Homemade Elderberry Syrup

As the cold weather sets in each year, many ask about the most effective herbal remedies for staying healthy through the winter months. "What supplements can I use to help keep my family strong this sniffle season?" is a frequent question. While many herbs target particular health goals, elderberry is one of our go-to recommendations for general immune support.

wild elderberries

This versatile berry has long been valued for its ability to bolster the body's defenses against illness. Modern research has confirmed elderberry's antiviral properties, showing it can reduce severity and duration of cold and flu symptoms. Elderberry is readily available in syrups, lozenges, and gummies, making it easy to incorporate into your family's daily routine. With its pleasant taste and stellar safety profile, elderberry is an ideal natural solution to help ward off those winter bugs. By adding elderberry to your wellness toolkit this season, you can give your immune system the extra care it needs to stay resilient.

Here is our recipe for this powerful, immune-boosting syrup (with links to amazon products) Ingredients

• 2 cups dried organic elderberries

• 2-3 tsp. organic dried ginger root powder

• 1tbsp. organic ceylon cinnamon or 1-2 organic cinnamon sticks

• 1 cup raw unfiltered honey

• 2 tbsp. of manuka honey (optional)

• 2 tbsp. of rose hips (for big punch of Vit. C)

• 4 cups cold water (distilled or purified water). We have a reverse osmosis system

• 1 cup Vodka or Brandy optional (for adults ONLY)

Directions

1. Combine berries and herbs with cold water in pot and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat and allow herbs to simmer 30 to 40 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and let steep 1 hour.

4. Smash and strain berries using a mesh strainer. (We use a mashed potato masher to smash the berries before straining it.)

5. Once liquid has cooled to just above room temperature, add honey and stir to incorporate. Do NOT add in honey until mixture is cooled as it will kill all the healing properties of the honey.

6. If using vodka or brandy, add here and stir until well combined.

7. Bottle in sterilized glass and store in the refrigerator.
   

Pro tips:

• Be sure to add honey in a ratio that is at least half of the total volume of liquid after it has simmered. This amount can change slightly and you want to make sure you have enough preservative (honey) so that your syrup won't spoil.
  

• This recipe is easy to multiply if you’d like to make a big batch to store or give as gifts (glass jars are great choices!).
  

My family enjoys one tablespoon of this syrup, right out of the fridge, just about every day during the sniffle season, or every other day to boost the immune system.