"How to Make Elderberry Syrup"- Video Tutorial

Elderberry Syrup has been a favored Remedy for centuries, being prized for its immune boosting properties and rich flavor. Elderberries are packed with vitamins and antioxidants and are an excellent natural remedy to fight off the common cold or flu.

Historically, elderberries were used in traditional medicine by Native Americans and Europeans to treat colds, flus, and inflammation. Elderberry syrup gained widespread popularity for its antiviral antibacterial and antimicrobial properties and became a household staple for boosting immunity during flu season.

Watch our video Link below on "How to Make Elderberry Syrup" and read the rest of our Blog to learn more information about the ingredients used in our recipe.

What do you need for our Elderberry Syrup Recipe:

Equipment

·         4 Quart stainless steel pot with lid

·         Measuring cup & spoons

·         Wooden Spoon for stirring

·         Spatula & whisk

·         Mesh metal strainer & cheese cloth (for straining your mixture)

·         Large glass measuring cup with a spout (for pouring the mixture into jars once your elderberry syrup is finished).

·         Approx. 7 or 8 ½ pint glass canning jars with lids & rings

·         Vacuum sealer kit (on amazon for $35.00) this is for a quick easy canning method, otherwise you can stick to the traditional method of boiling your finished product to seal the cans.

Ingredients

·         9 cups distilled water

·         2-14cups dried organic elderberries (we used Starwest Botanicals brand in our recipe)

·         3 cups organic Honey (Costco has the best price point)

·         4 tsp dried organic cloves (checkout Choices Market if you’re in Abbotsford)

·         4 tsp dried organic cinnamon (checkout Choices Market if you’re in Abbotsford)

·         4 tbsp fresh organic ginger shredded (checkout Choices Market if you’re in Abbotsford)

Directions

Just before starting this recipe, I highly recommend sanitizing your canning jars and lids to prevent any mold from growing and ruining your stored product.

You can do this by placing the glass jars in the oven and turning them onto bake at 250 degrees, bake them for about 20 minutes, and boil the metal lids in a pot of water for about 5-10 minutes.

Once sanitized place your jar’s and lids to the side and start your recipe.

1.      Start by adding all ingredients into your stainless-steel pot (except for your honey that will be added after it has been removed from heat)

2.      Place the pot onto the Stove and stirring constantly while waiting for it to come to a boil.

3.      Once boiling, reduce the heat and cover the pot, allowing it to simmer for about 40-45 minutes, until approximately half of the liquid has evaporated.

4.      While waiting for it to finish simmering set up your mesh stainless steel strainer in your stainless-steel bowl and then layer your cheese cloth in the mesh strainer to ensure nothing except for the liquid will strain into the bowl.

5.      Once done simmering, remove your pot from the heat and pour into your Cheesecloth lined strainer, use the wooden spatula to press down on the mixture and get more liquid out, allow to cool for a few minutes.

6.      Bring all corners of the cheesecloth together and twist to get even more liquid strained out of the mixture, once done remove the strainer.

7. Pour the honey into the liquid and then start to whisk the honey into the mixture until it is fully dissolved and mixed in (this will only take a minute or two).

8.      Pour the strained mixture into the Glass canning jars, leaving approx. 1” space at the top.

9.      Place the flat metal canning lids on the top of the jar and then use the vacuum sealing kit to seal the jars (refer to instructions with your vacuum sealing kit), or you can seal the jars the traditional way by putting the flat metal lids and the ring caps on and boiling your jars in a large pot of water for about 25 minutes, remove from the pot and then set on the counter to finish sealing.

Learn more about the ingredients of the recipe below,

Elderberry is a natural herb that has been used for centuries as an herbal remedy, its history dates back to 400 BC, and Hippocrates, the “Father of Medicine”, called the elder tree his medicine chest.

The berries and flowers are packed with antioxidants and vitamins that can help to boost your immune system. In Folk medicine today, the elderberry is considered one of the worlds most healing plants. Elderberry is commonly thought of as an immune health aid but it has other health benefits as well. Known scientifically as Sambucus nigra, it is grown throughout Europe, North America, Asia and North Africa.

Benefits of the Elderberry,

Helps to boost the immune system, fights and protects against bacterial and viral infections, helps to reduce the symptoms and duration of the common cold or flu, can help clear sinus infections, has anti-inflammatory, anti viral, anti-bacterial and anti-carcinogenic properties, is loaded with antioxidants and vitamins and has natural diuretic effects and can help promote bowel movements.

Ginger's medicinal use dates back over 5,000 years, with ancient texts from India, China, and the Middle East documenting its widespread use as a natural remedy. Scholars believe it was used in prehistoric cooking before becoming a popular medicine. Ginger has been used for medicinal purposes in China for more than 2,500 years and has played a prominent role in Chinese, Indian, and Japanese medicine.

Ginger has several benefits for colds and flus,

Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and is known for helping to reduce inflammation, it can help sooth sore throats. It has antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-microbial properties that can help to protect against cold viruses and flus. It can also help to alleviate congestion and boost the immune system.

Throughout history Cloves have been recognized for their medicinal properties. They were used in Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic practices for their therapeutic benefits. Cloves contain Eugenol, a natural compound known for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. Cloves are dried flower buds from the clove tree, originating in Indonesia and their name comes from the Latin word clavus.

Cloves have multiple benefits for cold & respiratory illnesses,

Cloves can hep to open stuffy nasal passage, ease sore throats & coughs. They act as a natural expectorant, helping to clear respiratory passages and can help to kill bacteria.

Cinnamon has been in use for over 4,000 years, with the earliest recorded evidence of its use dating back to ancient China during the Shang Dynasty (16th to 11th centuries BC). The spice was highly valued for its medicinal and culinary properties, and its use soon spread to other parts of Asia, including India and Southeast Asia.

Cinnamon has several health benefits for colds,

Cinnamon can help to lessen the symptoms of the common cold or flu, can help to prevent the formation of phlegm and can help to alleviate chest congestion. It also contains anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant properties and it is also great for fighting against infections and reducing inflammation.

The use of Honey as medicine dates back more than 4,000 years. Ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans prized honey for its natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, using it to treat wounds and infections. The first recorded reference to medicinal honey dates back to the Sumerians around 2000 BC.

Honey has multiple benefits when you are sick,

It can help to improve the symptoms of the common cold or flu, including cough frequency and severity. It can help reduce the severity of your cold and flu symptoms reducing the stress on your body, and it can help prevent viruses from replicating which can help reduce the number of days that you are sick.

Overall there are multiple benefits to each of the ingredients in this recipe that can help to boost the immune system, as well as protect and fight against colds and flu's.

Learning how to harness natural remedies for your health is an incredible asset in life.

Wishing you all the best on your Journey of natural health and wellness .

Disclaimer: Our blog is for informational and educational purposes only, I am a Health Enthusiast, I am Not a Doctor. If you have any health concerns, please consult or call your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider.