Elderberry Syrup Recipe: How and Why to Make

I shared this elderberry syrup recipe during a livestream where I was sharing tips for keeping myself and my family healthy. An amazing older neighbor taught me how to make elderberry syrup when I was a young, single mother, and it has been a staple in my household ever since.

My Elderberry Syrup Recipe

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The recipe I use consists of just six ingredients: elderberries, filtered water, fresh ginger root, cinnamon sticks, raw honey, and cloves. Here is a brief summary of the benefits of these ingredients:

Benefits of Elderberry

Did you know elderberry is one of the most commonly used medicinal plants in the world? They are low-calorie food packed with antioxidants. They are also:

• high in Vitamins A & C
• high in the antioxidant quercetin
• antiviral properties for treatment of the cold and flu
• a natural laxative

Perhaps I’m the only one hears the word antioxidant and thinks just WHAT is that? It’s a compound in food that stops or delays damage to our cells. They essentially remove waste products in our cells before they can do harm.

Benefits of Ginger

Ginger has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes. It:

• has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties
• aids with indigestion
• contains Vitamin B
• lowers the risk of infections

Benefits of Clove

It’s not just for cooking! Clove:

• contains fiber
• contains Vitamins C & K
• contains manganese
• is high in antioxidants

Benefits of Cinnamon

A note on the type of cinnamon to use. There are two main types of cinnamon: Cassia and Ceylon. The Cassia variety contains significant amounts of a compound called coumarin, which is believed to be harmful in large doses. All cinnamon should have health benefits, but Cassia may cause problems in large doses due to the coumarin content. Ceylon (“true” cinnamon) is much better in this regard, and studies show that it’s much lower in coumarin than the Cassia variety

• anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties
• antibacterial and anti-fungal properties

Benefits of Honey

Honey has been used since ancient times as a food and medicine. It:

• is a preservative
• aids with digestion
• has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties