This post is my addition to Wardeh’s Tuesday Twister over at Gnowfglins! A little something different this time. I pulled out the frozen elderberries from last summer and made syrup today.

A few years ago I learned about the usefulness of elderberry syrup to fight off viruses. I learned about it while my husband was doing research for his 19th century doctor impression that he does when we reenact. I have a feeling that I got sick this winter because I had not been taking it. It is a preventative mainly, but you can take it if you get sick too, to help you get better more quickly.

Some of the scientifically documented benefits of elderberries that I have read about:
*Boosts the immune system
*Contains 3 types of flavonoids. Flavonoids help the body to fight at least 8 kinds of flu viruses.
*Stops the production of hormone-like cytokines that cause inflammation.
*Reduces excessive sinus mucus secretion.
*Some studies indicate that they reduce swelling of mucous membranes and improve sinus drainage by decreasing nasal congestion.

I’ve been making elderberry syrup ever since I first read about it. Here is how I make it and how we use it. I am not recommending that you use it. You will need to do your own research about elderberries and determine if it is something you want to use for your family. And if you are pregnant or nursing, please consult your doctor or health care provider before you use elderberries.

Elderberries grow all over the place around Tennessee back roads and the edges of fields. We find lots of it at my mother-in-law’s farm and quite a bit more along country roadsides. Elderberry blooms in May and sets fruit in June. You want to pick ripe berries to make the syrup.

Don’t bother picking individual berries. Just cut off the whole stem of berries and place each bunch into a plastic bag. If you pick first thing in the morning, you won’t need to wash them, I don’t recommend washing them anyway. You can keep them stored for months and months before using them.

When you get them home, tie up the bag and pop the whole thing into the freezer until you are ready to make your syrup. I usually have to pick at least three times to get enough berries to make syrup.

Some people dry the berries and use them for syrup. I don’t go to that trouble, I make the syrup from fresh berries. Here are the proportions of berries, water and sweetener you need and the basic instructions.

1 cup fresh berries
3 cups water
2/3 cup sucanat OR 1 cup honey

Combine berries, sweetener and water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Simmer about 20 minutes or until the concoction is reduced by about half.
Check to see if it is thick enough for you by taking a tiny amount of the liquid on a cold metal spoon. Blow on the liquid and then tilt the spoon to see if the liquid is thick and runs off the spoon slowly.
Strain out the berries, and press the berries as you strain, to extract all the juice. Let the syrup cool and then bottle it. I use mason jars and corked bottles. It will keep in the frig almost indefinitely, but I make it fresh every summer.

It won’t be long til the elderberries are blooming, so watch for them and mark the spot. They are hard to see once they make berries!

Its not an exact science, and you will probably get a different concentration each time you make it. Practice will tell you how long to cook it and how much to take each day. I don’t think you can over-do it dosage wise, it is very mild, but of course you will want to do your own research and find out all you can before making elderberry syrup.

All the adults in our house take 1 tablespoon per day. The children anywhere from 1/2 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons. When ill with a flu-like virus, an adult can take a tablespoon three or four times a day. This is just what we do, you will need to do research to find dosages that are right for your family.