Elderberry Syrup recipe

Looking to make an immunity boosting syrup that is simple to put together?

Elderberry Syrup Recipe

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Before we begin it is important to mention that it is up to you to determine for yourself if there are any contraindications with supplements or medications you are taking before consuming this natural healing syrup.  This recipe contains some pretty powerful plant allies & they do need to be respected.  It is better to err on the side of caution especially when it comes to something as important as your health.  I am not a Doctor & none of what I am about to share with you is medical advice but rather is for informational & educational purposes.  Always be sure to consult your medical practitioner before starting or stopping any medication, natural or pharmaceutical.

With that being said, let’s talk about this beautifully healing syrup that can boost your immune system, shorten the length of illness, & potentially decrease mucus production during colds.  Who wouldn’t want something like this within arms reach as we enter the cold & flu season?!?

Let’s explore our ingredients

Elder

Sambucus canadensis Sambucus nigra

The first ingredients I want to talk about are Elderberries & Elder Flower.  Their constituents are in vitamin C, vitamin A, bioflavonoids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, beta-carotene, iron, potassium & phytosterols. 

Elder flowers are diaphoretic which means they are capable of inducing sweating & can help lower a fever.  

Elderberries have some very powerful antiviral properties so they can be so helpful in treating viral infections such as flus & shingles.  

While the flowers are edible & quite delicious the berries need to be cooked or consumed in a tincture, never eat raw elderberries as they can cause an upset stomach, diarrhea as they are mildly poisonous in their raw form.  We will be cooking them thoroughly in this recipe so there’s no need to worry, just something to keep in mind.

Remember how I mentioned contraindications & how important it is for you to check to see if you might have any?   Some contraindications of Elder could include a worsening of certain autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis & Rheumatoid Arthritis.  It should also be avoided during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Ginger Root

Zingiber officinale

Ginger Root constituents are essential oils, oleoresin, gingerol (this is what gives ginger it’s hot taste & stimulating action)

It contains a proteolytic enzyme that has the ability to reduce inflammation as well as antiseptic properties that are highly effective in treating gastrointestinal infections.  It is also a warming herb which helps cold-type imbalances such as colds, flus, respiratory congestion, sore throat & even poor circulation. 

Echinacea

Echinacea purpurea

Echinacea constituents are polysaccharides, caffeic acid, echinacoside, sesquiterpenes, tannins, linoleic acid, beta-carotene & vitamin C.  You must avoid echinacea if you have an allergy to the Aster family.

Echinacea raises the body’s natural resistance to infection & it does this by stimulating & aiding in immune function.  The trick with successfully using echinacea & allowing it to fortify the immune system is that it needs to be administered at the first sign of illness.  If taken in small doses it can prevent future illnesses.  

Rose Hips

Rosa canina L.

The constituents of Rose Hips are flavonoids, carotenoids, fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, antioxidant properties & anti-inflammatory agents.

Rose Hips have so many important & beneficial properties such as boosting the immune system, reducing inflammation & even treating diarrhea just to name a few.  So you can see why these could be another plant ally we can lean on in times of sickness & disease.  

One things to be cautious of when using rose hips is since they are so high in vitamin C, you would want to be cautious if you are experiencing anything with the kidneys as it could aggravate the condition.

Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Lemon Peel

Citrus limon

Constituents of the lemon peel include flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins, carboxylic acids, amino acids, vitamin A, vitamin C, beta carotene, folate, calcium, magnesium & potassium which truly makes it a powerhouse of a plant that we can rely on. 

Lemon peel can actually help the body in its detoxification process as well, which is always a good thing when fighting off an illness.

Cinnamon

Cinnamomum verum

The constituents cinnamon has to offer are essential oils, tannins, iron, magnesium, mucilage, zinc & coumarins.

Cinnamon is another warming herb we can use to boost vitality, improve your circulation, and the reason we are including it today is because it also assists in clearing congestion.  Not only that it can also be used as a digestive aid & can help with bloating. 

One final thing that cinnamon can do in medicinal formulations is improve the flavor of the finished product.  Nobody wants to take medicine that tastes gross if they can avoid it do they?

Cloves

Syzygium aromaticum

The constituents of cloves are essential oils, flavonoids, tannins, manganese, potassium & vitamin K

Cloves possess analgesic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal & antimicrobial elements that can do wonders to boost your health & wellbeing.  It can protect against infection which is the main reason it is included in this immune boosting syrup recipe.

Raw Honey

Constituents of honey include enzymes, phenolic acids, vitamin B, minerals, amino acids, proteins & phytochemicals.  However the actual mineral content of honey is dependent upon the plants the honey originated from which is all the more reason to reach for raw honey rather than one that has been pasteurized.  

Raw honey = unpasteurized honey.

While the high heat of pasteurization extends the shelf life of the product, it isn’t always the best option especially when using honey for its health benefits.   Raw honey is just honey that has not been filtered which means it contains bee pollen, royal jelly, beeswax & propolis.

Of course a syrup wouldn’t be a syrup if it didn’t taste pleasant would it?  Well perhaps that’s just wishful thinking but even Mary Poppins reminds us a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down, which really  says it all.  But as we know sugar isn’t the best choice for our health so let’s look to Mother Nature & use one of her natural, wholesome sweeteners.

One very important aspect when it comes to honey is it is not recommended to children under the age of 1.  This is because honey contains spores of botulinum which could be fatal to a child.  This is why I am not recommending this syrup to any one under the age of 2, I’d rather be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to the little ones in our lives.  Read more about this here.

There’s a bit of information regarding our ingredients so let’s get to the recipe shall we?

Recipe

• 2 cups filtered water

• 1/3 cup dried Elderberries

• 1 Tbsp dried Ginger Root

• 1/2 Tbsp dried Echinacea

• 1/2 Tbsp dried Rose Hips

• 1/2 Tbsp dried Lemon Peel

• 1/2 Tsp dried Elder Flowers

• 1 Cinnamon Stick

• 1/4 Tsp whole Cloves

• 1/2 cup raw local Honey

Directions

1. In a saucepan combine everything except for the honey. 

2. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover saucepan & reduce heat to a simmer for 45-60 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half.  

3. Remove from heat & allow it to cool enough to be handled.  

4. Using a spoon or flat utensil, mash the berries in the saucepan.

5. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a bowl. Discard the mash & let the liquid cool until it is no longer hot. 

6. Add the honey & stir until combined.

7. Pour the syrup into a glass bottle & store in the refrigerator. It should have a shelf life of 2-3 month

Let’s talk about the dosage 

To help boost immune system:

• Adults take 1 Tbsp daily 

• Children over the age of 2 take 1 Tsp daily

When already sick:

• Adults take 1 Tbsp every 3-4 hours up to 6 times per day

• Children over the age of 2 take 1 Tsp every 3-4 hours up to 6 times per day.

Why is 6 the maximum recommended dosage?  This is because alongside the many benefits elderberries have to offer they are also mild diuretics & may cause unintended side effects if taken in excess.

Watch the video & tutorial HERE