Elderberry Syrup Recipe (Cold And Flu Remedy) (2024)

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  • by Michelle Blackwood, RN

This elderberry syrup recipe is so easy to prepare with simple ingredients, fresh elderberries, simmered with ginger and cinnamon and sweetened with maple syrup. Homemade elderberry syrup is a must try.

Elderberry Syrup Recipe (Cold And Flu Remedy) (1)

Elderberry syrup recipe is so easy to prepare with simple ingredients, fresh elderberries, simmered with ginger and cinnamon, and sweetened with maple syrup. Homemade elderberry syrup is a must-try.

For years I have been wanting to make my own elderberry syrup, I have planted elderberry plants twice but ended up relocating before we could harvest them. My friend Monique gave me my first plant in Virginia before we knew it my husband got a job offer to manage a campground in Ohio.

We dug up our plant and brought it with us to Ohio where it flourished and then about 2 years later my husband got an offer to manage the campground here in Florida. We took it here with us but we kept it in a huge wooden barrel ever since.

See more, Sambucus Nigra, Health Benefits Of Oregano Tea and Quercetin

Elderberry Syrup Recipe (Cold And Flu Remedy) (2)

On a recent trip to the gym, last Wednesday, my daughter and I decided to stop at the local farmer’s market, a friend who so happens to be visiting the market started talking to me by text when I mentioned to her that I was heading to the market. She said she was actually already there, I asked her what goodies she had bought, the first thing she mentioned was elderberries.

I told her to tell the seller to hold some for me until I got there, I was so excited to finally get to make elderberry syrup, mind you, I have always bought storebought elderberry syrup for my kids but I knew that it couldn’t compare to fresh elderberry syrup recipe.

I love making my own products when I can like my own Whipped Body Butter, Natural All-Purpose Orange Cleaner, and Nature’s Penicillin.

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What is Elderberry?

Elderberry is from the variety of Sambucus tree, a flowering plant belonging to the Adoxaceae family. There are more than 30 types of elder trees around the world, the most common variety is called Sambucus Nigra or black elderberry, a European native plant.

Black elder tree grows up to 30 feet, has small black or navy blue tart berries growing into clusters. The ripe cooked berries are edible, however, the uncooked berries and other parts of the plant (stems, twigs, roots, flowers, leaves) contain a toxic compound called cyanidin glycosides.

Elderberry Syrup Recipe (Cold And Flu Remedy) (3)

Where To Buy Elderberry?

You can purchase fresh elderberries at nurseries and farmers’ markets. Dried elderberries can be purchased from Amazon or from health food stores. If you don’t have berries you can purchase premade Elderberry Gummies And Elderberry Syrup online.

Elderberry Benefits

Elderberries have been used for centuries to treat the common cold and flu, elderberries contain antioxidants such as polyphenols in particular anthocyanins and vitamins that are known to boost the immune system.

  1. Study Of The Efficacy And Safety Of Oral Elderberry Extract (1)
  2. Elderberry Supplementation Reduces Cold Duration And Symptoms In Air Travellers. (2)
  3. Elderberry Extract Prevents Oxidative Stress On Cells (3)

One cup of elderberries contains 106 calories, great source carbohydrate, fiber, Read more.

  1. Vitamin A – 870 IU
  2. Potassium – 406 mg
  3. Calcium – 55 mg
  4. Vitamin C – 52.2 mg
  5. Vitamin B6 – 0.3 mg
  6. Folate 8.7 mcg

How To Make Elderberry Syrup?

  1. Remove elderberries from the stems and leaves, discard stems, leaves.
  2. Rinse elderberries using a fine mesh strainer and place it into a saucepan, add water, ginger and a stick of cinnamon.
  3. Heat saucepan over medium-high, bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer for 45 minutes.
  4. Allow the elderberry mix to cool. Strain elderberry liquid into a container, press the berries to get all the remaining juice out.
  5. Add lemon juice and sweetener (maple syrup, agave or coconut sugar). Mix well to combine.
  6. Store your elderberry syrup in a closed container and store in the refrigerator.

How To Use Elderberry Syrup?

Adults take 1 tablespoon daily and children take 1 teaspoon daily.

How Long Can Elderberry Syrup Last?

