Making Elderberry Syrup to Boost Immunity

Cold and flu season is upon us, so of course we need to do everything we can to keep our immune systems fortified to do their best work. Among my kit of healing herbs, tinctures, healing teas, foods and juices is Elderberry Syrup. I've made it every year for my family, every cold and flu season, and my family and I take it year-round to give our immune systems a boost.

This year I've changed it up a bit because this year I've gained a certain level of herbal knowledge thanks to following this Medical Medium path, and thanks to Muneeza, who has worked closely with  and also shares Medical Medium healing information with us. So my formulaton is based on this knowledge and my own intuition of what will best support my family in boosting our immunity. And I made sure that all of the herbs in it can be taken long-term, since we don't just use ours for cold and flu season. Certain herbs need to be pulsed when taking long term, as they can lose their efficacy if taken continually. Just a few, and I've chosen not to include any of those.

The information I'm going to share below is not comprehensive, for I've just taken the bits that apply to this specific purpose. I've included links to more information about these precious healing foods in the descriptions. The recipe will follow, along with the video I made about making the syrup. I will also include links for where or which brands are the best to get if you cannot grow your own or source them fresh locally.

 Elderberries: One of the most effective remedies for viral and bacterial infections such as colds and flu and can substantially shorten the duration of your illness if you get sick. They contain special proteins and bioflavonoids that have the ability to destroy viruses on contact that infect cells in the body. Elderberries also are known to have the ability to significantly enhance immune function by boosting the production of cytokines in the body. They also are very beneficial for bronchial and respiratory problems and can help loosen and expel congestion in the lungs.

I like Frontier, Mountain Rose Herbs or Starwest, organic of course.

 Ginger: Ginger is one of the world’s oldest and most popular medicinal spices. It is known to greatly aid in digestion and assimilation and is widely regarded to help prevent colds, flu, sore throats, and it is great in providing relief from the stomach flu and food poisoning. Ginger has incredible immune-boosting and germ fighting abilities.

Fresh organic ginger can be found in any health food and most grocery stores.

Rose hips:  Rose hips from the rugosa rose plant are an exceptional healing fruit that grow abundantly in the wild and in home gardens. They are packed with Vitamin C, E, & K and are used to help prevent and treat infections such as respiratory, and sinus infections as well as colds and flus. Rose hips also support the thymus gland which is a specialized organ that helps your immune system to function optimally.

I like Frontier, Mountain Rose Herbs or Starwest, organic of course.

Linden flowers: Linden flowers have diaphoretic and fever reducing properties which makes it an excellent remedy for colds, flu, and respiratory infections. It also works very well for chronic bronchial issues such as asthma, emphysema, and COPD. Linden flowers also have calming and sedative properties that can help prevent insomnia and produce a restful night’s sleep.

I like Frontier, Mountain Rose Herbs or Starwest, organic of course.

Raw Honey: Raw Honey is often referred to as “liquid gold” due to its highly therapeutic antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral, antiseptic, anti-aging and anticancer properties. Raw honey is not filtered, strained, or heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit and provides far more benefits than regular honey as it is full of active enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids that are vital for keeping the body health and for preventing illness and disease. Raw honey contains vitamins such as B-complex and Vitamin C as well as minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. Raw honey has the power to strengthen the immune system, reduce throat irritation, fight off colds and flu, and soothe sore throats and laryngitis. 

The best way to get raw honey is to find a local beekeeper. The more local, the better. Farmers' Markets are a great place to find them, or now often they will be at your local health food store or co-op as well. 

Cinnamon: Cinnamon is a highly prized spice that has been used since ancient times for its medicinal and healing properties. It has the highest antioxidant strength of all the food sources and is several hundreds more potent than any fruit or vegetable. Cinnamon is a great source of vitamins A and B-complex and minerals such as chromium, iron, zinc, and calcium. Cinnamon is known to help prevent and shorten the duration of the flu as well to eliminate congestion and mucus from the body. Cinnamon contains anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties that kill microorganisms such as staph, botulism, aflatoxin mold, E. coli, and cold and flu germs.

Fresh organic ginger can be found in any health food and most grocery stores. I like to buy in bulk: Frontier, Mountain Rose Herbs or Starwest, organic of course.  

Echota's Immune Boosting Elderberry Syrup

Click here for printable version

All ingredients in the recipe below are organic.)

4 cups filtered water (we use a Berkey)
1 cup dried elderberries
2 cinnamon sticks
1 large thumb of fresh ginger
2 Tbs dried rose hips
2 Tbs linden flowers
1 cup raw honey

Bring water to just before boiling (this is generally agreed to be 95C or 195F). Turn down to simmer. Add elderberries, cinnamon, linden flower, ginger, rose hips and stir to incorporate. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, keeping the heat very low so as not to boil the liquid.

When it's ready, pour the honey into a large bowl. Put a strainer over the top and pour the elderberry mixture through the strainer into the honey. Let the liquid drip through - you can even press it to strain out all the liquid. Remove the strainer and stir to incorporate. Pour into jars and you're done! It's ready to use. Keep refridgerated. I take 1-2 Tbs 2x/day for maintenance, and the same dose every couple of hours when symptoms start. 


If you make this, let me know how it turned out! I made it today and I think it's delicious!