Elderberry is a purple, peppercorn-sized berry that claims to pack an immune-boosting punch.
Ginger Butts, owner of Back to the Basics 101 in Cochran, uses the berry as the main ingredient in her elderberry syrup.
"Since I am an overachiever, I also add hibiscus and rose hip -- some of the best sources of vitamin C on the planet," Butts said.
All her herbs simmer in water for 30 minutes to create a colorful concoction.
"Once the herbs hit the hot water, it releases all it's medicinal properties, which puts the consumer at the peak of potency," Butts explained.
Butts says elderberry has been suppressing sickness for centuries.
"Hippocrates, he used it for over 70 different medical reasons," Butts said.
So it's a little berry with lots of uses, but is it true that it packs an immune-boosting punch?
Resident Physician Brandon Kirshner verifies.
"It's been around for centuries, even millennia, back to the days of ancient Egypt," Kirshner said, "It has been found to have immune-boosting properties."
Properties like antioxidants and plenty of vitamin C.
But the berry brings even more to the table!
"Israeli researchers have found that the complex sugars in elderberry deactivate some of the enzymes that viruses use to get into your healthy cells," Kirshner explained.
So, it's verified -- the little berry's bark is as big as its bite, helping to the kick the common cold to the curb.
Kirshner does warn that there are certain types of elderberries that are poisonous to humans, so know where your elderberries or syrup are coming from.
He says it's important to follow instructions when it comes to making syrup at home, such as the ones on the back of Butts' mix, very carefully.