Elderberry can last up to six months refrigerated once it is cooked properly and stored in a container with a tight-fitting lid

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  4. Ginger Turmeric Shot
  5. Pineapple Peel Tea
  6. Detox Tea
  7. Lemon Verbena Tea

Elderberry Syrup Recipe (Cold And Flu Remedy) (4)

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Categories

  • Categories: Gluten-Free, Lifestyle, Vegan
  • Course: Dessert
  • Cuisine: American

Cook Time

  • Preparation: 10 min
  • Cooking: 45 min
  • Ready in: 55 min
  • For: 32 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh elderberries, or 1 cup of dried
  • 2 1/2 cups cold water
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1 stick of cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2/3 cups sweetener, (maple syrup, agave or coconut sugar)

Instructions

  1. Remove elderberries from the stems and leaves, discard stems, leaves.
  2. Rinse elderberries using a fine mesh strainer and place into a saucepan, add water, ginger and a stick of cinnamon.
  3. Heat saucepan over medium-high, bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer for 45 minutes.
  4. Allow elderberry mix to cool. Strain elderberry liquid into a container, press the berries to get all the remaining juice out.
  5. Add lemon juice and sweetener (maple syrup, agave or coconut sugar). Mix well to combine.
  6. Store your elderberry syrup in a closed container and store in the refrigerator.

Elderberry Syrup Recipe (Cold And Flu Remedy) (5)

Michelle Blackwood, RN

Hi, I’m Michelle, I’m the voice, content creator and photographer behind Healthier Steps. I share vegan and gluten-free recipes because of past health issues. My goal is to help you make healthier choices and show you how healthy eating is easy and delicious.

View all recipes by Michelle Blackwood, RN →

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10 Comments

  1. Rose

    September 14, 2021

    Reply ↓

    not only did my hubby plant elderberry bushes for us, we also make our own maple syrup, so this recipe is perfect! Thank you!
    Eldeberry syrup, elderberry jam, elderberry tincture, elderberry pie….the list is endless!! :)

    • Michelle Blackwood, RN

      September 14, 2021

      Reply ↓

      Rose, you and your hubby are amazing, I miss living where I can get fresh maple syrup. I hope you enjoy my recipe. I brought an elderberry plant with me from Ohio but it seems as if my dogs ate it.

  2. Vicky Dudley

    September 9, 2020

    Reply ↓

    Just this summer I discovered elderberry bushes growing on our property, practically in our backyard! I began harvesting them in July and just picked the last stem a few days ago. I kept the washed berries in a zipper bag in the freezer until the harvest was over. In the meantime, I’ll bet I’ve read/watched a dozen or more tutorials on how to make elderberry syrup and hints on how to de-stem them (freezing the berries on the stems did NOT work for me; I just ended up with too many green berries to pick out and it was a mushy mess that ended up in the compost bin.) After reading so many recipes that my eyes crossed, I came across yours and ended the search! I am extremely excited to announce that my syrup-making adventure was an absolute success! I had a bottle just like the one pictured on your page and filled it up with beautiful purple syrup, plus a little extra.

    • Michelle Blackwood, RN

      September 9, 2020

      Reply ↓

      Vicky, wow you are so blessed to have elderberry bushes growing on your property. I’m happy you found my recipe and tried it. Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. Blessings to you and your family.

  3. Lesia

    August 2, 2020

    Reply ↓

    I been looking for more elderberry recipes I was wondering how to make gummies taste a little better my granddaughters dont like the taste I use raw honey and 100% cherry or grape juice

  4. Angela Reimer

    January 18, 2020

    Reply ↓

    So delicious! My only question is this: I tried to make sure I got all the tiny stems out of my batch – I bought dried, organic berries – but there may have been a couple stragglers. I cooked it all for at least an hour so will I be fine as far as avoiding poisoning goes? I know the stems have a potential for high cyanide. Thanks!

    • Michelle Blackwood, RN

      January 19, 2020

      Reply ↓

      Angela, I’m happy you enjoyed it. the stems do contain some level of toxic cyanide, so avoid the stems. Boiling your berries should take care of any potential cyanide issue. Symptoms would be nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

  5. Rachel

    July 18, 2019

    Reply ↓

    I’m happy I found your recipe, I got some elderberries from our local market so I’m going to give it a try!

    • Michelle Blackwood

      July 18, 2019

      Reply ↓

      That’s wonderful Rachel, I hope you enjoy it.

    • Sheri

      January 4, 2020

      Reply ↓

      What does the lemon juice do for the syrup? Most recipes I’ve seen don’t include it. Thank you.

