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Cold season is officially upon us, which means we’re taking extra steps to support our bodies!  As soon as someone feels a hint of a scratchy throat, runny nose, or extra sneezes and sniffles, I break out the elderberry syrup.  Most of the kids agree that it tastes pretty good, and only one of them doesn’t prefer it.  Seems like a win to me!  And frankly, they don’t have a choice when they’re feeling sick!  When taken with the addition of several other natural body-supporting elements (which I’ll share in another post), we’re typically able to knock out most cold-like symptoms within a few days.  As a family of six, that’s huge because we are often passing germs back and forth to each other.  No one likes feeling yucky and mama simply doesn’t have time to be sitting on the sofa nursing a cold!

In fact, I woke up sneezy and stuffy on Monday morning, but I started hourly doses of elderberry syrup immediately.  It always produces good results, which is reason enough for me to have elderberry syrup on hand!  With as easy as the syrup is to make at home, I always have a quart jar in the refrigerator.

Additionally, it’s so much more economical to purchase dried elderberries to make your own, versus buying ready-made syrups in the store.  Man, they are pricey!  I will admit that the dried elderberries tend to go up in price as the season goes on, so it’s best to stock up in the off-season.  I typically buy the Frontier Co-Op brand, but any dried organic elderberries will do the trick.

Many people have long been using elderberry syrup medicinally to support their family’s immunity.  In fact, it’s known history dates back to Ancient Egypt, but there’s evidence suggesting that it may have been used by Hippocrates!  Elderberries contain a chemical compound called anthocyanidins, which help to create the pretty purple pigment and are known to stimulate the immune system.  Not only does research suggest that elderberries help to activate a healthy immune system, they are loaded with Vitamins A and C, which are needed for optimal health.  They are also rich in antioxidants that help repair cell damage and fight off free radicals.  Consuming the syrup has been shown to decrease mucus production and may reduce inflammation, especially in the respiratory passages.  Elderberry syrup has also been shown to help people recover from sickness faster.  I’ll take that!

In addition, the other main ingredient in elderberry syrup is local raw honey, of which the health benefits are well documented!  It is very important that local raw honey is used in order to gain all of the benefits though, not simply the honey bought off the supermarket shelves.  Raw honey has anti-viral and anti-fungal properties and contains polyphenols (powerful antioxidants).  It can also soothe sore throats, boost immunity, and lessen allergy symptoms.  Raw honey is known to stabilize blood sugars, promote digestive health, and it’s an alkaline-forming food (research it!), which helps fight chronic illness.  So basically, local raw honey is a superfood in my book!  I admit I don’t love the taste of honey, but I’ll happily ingest it knowing all of the health benefits.

You want to make sure you’re getting your raw honey from a local farmer, or a natural foods market that carries local honey.  It’ll read “raw” on the label somewhere.  If it doesn’t, keep looking.  Most supermarket honeys are devoid of the health properties due to ultra-filtration and pasteurization, which removes and kills off most of the good stuff.  They also often have added fillers, like sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners.  That’s not the stuff we need to be eating, especially when we’re trying to recover from a sickness!

If you have an Instant Pot on hand, elderberry syrup can be whipped up in no time.  Then it can be stored in a glass quart jar in the refrigerator.  I’ve seen conflicting opinions on how long it lasts in the fridge, but I typically stick to the one-two month mark.  By writing the “manufacture date” (haha!) on the top with a dry erase marker, I never have to remember how old it is.

Please note that it is not suggested to give raw honey to children under one year old.  Also, if you’d like to purchase essential oils, CLICK HERE to find out more!

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