elderberry syrup - nature's sweetest medicine.
In our neck of the woods, the days are getting shorter, goldenrod has started to bloom, and plants are beginning to yellow; as the summer season comes to an end, we are called to look to the season ahead and get our medicine prepared. Fall season is reminiscent of cozy campfires, flannels, and pumpkin spice - but unfortunately, the autumnal season is also filled with colds, flus, and the sniffles. The combination of kiddos back to school in a petri-dish of germs, colder air temperatures, and less time outside becomes a breeding ground for germs, pathogens, and viruses.
Luckily, the plant world offers us medicine of season.
I believe one of the most beautiful parts of working with plants is the seasonal reminders of the constant rhythm and cycles we belong to. In the spring, we are greeted with lymphatic spring "weeds" that support detox, like dandelion, chickweed, and cleavers; the summer is filled with juicy fruits like melons and refreshing herbs such as lemon balm, tulsi, and hibiscus; towards the end of the summer we dig up our echinacea, marshmallow, and elecampane roots to make immune-stimulating tinctures and tonics; and we make one of my favorite fall-time preparations, elderberry syrup.
How herbs support the immune system.
As mentioned above, fall comes with a bit more exposure to pathogens and bacteria. Luckily, your immune system is divinely designed; we couldn't replicate it if we tried. Humans are born with a general, innate immune system that protects us during the first years; eventually, we acquire an adaptive immune system that can target specific bacteria and viruses. That's why kiddos are more prone to illness than adults; their immune systems haven't been exposed as much and "flexed the muscle".
Your immune system is responsible for keeping you safe; it acts like a guard walking the perimeter to detect threats. If a pathogen makes its way into your body (like someone coughing or sneezing next to you) and you breathe it in, or get a cut on your skin that allows bacteria to get in, your immune system will detect that pathogen as foreign and ring the alarm. This immune signaling tells your body, “intruder alert, we need more support,” and to create more white blood cells to fight and clear that specific bacteria out. Pretty cool, eh?
You don't have to tell your immune system to do its job; it divinely knows how to protect you. Instead, your job is to support your immune system to be optimal and function at its best; to build a healthy immune system, your body needs nutrients like vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin A, and protein. You can acquire these things by eating a variety of rainbow fruits and veggies and high-quality organic protein sources. Each food and herb has a unique nutrient profile and contains different nutrients; if you eat a wide variety, you are giving your body a complete multivitamin.
Other ways to support your immune system are: quality sleep, managing stress to be in parasympathetic healing states, staying hydrated, consistent movement to keep your lymphatic system moving, while simultaneously decreasing things that drain your immune system, like sugar, alcohol, food dyes, and stress.
Herbal ways to support your immune system are consuming immune-supportive, vitamin-C-rich, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant-rich plants like garlic, onion, rosehips, hawthorn, astragalus, mushrooms, pigment-rich berries - and in this case, elderberry.
What is elderberry?
Elderberry is the berry from the Elder shrub. There are numerous varieties of Elder, including European and North American varieties, all with different taste profiles. Sambucus is a treasured ally in nature's medicine chest. In folklore, Elder is deeply revered and respected; it was once considered a wrongdoing to harvest or cut her branches without first asking permission. Stories abound of those who slept under her being whisked away to the fairies or seeing the fairy king. Traditionally known as Eld Mor, or Elder Mother, this plant protects those who are ill and seek her guidance. Every time I walk up to an Elder Tree, I feel humbled and deeply in awe of her presence.
Now, Elderberry is infamous medicine called upon by children and the elderly. Her berries are often used as syrups, teas, and jams and are iron-rich, high in anthocyanins (antioxidants) and vitamins A + C; therefore, Elderberry is commonly used at the first sign of sniffles, colds, and flus and has been noted to decrease viral duration, is used for anemia and blood building for depleted states, and as a tonic for the heart. Remember, the immune system needs nutrients like iron, vitamin C, and other nutrients to function; elderberry is rich in those.
Other parts of the plant are used; the creamy white flowers have diaphoretic and diuretic actions, and are the base in St. Germain's Elderflower liqueur, or beautiful enough to be used to decorate a delicate herbal cake. Traditionally, leaves, bark, and roots were used for a purgative or laxative effect, as elder does contain a cyanogenic glycoside called sambunigrin, which can release cyanide into the body; for this reason, these parts of the plants are only used by skilled herbalists, just like raw potatoes or red kidney beans contain toxic compounds that can cause stomach upset; elderberry, when properly prepared, is a safe pantry staple. The berry contains the least amount of sambunigrin, and when dried or cooked when making jams, pies, or syrup, there is little concern for toxicity. Folks have been making elderberry pies, syrups, and jams for centuries.
