Let's first look at the Elder tree (really a shrub), where we get these amazing medicinal berries ....
Elderberry has a long history of medicinal use by Native Americans, Europeans, etc., as well as has been shown through evidence-based medicine to be very effective at increasing immune response and being a very effective anti-viral agent.
Highlights of the Flowers and Berries:
Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Ingredients:
Method:
NOTE: I use an Elderberry Kevita bottle for four reasons (1) It’s an amber (brown bottle). (2) These bottles have mouth about an inch in diameter for easy filling. (3) It says Elderberry. (4) Reusing is better than recycling.
That's all! :) … oh I forgot, made with kindness and love as well.
How to Use:
Standard Dose (for prevention):
Super Immune Boosting Dose (for times of infection or times of high stress):
Substituting for the raw honey in elderberry syrup is not recommended for full immune boosting power, unless vegan or young children.
*Oxidative stress - imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (free radicals) and antioxidant defenses, resulting in cellular damage or cellular death.
**Decoction - method of extraction by boiling herbal or plant material to dissolve the chemicals of the material, which may include stems, roots, bark and rhizomes
¹Krawitz C, Mraheil MA, Stein M, et al. Inhibitory activity of a standardized elderberry liquid extract against clinically-relevant human respiratory bacterial pathogens and influenza A and B viruses. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2011;11:16. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-11-16.
²Tiralongo E, Wee SS, Lea RA. Elderberry Supplementation Reduces Cold Duration and Symptoms in Air-Travellers: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2016;8(4):182. doi:10.3390/nu8040182.
³V. Barak, T. Halperin, I. Kalickman. The effect of Sambucol, a black elderberry-based natural product, on the production of human cytokines: I. Inflammatory cytokines. European Cytokine Network. 2001;12(2):290-6.
Highlights of the Flowers and Berries:
- High in bio-flavonoids (including quercetin and anthocyanins) that act as antioxidants that protects cells from oxidative stress.*
- Efficacy enhanced when combined with Echinacea, Goldenseal, and/or bee products.
- Anti-inflammatory properties that helps with relieving congestion.
- Anti-viral properties to prevent – or in cases of infection, to shorten duration of – colds and the flu.
- Anti-bacterial properties.
- "Elderberry liquid extract is active against human pathogenic bacteria as well as influenza viruses."¹
- Elderberry extract consumption results in a “significant reduction of cold duration and severity in air travelers.”²
- Elderberry, Echinacea, and Propolis [resin in raw honey] are “natural remedies with antiviral properties, especially against different strains of influenza virus.” “Echinacea, the purple coneflower, is used as an herbal medicine against the common cold and bronchitis.” Propolis has anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, and liver protective properties.³
Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup dried elderberries, wild harvested or organic
- 4 cups of filtered or spring water
- 2 Tablespoon fresh ginger root or 2 teaspoons dried ginger
- 1-2 teaspoons Ceylon cinnamon powder or 1-2 sticks of Ceylon cinnamon.
- ½ – 1 teaspoon clove powder or 6-12 whole cloves
- 1 star anise (optional)
- 1 cup organic raw honey, local preferred
Method:
- Pour water into medium saucepan and add elderberries, ginger, cinnamon and cloves (do not add honey yet, because the heat will destroy many of its medicinal benefits)
- 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.
- At that point, remove from heat and let cool enough to be handled.
- Pour through a strainer into a glass bowl.
- Discard the elderberries.
- Let the liquid cool to lukewarm ( i.e., less than 110 degrees), add honey and stir well.
- When honey is well mixed into the elderberry mixture, pour the syrup into a sterilized pint canning jar or 16-ounce glass bottle.
NOTE: I use an Elderberry Kevita bottle for four reasons (1) It’s an amber (brown bottle). (2) These bottles have mouth about an inch in diameter for easy filling. (3) It says Elderberry. (4) Reusing is better than recycling.
That's all! :) … oh I forgot, made with kindness and love as well.
How to Use:
- Store Homemade Elderberry Syrup in the refrigerator or use to make Elderberry Gummies.
- It could last several months, but why should it? It tastes great added to some juice or just taken from a spoon.
- Shake well before use.
Standard Dose (for prevention):
- Children: ½ teaspoon, once per day
- Adults: 1 teaspoon, once per day
Super Immune Boosting Dose (for times of infection or times of high stress):
- As soon as you feel an illness developing or when feeling run down, take double the normal dose up to 3 times a day until symptoms resolve.
Substituting for the raw honey in elderberry syrup is not recommended for full immune boosting power, unless vegan or young children.
- Use organic maple syrup or organic, unsulfured blackstrap molasses is for babies under 1-2 years old or vegans.
- An elderberry tincture can be made to avoid sweeteners altogether that can be combined with a propolis tincture. That is a post for another day.
- It is claimed that mixing the above decoction** of elderberries sans honey with equal parts organic vodka or organic brandy works well, but I have not tried ... yet.
*Oxidative stress - imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (free radicals) and antioxidant defenses, resulting in cellular damage or cellular death.
**Decoction - method of extraction by boiling herbal or plant material to dissolve the chemicals of the material, which may include stems, roots, bark and rhizomes
¹Krawitz C, Mraheil MA, Stein M, et al. Inhibitory activity of a standardized elderberry liquid extract against clinically-relevant human respiratory bacterial pathogens and influenza A and B viruses. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2011;11:16. doi:10.1186/1472-6882-11-16.
²Tiralongo E, Wee SS, Lea RA. Elderberry Supplementation Reduces Cold Duration and Symptoms in Air-Travellers: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2016;8(4):182. doi:10.3390/nu8040182.
³V. Barak, T. Halperin, I. Kalickman. The effect of Sambucol, a black elderberry-based natural product, on the production of human cytokines: I. Inflammatory cytokines. European Cytokine Network. 2001;12(2):290-6.
Elderberry Gummies
Ingredients:
Method:
Take daily as needed to avoid flu or take every few hours to help beat the flu (or other virus) faster.
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container (parchment paper helps keep layers from sticking).
- 1 cup elderberry syrup
- ¼ cup gelatin powder (NOTE: ¼ cup = 4 Tablespoons)
- ½ cup hot but not boiling water
- coconut oil for silicone molds
Method:
- Grease silicone molds with coconut oil to prevent sticking.
- Place ¼ cup of cooled elderberry syrup in a 2 cup measuring cup and quickly whisk in the gelatin powder.
- Add the ½ cup of hot (not boiling) water and stir quickly until smooth.
- Add the rest of the elderberry syrup and stir or whisk until completely smooth.
- Pour into silicone molds and refrigerate for 2 hours or until completely firm.
Take daily as needed to avoid flu or take every few hours to help beat the flu (or other virus) faster.
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container (parchment paper helps keep layers from sticking).
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Please make sure that your silicone products that are used for food preparation are food grade and 100% pure silicone.
Look for LFGB food grade certification not just FDA food grade certification. FDA is used in the United States and LFGB (which has stricter standards) is used in Germany and Europe. Pinch Test: Simple test for fillers in silicone. Simply pinch, twist, or pull the silicone- if it turns white, then it has fillers. Use only molds made with 100% pure silicone. These will not turn white when "pinched". |
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