I don’t know about your family, but it seems like the second that kids go back to school (and mine are technically homeschooled) is when they all come down with their first cold of the season. It never seems to fail!
I try to be thoughtful and we do our best to keep the germs at bay. We wash our hands, get our vitamin D, and clean with germ blasting natural cleaners. While many people like to load up on the hand sanitizer, we actually shy away from that stuff and you can find out why in this post. All those are great things and they can help, but sometimes you just need to bring in the big guns.
What am I talking about?
Elderberry syrup!
Elderberry syrup is like the epitome of natural remedies. If you ask any natural living/natural remedy lover what their must have for staying healthy is they will all shout (yes, shout!): Elderberry Syrup! If you’ve never heard of elderberry syrup, you might be curious to know what all the fuss is about this supposed miracle worker. Allow me to explain…
Elderberry syrup is a syrup (although it’s not quite as thick as a syrup, it’s almost juice consistency in my opinion) which is made from, you guessed it, elderberries! Black elderberries by the way, if you are wanting to be adventurous and harvest your own elderberries, make sure you harvest black elderberry and not the other varieties!
What makes elderberry syrup so amazing is that it helps prevent colds and influenza. In fact, elderberry syrup has been shown to prevent against 10 strains of influenza! To put that in perspective, the flu vaccine is designed to protect against a few strains. This homemade elderberry syrup is not messing around!
But, it gets even better than that! Elderberry syrup does not just prevent you from getting sick, it is also a remedy just in case you do get sick! Isn’t that amazing?! When my kids get sick (which by the way, always seems to be because we missed one dose of elderberry syrup), I just give them spoonfuls of elderberry syrup and they recover much quicker!
Now you can buy elderberry syrup. Many natural stores are carrying it now and of course there is always online! However, store bought elderberry syrup is ridiculously pricey! The last time I checked, it was about $18 for just 8oz! Yeah… with the amount my family needs to get through the sick season that price is not going to work. What’s a frugal, DIY mama to do…?
Make your own homemade elderberry syrup!
I often say that if you can make tea, you can make elderberry syrup and it truly is as simple as that! Making your own elderberry saves you a bundle! It’s been awhile since I’ve done the math and it all varies a bit depending on when you buy your elderberries (the price goes up the deeper into sick season we get… so buy them now!) but I was calculating about $2-3 per 8oz for homemade elderberry syrup! If you want to save more by getting the most out of those elderberries then be sure to check out how to reuse them!
Grab certified organic elderberries from Scratch Mommy Founder, Jess, over in her shop…Pronounce Skincare & Herbal Boutique!
- 1/2 cup organic elderberries or 1 cup fresh elderberries
- 3 cups filtered water
- 1/2 cup honey organic, raw honey is preferred
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In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil.
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Add elderberries and reduce to a simmer.
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Simmer for 30-45 minutes or until reduced by half.
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Let cool and then strain into a clean jar.
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Add honey and mix well.
*Store elderberry syrup in the fridge where it should keep for 2-3 months.
*Do not give honey to children under 1 year.
Dosage:
To Prevent Illness:
1 tablespoon/day for adults. 1 teaspoon/day for children over 1 year.
To Treat Illness:
1 tablespoon/2-3 hours for adults. 1 teaspoon/2-3 hours for children over 1 year.
Comments 12
Is the honey necessary? Wondering if I can substitute a couple squirts of monk fruit instead? I can’t have sugar but really want to try this!
Sure! You could definitely substitute monk fruit juice. 🙂
Where is the best place to buy the elderberries?
From me at my sister site…Pronounce Skincare & Herbal Boutique! Elderberries Here
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. How much does it yield?
Oops! I just updated the recipe to reflect that this will make approximately 2 cups after reduced by half. 🙂
Do you use a medicine cup as a dosage or good old fashioned measuring spoons?
Hi Eileen! I use good old fashioned measuring spoons. 🙂
Can you substitute dried elderberries and if so, how much?
Hi Caprice~ Yes, this recipe uses dried elderberries. Happy DIYing for you!
Can you also infuse alcohol with elderberries to make a tincture? I was thinking of making an echinacea/elderberry tincture. Thank you!
Hi Jen~ Yes, you sure can! If you need it, here is some direction on making tinctures. Happy DIYing!