Elderberry syrup is one of the most important tools in my home apothecary for keeping my family healthy when there are colds and flus flying around. We take it almost daily during the sickness season to support our immune systems. It also works as a great place to hide stronger flavored supplements such as cod liver oil.
Elderberry syrup:
- is proven against 10 strains of the flu.
- shortens the duration of both colds and flus.
- works with your body’s immune system to boost your natural immune response.
- contains vitamins A, B, and C.
- has NO risks associated with it.
If you are curious and would like to read the studies on elderberry 1, 2.
I’m sold on Elderberry Syrup! Now what?
Well, you can buy it online, in your favorite health store, or even many drug stores and grocery stores. I recommend getting an organic version, of course. Natures’s Way and Gaia have good ones that can be found on Amazon. They come in 8 or 4 ounce bottles. It is also easy to make your own elderberry syrup. When you make your own elderberry syrup, you can customize the flavor a bit. Depending on what you like, you can add other immune enhancing ingredients such as ginger, clove, cinnamon, fennel, and/or cardamom. You can buy a pound of dried organic elderberries for about $20. This will last you ages, because you only use 3/4 of a cup per batch. Plus, your house will smell amazing while you area making it!
How to make Elderberry Syrup for cold and flu prevention:
- 3/4 cup dried organic elderberries
- one quart of filtered water
- 1 cup of raw organic honey
- optional spices: ginger, clove, cinnamon, fennel, cardamom
Directions:
- Put the elderberries, water, and spices (except fennel) in a pot.
- Bring it to a boil.
- Turn the heat down to simmer (usually medium-low).
- Once the mixture is reduced by half, remove from heat and let cool. Strain out the berries/spices. Be sure to squish out the berries to get all the goodness out of them. You can do this with a wooden spoon and a sieve or pour the mixture through cheesecloth so that you can use your hands to squeeze it out.
- Once the mixture is about room temperature (or just above), you can mix in the honey. Honey has beneficial enzymes and microbes that can be killed by heat, so just be patient.
- Transfer to a glass container that is easy to pour from. I use pretty flip-top bottles and put a waterproof label on it. Keep it refrigerated. This recipe makes about 2 and half cups.
Should I add other spices? What do the other spices do?
- Ginger: anti-inflammatory. Also good for settling upset tummies and helps the body sweat our toxins. I always add a knob of ginger, thinly sliced, to the berries before bringing to a boil.
- Cinnamon: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and contains antioxidants. (Also balances blood sugar.) I usually add one cinnamon stick to the berries before bringing to a boil.
- Clove: antimicrobial and antiviral. Clove is a strong flavor, so I usually just add 2 or 3 cloves to the berries before boiling.
- Fennel: boosts white blood cells, is antibacterial and anti-fungal. My kids are super sensitive to the licorice-y taste of fennel, so I do not add it to our elderberry (syrup at this time). I add fennel to my morning tea blend, so at least I get it that way. My recommendations for adding it to elderberry syrup are to put 1/2-1 teaspoon into the berry mixture just in the last few minutes of simmering.
- Cardamom: helps clear congestion from colds, settles digestion and is antispasmodic (this is good for coughs and stomach cramps.) I love cardamom! I add cardamom seeds to my morning tea blend as well. For elderberry syrup, I add a few cardamom pods to the berries before bringing to a boil.
Tips for adding Elderberry syrup to your home apothecary:
- Elderberry is great for hiding things in! We put our virgin cod liver oil in ours. My kids drink it up and look forward to it!
- The standard dose for a child is 1/2 teaspoon daily and 1/2 tablespoon for adults.
- If you or a family member is coming down with something, bump up the dose to 3 or 4 times a day.
- I add echinacea tincture (see how to make your own tinctures if you want to make your own) to the elderberry if one of us seems to be coming down with something.
- Don’t freak out if you miss a day or two here and there. That is actually a good thing. I subscribe to the sentiment that you really shouldn’t take anything every day. I like to take weekends off from most supplements.
If you chose another route to prevent the flu and need help to body detox your from some of the ingredients:
Milk Thistle: Your liver has a huge job on any given day with the onslaught of modern toxins, but after a flu shot, it can’t hurt to give it a little extra help. Milk thistle is a great liver protective that also boost the liver’s detoxifying capabilities. It can be found in capsules, tea, and tinctures.
Dandelion Root: This is another great detoxifier. Read more here. It can be found in capsules, tea, and tinctures. There is a fun coffee substitute with dandelion root called Dandy Blend.
Chlorella: This amazing algae binds to metals in your body and helps escort them out. This is particularly helpful for shots with mercury or aluminum added to them. Be sure to get “broken cell wall” chlorella so that your body can actually use it.
Elderberry Syrup
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup dried organic elderberries
- filtered water
- optional spices: ginger cinnamon, fennel, cloves, and/or cardamom pods or seeds
- one cup raw honey organic
Instructions
- Put the elderberries, water, and spices (except fennel) in a pot. Bring it to a boil.
- Turn the heat down to medium- low to simmer.
- Once the mixture is reduced by half, remove from heat, let cool, and then strain out the berries/spices. Be sure to squish out the berries to get all the goodness out of them. You can do this with a wooden spoon and a sieve or pour the mixture through cheesecloth so that you can use your hands to squeeze it out.
- Be sure to let the liquid cool down before you touch it and before you add the honey. Honey has beneficial enzymes and microbes that can be killed by heat, so just be patient.
- Once the mixture is about room temperature (or just above), you can mix in the honey.
- Transfer to a glass container that is easy to pour from. I use pretty flip-top bottle like these and put a waterproof label on it. Keep it refrigerated. This recipe makes a bit more than 2 cups.
Notes
Have you ever used elderberry syrup? Have you tried making your own?
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9395631
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11399518
Keep in touch!
We love pinning on Pinterest!
However, our favorite way to keep in touch is through email! Subscribe and never miss a post. Plus, get access to the Holistic Health Resource Library. There you can download ebooks, PDFs, and Homeopathic Remedy Cards by condition for FREE!
You will also get emails with information on how to incorporate true holistic healing into your life. Absolutely no spam!
Evidenced-based Nutrition:
If you would like to figure out what the perfect diet is for YOUR body, functional nutritional therapy is for you!
Can you please make the elderberry syrup for me? ?
Absolutely…….if you come visit! 😉
How long will the elderberry syrup last in the refrigerator?
Hi Cindi,
Your homemade elderberry syrup should last about 6 months in the refrigerator as long as you used a clean pot, utensils, and storage jar. We go through ours much faster that that, however! 🙂
Chelsea