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Elderberry syrup is an excellent, natural way to keep your family healthy. Elderberries are high in antioxidants, vitamins, and have been proven to enhance your immune system functions. It can be taken preventatively or taken when your family is sick, to reduce severity and length of symptoms associated with illness like flu and cold. With the added (optional) essential oils, this is a major immune boost!
If you do choose to use essential oils, make sure you use high quality food-grade essential oils. Don’t use cheap ones from the grocery store! I use and recommend Young Living oils.
Elderberry Syrup Recipe
*This recipe should make 4 Pint jars of elderberry syrup
- 2 cups dried organic elderberries (you can buy dried elderberries or forage for them)
- 8 cups water
- Raw, organic honey
- 2tsp cinnamon
- 3TBSP fresh grated ginger
- 1tsp ground clove
- *You can use essential oils in place of the spices (or a combination of the two) – see below
- Place elderberries in a saucepan with 8 cups of water. Bring to simmer and reduce heat to low for 1 hour. It’s really important to cook elderberries thoroughly. Make sure to let it cool and strain berries/juice over a bowl with a cheese cloth. Discard/compost the berries.
2. In each jar, place a generous scoop or two of raw, organic honey. If using essential oils, add them into the honey:
- 4 drops Thieves
- 2 drops Ginger
- 2 drops Nutmeg
- 1 drop Copaiba
3. If you’re using spices, add them into the elderberry juice.
4. Pour the elderberry juice into the honey mixture.
5. Label and store in fridge in a mason jar. Honey is a natural preservative, so it will last for months!
Recommended dosing:
- Take 1/2-1 TBSP for Adults and 1/2-1 tsp for kids daily for preventative care.
- Increase to 2-3 doses a day when your family is under the weather and needs additional immune support.