Elderberry Syrup- The Ultimate Cold & Flu Prevention
Everyone seems to be raving about elderberries- and they have a good reason.
Elderberries are one of nature’s finest gifts, jam packed with potent nutrients
Elderberries are the dark purple fruit of the beautiful elderberry shrub, and are a rich source of antioxidants known as anthocyanins.
According to this study, elderberry extract has been shown to reduce the duration of flu symptoms by an average of 4 days when taken within the first 48 hours of symptoms appearing. Amazing isn’t it?! Please note: elderberries are best eaten cooked as they contain small amounts of cyanide when consumed raw.
For those who are concerned that elderberries may cause a cytokine storm, various peer reviewed studies such as these two studies: A & B show that elderberry is not likely to be able to cause a cytokine storm to happen by itself, and there are no direct links between elderberries/ other herbs associated with cytokine storms. In fact, cytokine release syndrome is often caused by those with heavy toxic loads on their bodies. leading to damaged tissues and prolonged infections, and vary from individual to individual. Thank you to Gaia and Herbal academy for shedding light on this issue.
BENEFITS OF ELDERBERRIES
Boost the immune system
Fight and protect against pathogens such as bacterial & viral infections
Reduce the symptoms and duration of a cold or the flu
Rich in antioxidants and anti inflammatory properties (great for those with toxicity in their body/ smokers)
Helps support sinus infections
Contain anti-carcinogenic properties
Rich in quercetin = alleviate symptoms of allergies
High in vitamin A= healthy vision, skin and immunity.
WHY ELDERBERRY SYRUP?
Elderberry syrup is comprised of elderberries and other herbs cooked with honey to form a delicious syrup- super easy to consume + kid friendly.
Any combination of herbs will work, just depends on what your goal is. Here is MY personal recipe.
ELDERBERRY SYRUP RECIPE
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 mins- 1hour
Size: 1.5 litres
Exact measurements: I eyeballed it, this is a rough estimate, go with your gut.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup elderberries
Ginger
2 Cinnamon sticks
Thyme (15 grams)
1/2 cup raw honey
Cloves (5 grams)
Rose petals (10 grams)
Mushrooms- I chose Shiitake but you can choose any, starting from Turkey tail- chaga
2 litres Distilled/ purified water
Heres why i chose these specific herbs in my recipe
Roses: high in vitamin C = immunity
Mushrooms: High in B vitamins, immunomodulators + support healthy mood & energy levels
Thyme: tasty + natural antimicrobial herb
Ginger: Stimulates the digestive system, anti inflammatory properties that helps with cold & flu
Cloves: Antimicrobial, anti-parasitic, kill off bad bacteria, rich in antioxidants & nutrients.
Cinnamon: antioxidant powerhouse, support healthy blood glucose + keeps viruses at bay
Honey: I chose wildflower honey- super delicious. Boosts immune system, antibacterial & nourishes the body
INSTRUCTIONS
Bring water to boil, then add elderberries, cloves, cinnamon sticks, mushrooms and ginger
Bring down to a simmer and cover the pot, for about 40 minutes.
Add rose petals, thyme and any other leafy herbs you want
The water will gradually decrease and go down to around 1.5 litres.
After around 1 hour, the liquid should be thicker and reduced (I leave mine for even longer to extract the most beneficial components of the herbs)/. Remove off stove and filter out the menstruum from the liquid. You can choose to discard all the material or consume it.
While the liquid is still warm but not boiling hot (you dont want to kill the beneficial properties of honey with high heat), add the honey and stir until fully dissolved.
Et voila! You now have elderberry syrup. Place in mason jar or tight sealing container and store in the fridge for a maximum of 3 months.
Consume about a table spoon/ shot glass a day preventatively, or take more if you are feeling under the weather.
It is so delicious, you can add some syrup to your water/ drinks as a natural beneficial flavouring agent.
