THE SCIENCE OF ELDERBERRIES
Elderberries have gained a lot of traction over the past few years! Maybe you’re wondering “What do they do”, “Do they even work?!” or “how do I make homemade Elderberry Syrup?”
Elderberries have been used for centuries to treat ailments + diseases. Most commonly they are used to prevent symptoms such as coughing, sore throat, sniffles, or congestion. They have been clinically studied for their immune supporting properties!
Elderberries are best used preventatively as their immuno-stimulant properties can help fight off virus or infection before you even know you’ve been exposed! This study in September 2019 even shows how elderberries can be helpful in treating human coronavirus symptoms.
Elderberry syrup can also be used at the onset of symptoms and is beneficial at reducing the duration or intensity of symptoms! This double-blind placebo controlled study followed sixty patients exhibiting influenza-like symptoms. Those who received elderberry several times a day reported less severe symptoms and recovered on average 4 days sooner!
BENEFITS OF ELDERBERRIES
- May provide relief from symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, sore throat
- May shorten the duration of an illness
- Antioxidants encourage glowing skin
- Reduce inflammation in the body
- High in Vitamin C
- Expectorant properties help with phlegm + mucous.
Personally I SWEAR by this stuff! I’ve noticed all of these benefits + more to be be true when I’ve used it!
Homemade elderberry syrup is SO easy + so affordable to make!
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE ELDERBERRY SYRUP
Every recipe you’ll find is a litttttle bit different. But the good news is you really can’t mess up your homemade elderberry syrup. If you want your syrup more/less spicy feel free to add more spices! If you like it sweeter, just add a little bit of extra honey. It’s very forgiving 🙂
You’ll need:
- 4 cups filtered water
- 1/2 cup dried elderberries (These are my favourite!)
- Ginger, clove & cinnamon (1 tsp ground spices or 1-2 drops pure essential oils!)
- 1/3 cup raw, local honey
Mix water, elderberries and fresh/ground spices in a pan on medium heat. If you’re using essential oils, you’ll add them later (heating EOs or honey to high temperatures destroys a lot of their therapeutic qualities). Let simmer for 30 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly and drain well with a fine strainer and/or cheese cloth.
While still slightly warm mix in the honey until incorporated. Add more/less depending on your preferences.
Since honey isn’t recommended for children under 1, you can use pure maple syrup or your preference for sweetener.
If using essential oils (I ONLY recommend doing this with Doterra oils), add 1 drop each of ginger, clove and cinnamon. I recommend doterra, but be sure that whatever brand you are using is approved for internal use!
Store your homemade elderberry syrup in a glass container in the fridge! Children take 1 tsp / Adults take 1 tbsp a few times a week for preventative measures.
*This is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a trusted health care professional*
