of fruit to create 1 liter of brandy.
• Jelly and jams: Stewed fruits, jellies and jams are normally flavored with the flowers.
• Soup: Soup made from the elderberry is a traditional meal in Scandinavia and Germany.
• Fritters: Elderberry flower fritters are made by frying the flowers which are immersed into a light batter.
• Syrup: The flowers are made into syrup that is diluted just before drinking.
• Infusions: In Northern Europe and the Balkans the flower heads are normally used in infusions, giving a very common revitalizing drink.
• Food Coloring: To produce a green coloring to oils and fats the leaves are used.
• Pies: Elderberries compliments blackberries and with apples in pies.
• Ointments
• Astringent
• Juice
• Sprays
• Lozenges
• Pills
• Liquid
• Powder
• Capsules

Other Traditional uses and benefits of Elderberry

• The fresh flowers are used in the distillation of ‘Elder Flower Water’. The water is slightly astringent and a gentle stimulant.
• It may be used as a vehicle for eye and skin lotions.
• An infusion made from Elderberry is used for the treatment of chest complaints and as an eye wash for inflamed eyes.
• Elderberry Tea made from flowers is used against cold, high temperature and scarlatina.
• Flowers are used in poultices to ease pain and alleviate inflammation; utilized as an ointment, it treats wounds, burns, chilblains, scalds externally.
• Colic and diarrhea are cured with a tea made out of the dried berries.
• Elderberry juice is supposed to be an excellent cure for inflamed eyes.
• An ointment made from the leaves is emollient and is used in the treatment of wounds, bruises, chilblains, sprains.
• The inner bark used in the treatment of constipation as well as arthritic problems.
• Burns and scalds can be treated with the pith of young stems.
• Fruits are used to encourage urination.

Other Facts

• Extracts from elderberry are used in horticulture as a repellent against insects.
• Elderberry shoots are place into the soil to fright off mice as well as moles.
• Elderberry has also been planted for erosion control.
• It is not much appreciated as a timber because of its small dimensions, yet the wood is appropriate for making pegs and other small wooden items due of its whiteness, close grain.
• The pith from 1-year-old branches is utilized for making plant sections in microscopy.

Precautions

• Although Elderberry is not usually considered poisonous, very few cases of poisoning in animals and man have been stated right after consuming the bark, leaves, berries, roots and stems.
• The dark blue/purple berries are slightly fatal within their unripe state and can be consumed when completely ripe.
• Due to presence of cyanogenic glycosides, all green parts of the plant are poisonous.
• Allergic reactions are occasionally noticed with the use of Elderflowers and elderberries.
• Elderberry may have a hazard of causing premature labor, miscarriage, and birth defects. It is not suitable to breastfeeding and pregnant women.
• Uncooked or unripe elderberries are toxic and may cause severe diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. Only the blue/black berries of elder are eatable.
• Due to elder flower’s probable diuretic effects, you must be careful if taking it along with drugs which increase urination.
• Syrup of Elderberry might have the inclination to drop the level of blood sugar. Therefore, those who are taking medicines like metformin to regulate their sugar level must be aware about taking this particular syrup. Taking the syrup along with these medicines might result in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambucus_nigra

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/euroelder

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SANIC4