Herban Elderberry Syrup
Many of you already know how great Elderberry is for boosting the immune system to stave off the flu and common cold. But after the year we just had, this pandemic has taught us that every household needs to have plenty of Elderberry on deck! Whether you love our best selling Fireberry® (a combination of Fire Cider and our potent, medicinal version of Elderberry Syrup), our Elderberry tincture, or making this classic recipe at home… I think we can all agree that it is a must-have.
We have used Elderberry in my house for quite some time. The most effective way to use Elderberry is to prevent a cold or flu. If you use it right at the beginning, you know when you first start feeling “off,” then it will help to offset it. Taking frequent doses throughout the day really helps! Many of you know that I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s about 11 years ago, and they say we aren’t supposed to use Elderberry. Well, I have found that using Elderberry (one week out of a month) actually helps my thyroid. I am very in tune with my body and know when my levels are low or high just by paying attention to how I feel. Elderberry gets the “heavy” feeling out of my throat and makes me feel less flared up. I’ve also found that if I add a teaspoon of kelp to this recipe, it gives me the iodine I need to stay balanced.
You’ll need:
1 cup of dried Elderberries
1/4 cup of citrus peel (dried)
1 cup apple cider
2 tsp licorice root
2 kelp capsules (optional for thyroid health)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp thyme (dried)
2 tbsp rosemary (dried)
honey or agave to taste
cheesecloth & jar
Make it:
Place the elderberries, citrus peel, cider, licorice root, black pepper, and about 2 cups of water into a saucepan on high heat. Once you have reached a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the thyme, rosemary, and kelp (if using). Stir well and let steep for approximately 5 minutes.
Strain through a cheesecloth and squeeze out all the juice.
Now you can add your sweetener to taste and place in a jar.
Makes about 2 cups.