It is important to note that the risks are not included to cause fear, but to encourage informed awareness, as a simple Google search on any herb will likely tell you it is unsafe. I find it worth mentioning that while there can be a lot of fear-mongering in the herbal world, our society freely drinks alcohol (which is a liver toxin), vapes and smokes, which are toxins to the lungs, and food dyes that have been considered cancer-causing. All of that to say: be informed, but also consider other daily things you consume, and know that elderberry has been a staple on many apothecary shelves for centuries.
So, the reason you came here, how to make your own elderberry syrup....
elderberry syrup recipe.
if you can toss something in a pot and add water; you can make elderberry syrup. Also, there is no "wrong or right way" just like every grandma has her unique way of making pasta sauce, everyone has their own spin or variation on making syrup. Find what feels best for you and trust the process.
Gather ingredients: remember: always organic; we are making medicine here.
For every 1 cup fresh elderberry, use ½ cup water, or for every 1 cup dried elderberry, use 2 cups water. (extra water is needed for dried berries to reconstitute them; fresh berries already contain water content, which is why we use less water) When available, I love using fresh, foraged berries; nothing beats the taste and energetics of fresh plant medicine and the reciprocity of foraging your own.
vanilla extract or vanilla bean
cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg
fresh or dried turmeric + ginger
optional adaptogens: ashwagandha, astragalus, chaga, lion's mane, cordyceps
raw, local organic honey
For our family, I use about 4 cups of fresh elderberry, and that will result in about a quart of syrup for the season; feel free to tweak your amount depending on your family size and how prone you are to illness.
How to make:
Set your intention for your medicine - the important step in medicine-making.
Combine elderberry, filtered water, and chosen herbs in a heavy-bottomed pot, simmer on low for 45 minutes, or until reduced by half. We are essentially making a very strong herbal decoction or tea.
Strain off the herbs and measure the remaining elderberry decoction; I pour mine into a ball jar that shows the measurements on the side of the glass.
Cool slightly to not "kill" the goodness of the honey, then add equal parts honey to your elderberry decoction. For example, if you strained off your elderberry decoction and had 2 cups leftover, you would add 2 cups of honey.
That’s it. Store in the fridge. Compost the remaining herbs back to the earth. Enjoy with healing intention.
When to use elderberry syrup
Because elderberry is a "food as medicine," it is something we can take tonically throughout the season, as in every day if you choose. I was a registered nurse during the COVID pandemic and worked in a pediatric emergency room; we were on the front line and saw everyone before there was a vaccine, masking policies, or testing available. I had known that elderberry had been researched for influenza and H1N1 viruses and had clinical indications of shortening viral shedding and decreased viral illness, so I was willing to try anything that supported viruses. Knowing my body was capable of fighting off viruses and bacteria if given what it needed, I took elderberry syrup and vitamin C daily throughout the pandemic; luckily, I didn’t get COVID despite being in close contact with COVID patients.
Remember your body needs nutrients, polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals to build out a healthy immune system; when you give your body what it needs, it will take care of you.
Instead of using elderberry syrup for prevention, it can also be saved in the fridge to be used at the first sign of illness. As soon as I feel sniffles, a sore throat, or feverish aches, I quickly reach for bone broth from the freezer, a shot of fire cider, and homemade elderberry syrup. If taking elderberry syrup because of illness, frequent dosing is important. Often, folks try an herbal remedy once and claim it doesn't work; with herbal remedies, you will need to take your syrup every 2-3 hours, just like docs recommend rotating between ibuprofen and acetaminophen. It is IMPORTANT to treat sickness and sniffles early; lots of folks say "oh it's just a little cold" and let it linger, but remember the nasal passages are connected to the lungs and bacteria thrive in warm and moist places; if left unchecked, bacteria and viruses will continue to multiply and travel down the throat, and take up residency in the lungs, where they cause issues like bronchitis and pneumonia. Please, please, please treat early and save yourself a visit to the ER.
How much to take?
Once again, because this is a true food as medicine, I don't have any hard and fast dosing protocols; in my family, for prevention, I take a spoonful or about a tablespoon every day during the winter months; if I get sick and need boosted support, I take a tablespoon every 2-3 hours. For kiddos, it is recommended to start with a teaspoon. As a reminder, honey, which is in most elderberry syrups, should never be given to children under 1 due to the risk of infant botulism. You can make elderberry syurp with sugar instead of honey, but in my body sugar feels inflammatory, and honey has bountiful antimicrobial and healing properties; for this reason, I choose honey for my healing syrups.
You can take elderberry by the spoonful, or add the syrup to a cup of warm water or tea. If you have kiddos who are picky about taking tinctures, try adding their tinctures into their elderberry syrup; it is a nice way to “sneak them in,” as the elderberry honey taste masks the taste of the tinctures.
As always, gratitude to the herbal world and Mother Earth for all the healing blessings she brings us. Let us never forget that plants are our first teachers and we have been co-evolving with them since the beginning of time. Before we had pharmacies, doctors, and hospitals, we had the natural world, the rhythm of the seasons, and the medicine that poked through her soil.
Healing always,
Hannah
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