Elder ~ Sambucus Nigra ~ The Wise One
The Elder plant is one I came to love and respect while living both in Peru (sauco) and Denmark (hyldeblomst/elder flower and hyldebær/elderberry) where it is in abundance and widely used for medicinal as well as culinary enjoyment. This plant is powerful and beautiful in form and function. While I would love to (and will!) dive into the culinary uses, in the world of medicinal herbs it is best known as a powerful immunity booster, especially known to protect against viruses.
The small, deep purple berries work to remove viruses from the body and are full of Vitamin C and flavonoids for immune support. The flowers induce sweating to break fevers and remove toxins from the system. In light of the current health concerns I made a powerful elderberry syrup this week!
Ingredients
- 3.5 cups cold water
- 2 cups organic dried elderberries (harvest or order off Mountain Rose Herbs)
- 2 inches fresh ginger or 2tsp dried ginger
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- Additional Spices as desired such as clove, star anise, turmeric, cinnamon etc.
- Optional: add herbs such as tulsi, schischandra root, rose petals, chamomile, and beyond. If you do this, please check for personal contraindications and herbal combos that go well together first!
- 1 cup raw honey – or – raw sugar if preferred
Steps
- Combine ingredients and bring to a boil
- Reduce to a simmer for 1 hour – 1.5 hour until about half the amount of liquid
- Use a fine mesh strainer to strain the liquid and smash the berries for all liquid
- Mix in the honey until dissolved
- Store in a jar on the counter or refrigerator (lasts longer in fridge)
Dosage: Take 1-3 tbs a day for adults when you feel cold/flu type symptoms coming. Note: This is a preventative recipe. Once you are sick this will not be your cure. It is for use to prevent or stop the development of the sickness by supporting and boosting immunity.
