Elderberry Syrup

Elderberry syrup is very well known for being a great immune booster that helps fight colds and flu fast.   It is high in Vitamin A, C and quercitin which shorten the length of colds and flu and also help to break up mucous.  Unfortunately, a lot of the over-the-counter brands have a lot of added sugar or other unhealthy ingredients added to them.   Good thing elderberry syrup is so easy to make.   There are so many recipes out there but this is the one that I have been using for years:  https://realfoodrn.com/homemade-elderberry-syrup/. 

See my step-by-step instructions and learn about the ingredients below.  

Ingredients

2/3 cup dried elderberries

3 ½ cups of water

2 Tbsp fresh grated ginger

1 tsp cinnamon powder

½ tsp whole cloves

1 cup raw honey

A couple notes on the ingredients before we get into how to make it  

·         Fresh elderberries can be used and work amazing.  They grow really well in Wisconsin.  If you or a friend has some growing nearby feel free to use them (and I would love to come pick some as well 😊).  Make sure NEVER to eat uncooked elderberries.  They are toxic and high in arsenic when uncooked!  Freeze them first and then the berries easily fall off the branches.  I buy the freeze-dried organic Frontier brand in the picture below on amazon.  I’ve also purchased them at Fresh Thyme in the bulk spice section before the pandemic. 

·         Ginger:  Please use fresh ginger.  It has so many more nutrients in it than the dried ginger and dried ginger can cause it to be too spicy.   I buy mine at Woodmans in the produce section.  You can stick it in a sandwich bag and freeze it and then grate a chunk of it any time you need it.

·         Cloves:  You can use powdered cloves, but I prefer whole.  Cloves have a very strong flavor and since we strain this mixture before bottling, the whole cloves are left out of the finished product, but their nutrients and their flavor is left in when simmering.

·         Honey:  Any time you use honey for medicinal purposes, try to find a raw honey that is local to Wisconsin or the Midwest.  Costco carries the one in the picture below, but you can also get it easily at farmers markets and many of the grocery stores will carry a local brand.  Raw honey is really great for helping with allergies and keeps more of the nutrients in it. 

Now to the making of the syrup

1.       First of all, gather all your ingredients.    

2.       In a saucepan, simmer the elderberries, water, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves for 45 minutes.

3.       After simmering, let the sauce cool down before straining.   I love using a nut bag or cheese cloth over a strainer. 

4.       Lastly, whisk in the raw honey to the strained mixture and store in a glass jar.    Keep elderberry syrup in the refrigerator to prolong its freshness.  Mason jars or empty syrup bottles work great for storing and one batch can last most of the winter.

How much to take:

                Elderberry syrup can be taken daily just like a multi vitamin or every few hours when sick.   I recommend to start taking it daily in the fall and throughout the winter. 

                Kids: 1 tsp at a time

                Adults: 1 TBSP at a time

To help with a sore throat, avoid drinking liquids right afterwards.