Alicia Silverstone swears by an immune-boosting berry for better health

Even if you’re no stranger to turning to berries as a healthy and satisfyingly sweet snack, your go-to fruit salad likely includes the usual suspects: blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. But there’s one incredibly beneficial option you’re missing out on: elderberries. For centuries, the underrated immune booster has been used to treat colds, the flu, and other ailments by both reducing the duration and the symptoms. And one wellness-obsessed celeb in particular makes sure she eats ’em on the reg.

Alicia Silverstone, co-creator of Garden of Life’s new mykind Organics Herbals line, is always looking to better her well-being, whether through her vegan diet or forest bathing. But when it comes to making sure she stays sniffles-free, the mama’s secret weapon has always been elderberries. “They’re packed with phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and flavonols, which are powerful antioxidants that help boost your immune system and repair damage,” she tells Well+Good. “They’re also packed with beneficial minerals, such as iron, potassium, phosphorous, and copper, as well as vitamins A, B, and C.”

“I take them when traveling for an extra immune boost; it’s my go-to if I feel the onset of a cold or if my son Bear isn’t feeling 100 percent. They both taste like candy.” —Alicia Silverstone

So how does Silverstone get her fix? She typically relies on a couple different portable options that always do the trick whether she’s on the road or at home with her family: either elderberries in syrup- or gummy-form. “I take them when traveling for an extra immune boost; it’s my go-to if I feel the onset of a cold or if my son Bear isn’t feeling 100 percent,” she says.

So the next time you feel like your body could use a little extra TLC, this science-backed berry could become your new sweet and health-boosting BFF, too.

Try these five yoga poses to amp up your immune system. Or learn how you can breathe your way to better health.