As the snow melts and the world yawns and blinks its eyes, you may be wondering— should I put my Elderberry Boost away until next winter? The short answer is no. The long answer starts with the nuance of our formulation.
While many immune products are intended for acute use as needed, we created Rasa’s Elderberry Boost with longer-term immune building in mind. As cities start opening up again and we gather to celebrate spring—perhaps flying for the first time in over a year—having a strong immune system is just as important as ever. Echinacea is an example of how one plant can be used for very different immune strategies and how plant chemistry can inform these decisions.
Echinacea root is most effective when taken frequently and in high doses for a week or two as an acute immune stimulant — the alkylamides found in high concentrations in the below-ground portion are thought to be the main actors here. Echinacea aerial parts (leaves and flowers) on the other hand seem to be much richer in the polysaccharides that strengthen the immune system and are more beneficial in low doses over longer periods of time. Because our blends are intended for continued daily use, we use an extract of aerial parts only.
This same thinking went into the other herbs in this tonic as well. Elderberry, astragalus, and turkey tail all offer cumulative benefits if consumed over time. Astragalus and turkey tail both have similar immune-regulating polysaccharides that help support and maintain our internal balance. And elderberry, while lauded for its immune-boosting properties, is also an amazing general tonic and food because of its antioxidant content.
If you aren’t sure when and how to drink Elderberry Boost, treat it like the other blends in the Rasa family. The best way to take advantage of the complex phytochemistry of plants is to enjoy daily over months. We hope the ritual of Rasa makes this easy and delicious.
Find out more about our Elderberry Immune Tonic.🍇