Elderberry Vitamins

Elderberries come into season in late August or early September. You can find these wild, deep-purple berries growing in large bunches throughout much of the United States. While elderberries do make a tasty snack, they are so small, you might be wondering how healthy they could possibly be. Fortunately, elderberries, like most berries, contain a variety of vitamins, making them not only tasty, but also a healthy part of a balanced diet.

Vitamin A

Elderberries contain 300 IU of vitamin A in every 100 g of berries, according to registered dietitian Georgia Lauritzen. Vitamin A helps create the linings of your eyes, digestive, urinary and respiratory tracts. It is also important in bone growth and reproductive health. Furthermore, vitamin A can help prevent infections by creating white blood cells, which fight bacteria and viruses. The average adult male needs 3,000 IU of vitamin A each day, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. A serving of elderberries will help you reach this goal.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C forms an important protein that keeps your tendons, skin and blood vessels healthy. It is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants, like vitamin C, rid the body of most free-radicals, which are unstable molecules that contribute to the aging process and are responsible for causing many cancers and heart disease, according to the Medline Plus website. Fortunately, elderberries contain a large dose of vitamin C, making up a third of a man's daily value and half of a woman's in a 2/3-cup serving.

B Vitamins

B vitamins help the body produce energy and create red blood cells. While elderberries do contain some B vitamins, the State Government of Victoria's Better Health Channel warns that B vitamins are water-soluble and break down easily when heat or alcohol is applied. Therefore, you cannot expect elderberry wines, pies or jams to be as nutritious as elderberries fresh off the shrub.

Other Nutrients

More than vitamins, elderberries also contain calcium, iron, fiber and phosphorus, improving your bone, blood and heart health. Elderberries also contain a fair amount of potassium -- a mineral and electrolyte that promotes healthy heart function and aids smooth muscle contractions. Potassium might also lower high blood pressure and, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, people with diets rich in potassium are less likely to experience a stroke than people who do not consume much potassium.