
Organic Elderberry Syrup
A simple organic Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) syrup recipe to help boost and strengthen your immune system, naturally. This recipe only includes dried Organic Sambucus nigra and filtered water.
Ingredients
- 100 g. (2/3 Cups) - Organic Dried Elderberries (Sambucus nigra)
- 2 Quarts (8 Cups) - Filtered Water
- Optional Sweetener
- Organic Raw, Unfiltered Honey
Instructions
Organic Elderberry Syrup -
I love making Elderberry; it's a favorite and a must-have in my home. My children love it as well; nothing added, just all the goodness of Elderberry. You can also click here to purchase dried Organic Elderberry.
Elderberry has a lovely floral, berry fragrance with a unique taste entirely of its own, slightly earthy and a tad bitter.
This recipe is a base; add in other ingredients if so desired.
Adding honey as a sweetener -
If you are adding honey as a sweetener, 1/3 cup goes a long way. Just add to your Elderberry when it's lukewarm.
Heating past the maximum hive temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit changes honey's essential composition and diminishes its quality.
It partially destroys honey's beneficial enzymes and 'boils off' volatile compounds that account for its unique, delicate floral aroma.
Many of the healthful organic compounds and substances in the honey are destroyed or inhibited by heat.
To make a proper batch of safe and effective Elderberry syrup
Combine ⅔ Cups of Organic dried Elderberry in a large cooking pot, and fill with 2 quarts of water.
This may seem like alot of water at first but it will be boiled down to make exactly two cups of Elderberry extract.
Soaking Your Elderberry
When I make elderberry syrup using dried Elderberry, I prefer to let it soak overnight to soften.
/Or/ allow the berries to soak until soft, about 30-60 minutes.
Ready To Cook
Place over medium heat and cover with lid, then gradually bring to a boil.
Once a boil has been achieved remove lid and reduce to a simmer, and continue to cook for 45 minutes, stirring frequently.
When finished remove from heat and allow to cool.
Ready To Strain
Using a cheesecloth or sifter strain your Elderberries into a medium sized bowl.
If perchance you have more than two cups of extract place back onto stove to reduce until it reaches two cups.
Total Concentration
It's important to note that dosing Elderberry syrup is dependent upon the total concentration of Elderberry Extract in the syrup for proper dosing.
Most homemade recipes that do not adhere to specific formulas produce syrups with an unknown concentration of elderberry making precise dosing impossible. This places both safety and efficacy at risk.
Helpful Notes
* I have also cooked my elderberry up to 1 hour and 10 minutes without burning to make exactly 2 cups due to altitude and humidity levels.
Prepare With Sufficient Heat To Deactivate The Toxic Compounds
* It's imperative to cook for 45 minutes to eliminate the cyanide like toxin in the Elderberry seeds.
Most individuals end up in the E.R with abdominal pain because they did not cook Elderberry long enough to destroy the cyanide toxin.
Cost-Effective & Higher Quality
Making Elderberry at home is extremely cost-effective and deserving.
The cost of Elderberry syrups and gummies at the store can be rather expensive and less potent.
Elderberry Dosage
The average dose used in studies to treat viral infections is 15 ml of Elderberry syrup with 38% of Elderberry; 4x a day for adults and the same amount at 19% concentration for children.
For active infections, an adult can take every 2-3 waking hours for four days.
For prevention, general dosing is 1/35 of the formula 2-3 times a day for an adult. Children would need smaller doses, which are determined by age and weight.
Notes
Drug Interactions
Elderberry extracts (may) interact with drugs designed to suppress the immune system, undermining their efficacy. These include:
- CellCept (mycophenolate)
- Corticosteroid drugs like prednisone
- Imuran (azathioprine)
- OKT3 (muromonab-CD3)
- Prograf (tacrolimus)
- Rapamune (sirolimus)
- Sandimmune (cyclosporine)
- Simulect (basiliximab)
- Zenapax (daclizumab)
Please consult with a physician or naturopathic practitioner before use.