Elderberry Syrup- Natural Immune Booster

When I first heard of Elderberries, I thought my husband was nuts. He bought the plants from the Missouri Conservation and he bought a bunch. I looked at him as if he were crazy. What do you do with elderberries and where in the world are you going to plant 50 elderberry bushes? We only have about 1/4 of an acre lot and our home and garage takes up a big chunk of that property. I just couldn’t imagine how we could benefit from this bush. Boy was I wrong.

I started researching Elderberries and the benefits that they bring. I also started hearing about Elderberry Syrup on some social media groups I had joined about Natural Living. Elderberry Syrup is a great immune booster. It is safe for kids and adults. It has so many benefits.

“Elderberry syrup is a proven remedy for preventing and recovering from the flu, colds, excessive mucus, sore throats, and contains large amounts of antioxidants, potassium, beta carotene, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin C.”

I started thinking of all the people in my life that could benefit from an immune booster and a natural one at that. That list pretty much had everyone I knew on it. So, I tried it out for myself. I was willing to be the taste tester and the guinea pig to see if this syrup really does what it says. I was surprised. It really does help.

In my research I realized that making the syrup would be much more cost effective than buying it. Elderberry syrup ranges from  about $10 for 4 ounces to $35 dollars for 8 ounces. That just seemed ridiculous. Making the syrup only requires a few simple ingredients and can be made in 45 minutes. The result is a syrup that’s delicious, immune-boosting, and can last for a couple of months when stored in the fridge. I make a pint-sized batch at a time and give each of us a tablespoon daily. If a sickness strikes, I give the syrup every 4 hours with a dosage of 1 teaspoon.

Now that our plants are a couple years old, we are getting a hefty amount of berries. The berries are only really good to harvest for about a week in mid August for us. Some people dry the berries on the stem as a clump, but I chose to remove the berries from the stem so they dry faster and I was less likely to have little buggies in our house. You don’t have to dry the berries before you make the syrup, but I found that drying is the best way to store the berries for long periods of time.

I start with my dry ingredients. 1 Cinnamon stick, 1 Teaspoon of fresh Ginger, 4-5 whole Cloves and 3/4 cup of dried Elderberries (or 1 cup of fresh Elderberries)

I pour the dry ingredients into 3 cups of water and place the sauce pan on the stove. I bring the mix to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. I allow the dry ingredients to simmer for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, I smash the berries with a potato masher and simmer for another 45 minutes.

I used a quart size jar to strain the juice into. I use some cheese cloth and a ring to set up the strainer. This is the method I have found most effective. Feel free to come up with a way that works best for you.

I always strain the berries in batches. Be very careful. The juice will be hot and you don’t want to burn yourself. After most of the liquid has drained out of the berries, I usually remove the cheese cloth and squeeze as much juice out as possible.

Now you want to add 1 cup of honey to your strained liquid from your berries. This sweetens the syrup. I suggest buying local honey and from a bee farmer that you trust. I am lucky to have parents that are bee keepers. The honey is so good for coughs and it helps you build immunity to your local allergies that you may have from the great outdoors.

Now, you have the perfect syrup for fighting off  illnesses this season. Take 1 tablespoon daily by spoon or even mix it in a smoothie. Store in the fridge for up to 3 months (if it last that long.)