Cold and flu season is here. And life with kids means extra sicknesses coming around! We can also deal with an increase in colds during pregnancy when the immune system is naturally lowered.
Elder berries are a traditional remedy for supporting the immune system that have a mild sweet taste and are delicious. Studies show they can help keep us from getting sick and they can help shorten the duration of illness when we do get sick!
The best part? Elderberries are safe and effective during pregnancy, breastfeeding, AND for kids! As such they’ve become an absolute staple in my household during colder months.
You can take elder berries via tea, tincture, syrup or even healthy gummy bears.
Elderberry syrup is probably my favorite way because it’s easy to dose, it tastes delicious (aka the kids love it), and it’s super easy to make. The raw honey in this recipe is medicinal in and of itself (choose local if you can for extra benefits), and it acts a preservative for the syrup. You can keep this syrup in the fridge for about 2-3 months.
This recipe will yields about a cup of finished syrup.
Ingredients
-1 c dried elderberry
-1 inch knob fresh ginger finely diced
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp cardamom
-1/2 tsp ground cloves
-3.5 c water
~1/2 c raw honey
You can also get creative and try adding in other herbs, such as turmeric or echinacea root (which are also safe for pregnancy and littles). Need help sourcing herbs, including elderberry? Ask your local herbalist, local food co-op, or try a site. like Mountain Rose Herbs.
Directions
Add elderberry, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and water to a pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce to simmer and leave pot uncovered. Let liquid reduce by half (about 30 minutes). Remove from heat. Mash up berries with a spoon and let liquid cool. Strain it into a jar using a fine mesh strainer (and funnel if needed). Add honey to jar and mix well. Store in the fridge for 2-3 months. Using more honey will preserve your syrup for a bit longer.
How to use:
Try offering your little one a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon. You can work your way up to one full teaspoon. Give once a day as a preventative, or up to 4 times a day during times of sickness. I’d wait until your baby turns one to give it to them.
Mamas, you can take a full teaspoon a few times a day! Some people choose to avoid raw honey during pregnancy. If you want to do that, you can always use pasteurized honey.
Enjoy this recipe! We’ve been loving it over at my house and I hope you do too. :)