Now that fall is here and the kids are back to school, you might find that your family is getting hit with colds or the flu. Our family loves using elderberry syrup as a way to help boost our immune systems and fight the sickness when it hits. Store bought elderberry syrup is expensive and also has a lot of added sugar. I love this easy recipe from Wellness Mama. I purchased the dried elderberries on Amazon here.
Note: this recipe contains honey, so it's not suitable for children under the age of 1.
Ingredients
2/3 cup dried black elderberries, or 1 1/3 cups fresh or frozen
3½ cups water
2 TBSP fresh or dried ginger root
1 tsp cinnamon powder
½ tsp cloves or clove powder
1 cup raw honey
Instructions:
Pour water into medium saucepan and add elderberries, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour until the liquid has reduced by almost half.
Remove from heat and let cool until it is cool enough to be handled.
Mash the berries carefully using a spoon or other flat utensil.
Pour through a strainer into a glass jar or bowl.
Discard the elderberries and let the liquid cool to lukewarm.
When it is no longer hot, add the honey and stir well.
When the honey is well mixed into the elderberry mixture, pour the syrup into a quart sized mason jar or 16 ounce glass bottle of some kind.
Ta-da! You just made homemade elderberry syrup! Store in the fridge and take daily for its immune boosting properties. Some sources recommend taking only during the week and not on the weekends to boost immunity.
Standard dose: ½ tsp - 1 tsp for kids and ½ - 1 tablespoon for adults. If the flu does strike, take the normal dose every 2-3 hours instead of once a day until symptoms disappear.
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