Christian Martial Fitness

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Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Angela Fazio

This Elderberry Syrup recipe is super simple and effective. I try to buy the ingredients in the summer as they are more easily available. If you can't get organic fresh berries I recommend buying dried organic Elderberries and raw organic local Honey for best results. Not even sure what Elderberries can do for you? This is the most popular herbal cold remedy in Europe and it's really yummy!  Elderberries are rich in vitamins A, B and C and are a traditional cold and flu remedy used for hundreds of years. They are known to have high antioxidant activity and the bioflavonoids and other proteins in the juice of the berry destroy the ability of a cold or flu virus to infect a cell. Add that to all the amazing properties and benefits of essential oils and you have a yummy and amazing recipe on your hands! You can take this on a daily basis during cold and flu season or take it at first symptoms to give your immune system the support it needs.

So how do you take this syrup?

  • Use to sweeten hot cereal

  • Pour on top of french toast, pancakes, or waffles

  • Stir a spoonful into your tea

  • Add a little to your NingXia Red shot

  • Take a spoonful straight

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of the essential oils and different ones you could use in this recipe and what they can do for you! Most of these are the essential oil versions of the spices called for in traditional elderberry syrup recipes. Knowing that 1 drop of peppermint oil is equivalent to 26 cups of peppermint tea in potency, it’s easy to see why using oils is a no-brainer!

  • Thieves Vitality– This is a seriously amazing blend of clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus radiata and rosemary. It was created based on a legend about a group of 15th century thieves who rubbed oils on themselves to avoid contracting the plague while they robbed the bodies of the dead and dying. I’m just going out on a limb here and saying, this is powerful.

  • Copaiba Vitality- A magnifier of the other oils it is used with and supporter of the body's natural response to inflammation, this one is extremely high in beta-caryophyllene. Google that! CBD oil contains about 30% beta-caryophyllene, while copaiba contains 40-70%! Powerful.

  • Nutmeg Vitality – Besides tasting and smelling festive, this oil maintains optimal digestive function, support's the body's natural inflammation, supports joint health and promotes cardiovascular health.

  • Clove Vitality– This is one of the main single oils in the Thieves blend, but has so much to offer that adding a little more just seems like more of a really good thing. It’s said that the people on the island of Ternate were free from epidemics until the 16th century, when Dutch conquerors destroyed the clove trees on the island. Many of the islanders died from the epidemics that followed. It is a powerful immune support and has been used in dentistry for years.

  • Cinnamon Bark Vitality– Another oil already found in the Thieves blend, cinnamon bark is a powerful immune support.

  • Frankincense Vitality– One of the gifts given to Jesus by the Three Wise Men, frankincense has been used for centuries! It is known to support the immune system and relax the body.

  • Orange Vitality- Contains the naturally occurring constituent d-limonene (Google that!), it's an important ingredient in NingXia Red and ImuPro that supports cellular health

Be sure to make a double batch and share with friends and neighbors!

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup fresh or 1/2 cup dried elderberries

  • 3 cups filtered water

  • 1 cup honey

  • 6 drops Copaiba Vitality Essential Oil (I use Young Living essential oils)

  • 3 drops Thieves Vitality

Instructions:

Place the berries in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes.

  1. Smash the berries. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer and add 1 cup of honey or adjust to taste.

  2. Add the essential oils, bottle the syrup and store in refrigerator, where it will keep for 2-3 months

Caution: use only blue elderberries; the red ones are potentially toxic if eaten in large quantities. Never eat elderberries that haven’t been cooked first.