Elderberry Syrup for Colds and Flu

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Good old elderberry syrup. She never disappoints. Always there when I need her. Nothing is more frustrating than having a cold or virus and suffering. And then being told by your doctor, sorry it just needs to run its course. Drink plenty of hot fluids and get rest. It’s even more frustrating when you have a sick baby or young child and all you can do is steam baths.

Over-the-counter cold medication is all but gone for children under the age of 6. What’s a parent to do? Your child is up all night with a sore throat and cough. You’re exhausted. And you know you’re gonna get hit with the bug next. In fact, you feel the start of a sore throat yourself. Is there anything you can do to prevent yourself from getting the sickness or help you get over it quicker? Why yes there is! Enter elderberry syrup.

If you’re looking for an elderberry syrup recipe that is safe for babies stay tuned this post is for you.

Elderberry syrup nutrients

Elderberries are rich in vitamin c, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, phosphorous, and potassium. Berries also contain beta-carotene, calcium, essential fatty acids, and quercetin. Flowers and leaves contain anthocyanins, flavonoids, triterpenes, carotenoids, phenolic acids, essential oil, tannins, and mucilaginous polysaccharides. Cooking elderberries is best. As the berries are poisonous if eaten raw. Many people use the fruit for pies, jams, wine. The flowers are used as a tea and also can be made into cordial syrups.

Elderberry Folk History

There is quite the myth around Elder. The Druids believed a spirit inhabited the elder. She was the White Goddess. A guardian of the underworld.

The Danish also believed the elder tree was sacred. And that spirit lived in her. They called her Hyldemoer or Elder Mother. It was forbidden to cut from the tree without asking permission. And if done so it brought upon death or evil spirits. Elder was planted around houses because it was thought to give protection and was never struck by lightning.

With such superstition, it was also thought that one must never sleep under an elder as it would steal your spirit.

Many believed Jesus was crucified on an elder cross. Elder being a predominant tree during that time. People would wear little crosses made of elder and would also hang elder crosses in their homes. It was thought that it could protect their home from evil spirits and witchcraft.

Ancient Egyptians were said to have used elderberry to improve their skin complexion, heal scars and burns.

Ancient texts and writings from scholars like Hippocrates and even Shakespeare mention using Elderberry. Native Americans also used Elderberry flowers.

Throughout history, elderberries have been used to ease pain from arthritis, relieve headaches, and even nerve pain. It has so many uses besides helping with cold and flu symptoms.

Elderberry Herbal Actions

• Expectorant (expels mucus from airways).
• Diaphoretic (induces sweating).
• Diuretic (increases urination).
• Laxative (loosens stools).
• Anti-rheumatic
• Alterative (supports the body in its natural cleansing process)
• Demucalent (soothes irritated mucosa)
• Astringent

Elderberry Studies

Elderberry is a panacea for so many health issues. It is one of the most known about and used in western herbal medicine. Also, elderberry is one of the most potent antivirals and has been heavily studied. In this study here elderberry was shown to work as well as Tamiflu.

In another study, sixty patients who were experiencing influenza-like symptoms were giving 15ml of elderberry syrup or placebo syrup four times a day for 5 days. Symptoms were relieved four days sooner in the elderberry group and reported significantly less use of rescue inhaler(1).

Elderberry can be used as a flu and cold preventative. Taken as soon as your starting to feel under the weather. In one study on air-travel, patients were given elderberry for ten days before the flight and 4-5 days after arrival. Those patients noticed a two-day reduction in the duration compared to the placebo group(2).

How Elderberry works in the Body

Viruses have these little spikes, called hemagglutinins, which are coated with an enzyme called neuraminidase. The enzyme helps penetrate through the cell wall of the healthy cell. Once inside the cell, it starts producing more of the virus. The constituents in elderberry help stop the neuraminidase enzyme in 24 to 48 hours.

How to Make Elderberry syrup

You would be surprised to know that making your own elderberry syrup is very simple. Typically most people like to use honey not only because it provides a nice sweetness to the syrup.

Honey is a natural demulcent but it also helps preserve the syrup. But the only downside to using honey is babies under 1 year of age cannot take it because of the risk of botulism.

Although I prefer using honey sometimes it can be a little costly. So this recipe is safe for babies 6 months and older and it also reduces the cost.

Tips for making Elderberry Syrup

• Use raw honey as sweetener for children and adults over the age of 1 year old.
• Before adding raw honey to your elderberry concentrate let your concentrate cool first. You don’t want to over heat the raw honey as it can damage many of the healing and antiviral properties in the honey.
• When using honey as the sweetener it should be 1 part honey to 1 part elderberry concentrate.
• Baby safe Elderberry syrup should be 2 parts elderberry concentrate to 1 part sweetener like maple syrup, agave nectar or simple syrup.

Supplies and Ingredients

• Pot to cook berries
• Potato masher for mashing berries
• mesh strainer or cheesecloth
• measuring cup
• measuring spoons
• mason jar or container for syrup (preferably glass)
• 1 Cup of dried elderberries
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cinnamon stick(optional)
• 2 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger (optional)
• 1 cup of real maple syrup, agave nectar or simple syrup(honey for those above 1 year old)

If you have never made simple syrup it is so simple. Heat 1 cup of water to 1 cup of sugar. Heat until sugar dissolves. It’s that simple. Put it into the fridge until you need it.

Directions

Heat 2 cups of water over low to medium heat

Stir in 1 cup of dried elderberries

Add 2 teaspoons of grated ginger and 1 cinnamon stick

Simmer berries for 30 minutes or till liquid is reduced by half.

Take off heat and use potato masher to squish as much juice out of berries as possible.

Let sit for 10 minutes to cool.

Remove cinnamon stick.

Strain berries through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a glass measuring cup. Use the back of a spoon in the mesh strainer to squeeze as much juice from the berries as possible.

Dispose of berries.

Add 1 cup of one of the following liquid sweeteners (Maple syrup, agave syrup, simple syrup or honey if older than 1-year-old)

Make sure the elderberry juice and sweetener are mixed well and bottle into a container and store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.

Shelf Stable Elderberry Syrup

The baby-safe elderberry syrup recipe I have given above generally lasts 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator. If it is getting towards the end of the 3-week mark and I don’t want the elderberry syrup to go to waste I will add alcohol to preserve it longer. Obviously, the syrup would NOT be appropriate for a baby anymore because it contains alcohol but it is ok for adults to consume.

You can of course make the recipe with alcohol from the beginning to make the elderberry syrup shelf-stable and appropriate for adults. To achieve shelf-stable syrup you need 20% alcohol. Some people say it needs to be even higher at 30%. Do your own research and find what you’re comfortable with.

I do find that if you are going to add alcohol to the elderberry syrup a few good tips are using honey as your sweetener and also using ginger and cinnamon. These things really help mask the alcohol. Again using alcohol and honey would make this NOT appropriate for babies. Please use Baby Safe Elderberry Syrup Recipe when making for babies.

Elderberry dosage

During an illness, most doctors and herbalists advise 1/4-1/2 teaspoon 2 to 3 times a day for a baby and 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon a day for maintenance.

Older children 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon 3 to 4 times a day during sickness and 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon for maintenance.

Adults 1 tablespoon 3 times a day during sickness. 1 tablespoon a day for maintenance.

Other Uses for Elderberry

Have you ever made your own elderberry syrup? It’s not just good for when you’re feeling under the weather it is also delicious on top of ice cream, pancakes, waffles, or even used to flavor homemade sodas.

Here is some links to other elderberry recipes I like.

Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Practical Self Reliance

Let me know if you make the syrup! Enjoy!

Much Love,

Melissa

This website is for educational purposes only. The information provided by Renaissance Path is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any diseases. Please consult a qualified health care professional for medical advice.