Wellness Wednesday
How to Make Elderberry Syrup
I am starting a new series called Wellness Wednesday where I give you tips and tricks on how to keep your family healthy. Today, I am going to teach you how to make elderberry syrup. This is something that a lot of people will purchase in the store but you can save a lot of money by making it yourself.
Did you know that elderberries have natural A, B and C vitamins? Isreali researchers found the complex sugars support the immune system. They found that elderberry disarms the enzyme viruses use to penetrate healthy cells in the nose and throat. There was a study done on elderberry that showed 20% improvement after 24 hours. 70% improvement by 48 hours and 90% improvement after 3 days. This was a significant improvement when compared to the placebo group who took 6 days before they recovered!
Watch my YouTube video to learn how to make the syrup!
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups water
2/3 cup organic elderberries
1 cup raw honey
5 drops OnGuard essential oil
Why do I add OnGuard essential oil to my elderberry syrup? Many recipes request cinnamon stick, clove, ginger…etc but I prefer to use OnGuard essential oil because it has cinnamon and clove already in it. Essential oils are MUCH more potent than the herb form of the plant! Cinnamon and clove are amazing for immune support so by adding the OnGuard essential oil, it gives the elderberry syrup a super immune boost!
Boil the elderberries with water for about 10 minutes then reduce the temp down to simmer and put the lid on the pot. Boil for about 1 hour until the liquid is reduced in half. Use a potato masher and mash down the elderberries to get the nutrients from the inside of the berries. Strain the berries and the liquid. Add honey and stir. Let it cool and add 5 drops of onguard and store in the fridge in a glass container.
1/2 – 1 tsp per day for kids for immune boost. (increase to every 2-3 hours when illness hits)
1/2 – 1 tbsp per day for adults for immune boost (increase to every 2-3 hours when illness hits)