Elderberry Syrup Recipe (Cold And Flu Remedy) (2024)

FAQs

How much elderberry syrup should I take for the flu? ›

For flu, some studies have used 1 tablespoon of an elderberry syrup extract four times a day. Another common form of elderberry is a lozenge, often with zinc, that is taken numerous times daily after a cold begins. Ask your health care provider for advice.

Does elderberry work for cold and flu? ›

Elderberry is marketed mostly for immune support. Some research suggests it reduces the severity and duration of symptoms associated with the flu or common cold. However, it does not prevent infections or illnesses. There is limited data on the uses of elderberry other than viral infection symptom management.

How much homemade elderberry syrup should I take daily? ›

There is no standard medical dosing for this syrup, but it's generally considered safe for adults to take 1 tablespoon by mouth daily for prevention, and 1 tablespoon every 2-3 hours when fighting the cold or the flu.

How do you use elderberry syrup for a cold? ›

Individual elderberry products have their own manufacturer-recommended dosages that should be adhered to. Nevertheless, research has shown that 15 milliliters of elderberry syrup, taken three to five times per day, is sufficient for resolving cold symptoms if taken early enough.

Does elderberry remove mucus from the body? ›

The immune boosting and anti-inflammatory properties of this superfood make it a great natural remedy for allergy symptoms. The herbs known to remove excess mucus from the body called anti-catarrhals make this potent berry an effective medicine in clearing up runny noses, congestion, sneezing and itchy watery eyes.

Does elderberry help if you are already sick? ›

Elderberry contains a protein called hemagglutinin that may prevent a virus from causing infection and may stop viruses from spreading, which could reduce the duration of the time you feel sick.

What not to mix with elderberry? ›

Possible Interactions
  • Diuretics (water pills). Diuretics help the body get rid of excess fluid and increase the amount of urine your body makes. ...
  • Diabetes medications. Elderberry may lower blood sugar levels. ...
  • Chemotherapy. ...
  • Laxatives. ...
  • Theophylline (TheoDur). ...
  • Drugs that suppress the immune system.

Does elderberry help with cough and mucus? ›

The clinical symptoms of flu such as fever, muscle aches, cough, nasal congestion, mucus discharge, and headache significantly improved after administration of elderberry extract.

How much elderberry syrup per day when sick? ›

Preventative Use: Take 1 teaspoon daily during the cold and flu season. During Illness: Increase to 1 teaspoon 3 times a day at the onset of symptoms.

Should elderberry syrup be refrigerated? ›

We get asked all the time, “Do I need to refrigerate my syrup?” And the answer is YES! Most of the store-bought elderberry syrups out there are packed with preservatives, which is why they can last in the medicine cabinet for so long. Most preservatives are sugar laden and unhealthy for our bodies.

Can you take too much homemade elderberry syrup? ›

Are There Elderberry Side Effects? There is a downside to consuming too much elderberry, and that is an upset stomach. Just like with any high fiber fruit, eating too much can cause stomach pain, upset stomach, and diarrhea.

How long will elderberry syrup keep in the fridge? ›

HOW LONG DOES ELDERBERRY SYRUP LAST? Once open, store in fridge and enjoy syrup and shrub within 4 months and the juice within 4 weeks. Of course some people report open syrup & shrub keeping well for more than a year in the fridge.

How long does it take for elderberry syrup to work? ›

May improve cold and flu symptoms

One 2004 study of 60 people with influenza found that those who took 15 mL of elderberry syrup four times per day showed symptom improvement in 2 to 4 days, while the control group took 7 to 8 days to improve ( 10 ).

What is the healthiest way to consume elderberry? ›

Elderberry pie, elderberry syrup, elderberry jam—the sweet taste and even sweeter health benefits of this tiny fruit come in many forms. The most popular way to use fresh elderberries is to cook them into a syrup or extract used to support your immune system.

What is the best time of day to take elderberry syrup? ›

Although there is no specific time of day to take elderberry, you'll maximize its benefits by using it consistently on a regular basis. You can choose whether to use it morning, afternoon or evening. It may be best to use elderberry for short periods of time to support healthy immune function, and then take a break.

How much elderberry syrup should adults take? ›

Elderberry Syrup and Gummies for Adults

Sambucol Elderberry Syrup and Black Elderberry Gummies are an easy way to support your immune system* year-round. The recommended doses for daily immune support* is: Adults and kids age 4 and up: 2 tsp (10 ml) per day.

References

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