|by Shannon Green
Flu season, just like pumpkin spice latte season, is here. What are your plans for keeping your family healthy?
In the Green House, we get right to work brewing fair trade coffee, and elderberry syrup. The elderberries make my two year old very happy! She gets hers in a little stainless steal teacup. You should hear her squeal with excitement! And the coffee keeps me sane.
Elderberry Syrup - How sweet it is!
According to WebMD, elderberries contain natural substances called “flavonoids” that help reduce swelling, inflammation, and boost the immune system.
Studies have shown elderberry syrup to be more effective than Tamiflu, and those that take it as a preventative, and at the onset of flu symptoms can shorten the duration of the infamous “yuck” feeling by several days!
Honey, and preferably raw honey is also used in the making of this wonderful flu bug fighting concoction. On it’s own, honey will coat the throat, which makes my kids’ sore throats and coughs feel better. It has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. It promotes digestive health, is a powerful antioxidant, boosts the immune system, and can even help with allergies! Word of warning though; honey can be potentially very dangerous to infants under age 1 due to the risk of botulism spores that the infant gut cannot handle. Which means elderberry syrup, made with honey, is not a safe idea for infants. But of course, always run everything by your doctor.
Your Green Mommy smells of elderberries!
I have to admit, the first time I made elderberry syrup, I could not get the Monty Python Frenchman’s insults out of my head. There is a bit of a unique bouquet that alerts those in my kitchen what is brewing on the stove. But the taste…yeah, it’s great stuff!
I’ve tinkered with multiple recipes and have come up with something that works well for our family. Some simply use dried elderberries, water, and honey, but I like to kick it up a notch.
Ingredients
4 cups water
1 cup dried elderberries (Sambucus nigra)
½ cup dried Rosehips
1 cup raw honey
2 tablespoons ginger powder, or fresh grated
2 cinnamon sticks
5 cloves, or about ¼ clove powder
Directions
Grab your favorite cooking pot and add everything but the honey. Set the pot to boil, and then reduce heat to simmer for 30-45 minutes.
Use a large bowl and a fine mesh strainer to drain the stew, and then mash the extra juices from the berries into the bowl. You can discard or compost what’s left in the strainer.
Allow the juice to cool down below 100 degrees, and then mix in the honey.
Pour your syrup into a glass jar with a lid, and pop in the fridge. It should keep for 2-3 months.
In our house, we generally have a tablespoon a day during the flu season. If we start to feel “off”, we can up it as needed to about 4 times a day.
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor or medical professional, I’m simply another mom, sharing what we do in our home. When in doubt, please check with your doctor about any supplements you might want to take.
wonderful flu bug fighting concoction. On it’s own, honey will coat the throat, which makes my kids’ sore throats and coughs feel better. It has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. It promotes digestive health, is a powerful antioxidant, boosts the immune system, and can even help with allergies! Word of warning though; honey can be potentially very dangerous to infants under age 1 due to the risk of botulism spores that the infant gut cannot handle. Which means elderberry syrup, made with honey, is not a safe idea for infants. But of course, always run everything by your doctor.
Your Green Mommy smells of elderberries!
I have to admit, the first time I made elderberry syrup, I could not get the Monty Python Frenchman’s insults out of my head. There is a bit of a unique bouquet that alerts those in my kitchen what is brewing on the stove. But the taste…yeah, it’s great stuff!
I’ve tinkered with multiple recipes and have come up with something that works well for our family. Some simply use dried elderberries, water, and honey, but I like to kick it up a notch.
Shannon Green is the head mama at GreenMommyDiapers.com. She is also a certified lactation counselor with a special niche assisting moms and babies with tongue and lip tie issues. She is also happily married to one handsome sailor, and mother to two energetic girls.