Homemade Elderberry and Honey Syrup
Did you know Elderberries have been used for centuries to treat coughs and colds? In fact, in 400 B.C Hippocrates referred to the Elder Tree as his "medicine chest". There is definitely truth to the benefits of this historical remedy.
Check out just some of the amazing health benefits of Elderberries below:
They are packed full of antioxidants (even more than most other berries!)
Evidence shows that Elderberry may help to reduce symptoms of the flu and other respiratory infections. Check out this article.
Elderberries are high in vitamin C.
Elderberries are a good source of Vitamin A, B6, Calcium, and Iron.
They are rich in dietary fibre and potassium.
Elderberries have been used as treatment for constipation, hay fever, joint pain, prevention of colds/flu, among many other things!
They also have been show to significantly reduce the risk of developing Alzheimers/dementia as well as cancer.
I make Elderberry syrup to give to our family during cold and flu season to prevent and help get over illnesses. Store-bought syrups usually contain refined sugar, which is something I prefer to avoid giving my children on a daily basis (but most especially when they are unwell!). This recipe just contains honey as the sweetener. You can use regular honey if that's all that's available to you, but I would recommend using local honey due to it's health benefits.
This recipe has ginger in it to help break up excess mucus, soothe a sore throat/sore tummy, and promote sweating to eliminate toxins. The clove makes it easier to cough up phlegm, as well as having antiseptic properties to help eliminate the spread of germs. Cinnamon adds some more antioxidants, while adding to the lovely flavour. The combination of these three spice and the local honey makes it the perfect immunity syrup. The smell of this goodness wafting through my house was enough to convince me to make Homemade Elderberry and Honey Syrup as a little pre-autumnal ritual every year!
Disclaimer: When harvesting your Elderberries, make sure you do your research beforehand. Only consume wild things you are certain are safe. I am not a medical professional, please consult your doctor for medical advice.
Homemade Elderberry and Honey Syrup
Ingredients
Equipment needed: Saucepan, a sieve, cheesecloth/thin muslin, and jars/glass bottle to store syrup.
150 grams of fresh (or frozen) elderberries (about 1 cup)
945 ml of water (4 cups)
2 teaspoons of dried cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of dried ginger
1/2 teaspoon of dried cloves
340 grams of honey (about 1 cup)
Directions
Prepare elderberries by washing, plucking off stems with a fork, removing all unripe berries, stems, leaves, bark and as many bugs as possible. (SEE note)
Add elderberries, water, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Bring down to a simmer, and gently simmer for half an hour.
When finished, remove from heat. Strain the berries using a cheesecloth/muslin into a bowl. Use a wooden spoon to sqeeze all the juice out of the berries.
Leave mixture to cool for about 10 minutes. Whisk in the honey. Decant into glass jars or bottles. Syrup will store about 3 months in the fridge, and 6 months in the freezer.
Dosage? There is no set and fast rule for dosage of Elderberry Syrup. For preventative use an adult can take 1 Tablespoon per day, and a child (above age one) 1 teaspoon per day. (More may be taken when unwell) This syrup is delicious over pancakes or mixed in yogurt!
Note: Green/unripe berries, leaves, stems, and bark of the Elderberry bush are all toxic in large amounts.
