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1.06.2017

Elderberry Syrup-My favorite Home Remedy

September is generally my month for making sure my natural medicine cabinet is well stocked. It just seems to go along with the rhythm of the seasons at our house. But naturally I'm just now, here in January getting around to telling you about my love affair with Elderberry.

I remember when I first discovered Elderberry. I was in college. Knee deep in homework and a head cold. My interest in holistic health had just started so when I came down with a bug I saught out natural relief. I ran across some information about Elderberry. Not having the means to make my own syrup I ran to the most natural grocer I knew, found and paid through the nose for a bottle of syrup. And guess what? It helped. 

I've continued to use this tried and true immune booster for years now. While I have yet to get my own Elderberry bushes-they are on my long list of plants for the Urban Farm I buy the dried berries on Amazon, the raw honey from local beekeepers, and make the syrup every few weeks because we go through it that fast! 

Urban Farm note: I have added blackberry bushes to the backyard. But they didn't look so good in the Fall. So I'm praying they make it through the Winter. Blackberry jam is the stuff dreams are made of. But I digress.


Over the past few batches my own recipe and method has went something like this. 

2/3 cup dried Elderberries
3 1/2 cups of water
2 1/2 TBS fresh ginger 
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp whole cloves 
3/4 cup honey 

Pour water, elderberries, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves in medium sauce pan. bring to a boil and then reduce for a simmer for about 1 hr. You want liquid to reduce by about half. Remove from heat and strain liquid into a glass bowl. Allow syrup to cool to room temperature. Then add honey and mix together. Store in glass jar or bottle and in fridge. 

Should last several months
Wait to add honey until liquid is cool to protect medicinal properties! 

Elderberry is high in Vitamin C, add all the medicinal properties of raw honey, clove, cinnamon, ginger, it's like a super food. Or super syrup. Last year I started giving our girl a dose of Elderberry everyday with supper and we have continued this practice this year. Prevention is key and I like to have a strong line of defense in place.

When we do feel under the weather we up the dose. Two or three times a day. And you know you are doing something right when your two year old asks for her "Ederberry Syrup". Sure thing baby. All day everyday.

Sometimes I get creative and make gummy snacks for her but at it's simplest form Elderberry Syrup tastes delicious on pancakes and waffles. Next batch is going to get made into a few popsicles for a new snack time treat. I've also read that it makes a fantastic jelly...which would be very handy when trying to give a dose to a squirrely little girl.

I've seen and felt this remedy stop bugs in the their tracks and offer quick recovery times. Along with our healthy homemade diet and other home remedies we have remained generally healthy and happy through many a cold and flu season.

Want to know more about my holistic medicine cabinet? Check out my Healthy at Home Pinterest board. I ONLY pin things I've used or am actually going to try!

Hooray for the things God made!

Blessings!

2 comments:

  1. Elberberry syrup is wonderful! All I've ever managed to do is take it for immunity and getting better from a cold. But, I love it!

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  2. Thanks for posting this Jess!! I'm really anxious to get the stuff and makes some.

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