Category: Natural Health

Immune-Boosting Homemade Elderberry Syrup

10/10/2014

Easily Make Delicious, Immune-Boosting Elderberry Syrup at Home

Elderberries are an immune-boosting powerhouse! They've been used for hundreds, if not thousands, of years to heal people of illness and to keep people healthy. In fact, black elderberries can be traced all the way back to Ancient Egypt, where elderberries were the main ingredient in several medicines. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, called this plant his “medicine chest” for all the ailments and illnesses it helped cure.

This elderberry syrup is extra potent, as I use 2 cups of elderberries, instead of the usual 2/3 cup or 1 cup. I also smash the berries for quite some time to get all the nutrients from these wonderful berries! Below are the benefits of this nutritious plant!

Elderberries:
-Boost the immune system
-Protects against bacteria & infection
-Slows down the spread of cancer
-Moderates the digestive process
-Prevents the development of diabetes
-Reduces the pain & speed of autoimmune diseases
-Helps with weight loss
-Lowers blood pressure
-Alleviates allergies
-Contain vitamins A, B, & C
-Provide iron, potassium, phosphorus & copper
-Provide fiber & protein
-Are anti-inflammatory
-Contain antioxidants
-Aides digestion
-Increases gastrointestinal health

The other main ingredient of elderberry syrup is raw, unfiltered organic honey. And made into elderberry syrup it is pure, yummy, deliciousness! The raw honey is LOADED with nutrients. There are over 80 different vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants found in raw, unfiltered honey! The entire B-Complex can be found in honey, along with vitamins A, C, D, E and K. The mineral content includes magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus, iron, calcium, potassium, iodine and manganese. Raw, unfiltered honey is also an alkaline food, having one of the highest live enzyme contents of all foods! To top it off, the honey is also antimicrobial and antibacterial! As you can see, all of these nutrients, in combination with the nutrients from the elderberries make for a super, immune-boosting syrup! Which is why it is so powerful at kicking the flu, and other illness, to the curb, where it belongs! My recipe makes just a little over a quart. And it will stay good for up to 3 months in the fridge.

Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe

1 cup raw, unfiltered organic honey
2 cups whole organic black elderberries
1 tablespoon organic clove powder
1 tablespoon organic ginger root powder
2 cinnamon sticks or 1 tablespoon of organic cinnamon powder
4 cups water
(this recipe ^ makes just over a quart of syrup-to make 2 quarts, add 2 more cups of water, and one more cup of honey to the recipe above)
Instructions:
Simmer the elderberries and seasonings in the water for 30-45 minutes. Let it cool and then mash the berries with a spoon, through a strainer and into a glass bowl. Add the honey and stir. Store in the fridge. I mash the berries for 10 minutes, just to be sure I get all the goodness out of them. Quart sized mason jars are perfect for storing the syrup.

Need to make Vegan elderberry syrup? Just substitute the honey with 100% pure, organic maple syrup.

And How Will Elderberry Syrup Fight Off The Flu?...
Elderberries have antioxidants called flavonoids (vitamin P) which are extracted and contained in the syrup. These flavonoids stimulate the immune system and have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antihistamine properties. Elderberries also have compounds called anthocyanins that have anti-inflammatory properties. The anti-inflammatory compounds found in elderberries are believed to be what soothes aches, pains and fevers associated with the flu.

Ingredients are available through my affiliate links below or locate and call a local, natural grocer to see if they carry black elderberries!

(please note, if you have any allergies or reactions to honey, any of the seasonings or the berries, for that matter, please do not use this recipe)

Resource: http://www.blackelderberry.info/clinical-summary/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4848651/