It is December and I’m seriously baffled by how quickly the last few months have gone. But advent season is upon us, along with all its hustle and bustle, a tad stressful and hopefully joyful! Typically, about September I start taking note of all the resources we use to keep our bodies healthy. This year I am waaaayyy behind. (Oops!) There are a number of things I make sure we are well stocked on to keep our immune systems boosted do, but one of the most essential pieces of the home apothecary is elderberry syrup! This syrup is my #1 go-to tool when someone is coming down with an illness. It’s easy to make at home, super effective and tastes delicious, which is very helpful when caring for littles!
So what is elderberry syrup and what makes it such a key tool? Elderberry syrup at it’s core is an herbal decoction. A decoction is the process of boiling an herb in water to extract it’s health properties. A syrup is a decoction with added sugar (honey, maple syrup, etc.) and sometimes alcohol for preservation. But what makes this syrup so effective? Elderberries, of course, but also the infusion of this with other herbs that also boost the immune system, such as ginger, cinnamon, and honey. Elderberries come from a shrub/tree, depending on the variety. The berries of the Elder plant contain both antiviral and antibacterial properties as well as many other properties that heal the body and boost the body’s immune response. Ginger and cinnamon along with their warming quality, are known for their antibacterial, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties. And finally, honey! Honey is (in my humble opinion) a super power! I could talk about honey for hours, but for the sake of this blog post (and your screen time) I’ll stick to why I put it in my elderberry syrup. The main properties that honey provides for your immune system include antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and a natural energy boost that helps your body continue to fight off whatever is attacking your system. Honey also acts as a preservative for the syrup, making it suitable for anyone in the family over the age of one. All of these herbs together create a concentrated dose of syrup that is delicious and all your body needs to fight sickness off properly.
Now that we know the why, let’s talk about the how- which is surprisingly simple!! When making the syrup it’s helpful to know that the basic ratio of dried berries to water is 2:4 and the rest is really up to you (have fun with this part)! So if you have 2 cups of berries, you will need 4 cups of filtered water. You can use whatever water you have access to, but your end product is the quality of the ingredients you start with. Water free of chemicals such as chlorine and fluoride will be best for your body, especially as your body is trying to heal.
Ingredients:
2 cups dried elderberry
4 cups filtered water
__ Ginger
__ Cinnamon
½ total syrup amount Honey
Step 1: Mix together and bring to a boil.
Put all ingredients together in a pot, except for the honey. Give it a good stir and bring it to a boil.
Step 2: Simmer
Once boiling, put a lid on the pot if you haven’t yet and reduce it to a very low simmer and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 3: Steep
After about 20 minutes, remove from heat and let steep with the lid on for a full hour.
Step 4: Strain
Using a sieve and cheesecloth, strain out the liquid making sure to squeeze out the berries themselves as well, into a large jar or bowl, measuring how much total syrup you are left with.
Step 5: Adding honey
Take the amount of syrup you have left (I typically measure in oz) and add half that amount of honey to the syrup and mix well.
Store in the fridge. Take a spoonful once a day when healthy and 2-3 oz when feeling under the weather.
When I started on my natural living journey, this felt like a big, kind of scary step- it’s okay if you feel like that too! Making this syrup now feels like just another load of laundry. Except its fun and more rewarding. I wouldn’t trade this skill or tool for anything. I hope you have the same experience!
Cheers, my friend, until next time,
Erin
The Simple Pursuit Mama 
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