Elderberry syrup is a very tasty way to help boost your immune system! There are SO many health benefits from this POTS Saver. Read on to find out more about this superfood and try out our recipe for how to make elderberry syrup!
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Health Benefits of Elderberry Syrup
Elderberries have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. This small berry is surprisingly jammed packed with vitamin C and antioxidants! In fact, just one cup of elderberries contains 40% of your recommended daily amount of vitamin C!
In fact, studies like this one have shown that people who take elderberry syrup recovered 4 days faster from the flu than those who did not!
These powerful berries have been used to treat the following conditions:
- Flu and colds
- Respiratory infections
- Allergies
- Joint and muscle pain
- Headaches
- Fever
- Kidney problems
- Epilepsy
- Acne
- To reduce aging of skin
- Stress
The high amounts of fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants help make this berry bring a powerful punch! Vitamin C is essential to boosting your immune system. Fiber helps bowel movements and curbs your blood sugar levels. Antioxidants significantly reduce inflammation by repairing your body’s cells. Elderberries contain high amounts of all of these! So, this little berry comes with some big health benefits!
Check out this post for 10 Easy Ways to Boost Your Immune System
How to Take Elderberry Syrup
My family takes elderberry syrup every day to help boost our immune systems. This can be a great way to prevent getting the cold and flu! Also, if you have POTS, getting sick will increase your symptoms. So, it is so important to find anything that can help boost your immunity to sickness!
Here are the recommended dosages:
Children: ½-1 teaspoon per day
Adults: 1 tablespoon per day
If you become sick, it is recommended to increase the frequency from once per day to taking one dose every 2-3 hours. This will give your immune system the boost needed to help you get over your sickness faster.
As always, be sure to consult with your doctor and pediatrician to make sure elderberry syrup is safe for your family!
Why Should I Make My Own Syrup?
Obviously, you can purchase pre-made elderberry syrup. Although that may be fast and convenient, the cost will definitely add up to purchase the pre-made options. Especially if you are using it for your entire family! It is significantly cheaper to make your own syrup and you will have a larger supply that will require less trips to the store!
However, if you do prefer to purchase pre-made options, then I would suggest trying Garden of Life products. Garden of Life is my favorite vitamin and supplement brand. They make their products completely out of foods instead of artificial products.
Shop Garden of Life Products Here
How to Make Elderberry Syrup
Now that we know all the benefits of elderberry syrup, it’s time to learn how to make it! However, you can only consume cooked elderberries. Eating raw elderberries will surprisingly cause nausea and other stomach problems.
So, just follow these easy steps below to make your own immune boosting syrup!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Dried Elderberries
- 4 cups Water
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1 tsp Ground Cloves
- Juice from half a lemon
- 3/4 cup Local Raw Honey or Pure Maple Syrup (use more or less depending on your preference)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a large pot
- Set to medium-high heat and bring to a boil
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for approximately 45 mins or until the mixture has reduced in half (be sure to stir occasionally to prevent burning)
- Remove from heat and allow to cool
- Once cooled to room temperature, use a mesh strainer or a cheesecloth to strain liquid from berries
- Use a spoon to press the berries to release any additional liquid. Then, discard remaining pulp
- Add honey or maple syrup to liquid and stir to combine (I usually use about ½ cup but you can use up to 1 cup if you prefer it sweeter)
- Pour into a storage jar, seal tightly, and refrigerate for up to 3 months
Closing Thoughts
I hope this post provides you encouragement and insight in to why you should add elderberry syrup to your daily routine! I mean, this powerful POTS saver will help boost your immune system and also ease your inflammation caused by POTS. So, why wouldn’t you want to try it?
As always, please share how elderberry has helped you in the comments below!