Article courtesy by BCHA professional member Emily Boese, RHT

To view entire article with additional information, please visit: https://www.befiercehealth.com/single-post/2016/08/27/Backyard-Pharmacy-Part-1–Elderberry-Syrup

All about Elder:

Description: Shrub or small tree with light green, pointy leaves. Flowers are tiny, white, and grow in little umbrellas. Berries are dark purple/black and grow in bunches like the flowers (called “drupes”)

Sambucus cerulea- is more drought-tolerant than Sambucus nigra, great for the Okanagan.  A big thank you to Gwen Steele from the Okanagan Xeriscape Association for teaching me about this fabulous local plant!

This beauty is just waiting to be harvested 

*NOTE* NEVER eat any plants in the wild unless you are 157% sure that they are the right plant!  Best case scenario- the wrong plant doesn’t do the medicinal thing you were hoping for.  Worst case- it’s poisonous. Bad news.

Part of plant used: Flowers (traditional medicinal use) or berries

 

Uses:
Flowers
Great for sinuses- helps to break up mucus
Common cold, sinusitis
Fever- help to support a fever, bring on sweating (Traditional tea made of Yarrow, Elderflower, and Peppermint a great fever remedy)

Berries
Antiviral, stimulate immune system
Great at the start of a cold/flu
Tasty and great for kids!

How to make it into medicine:
Flowers- make a great tea, tincture. Elderflower champagne! (Probably not that medicinal  )

Berries- Tincture or syrup

Safety:
Don’t eat the unripe fruit or the leaves.  They contain higher amounts of a cyanoglycoside- a (mild) cyanide.  Don’t panic though, as many plants that we commonly eat also contain these compounds- think apples, cherries, almonds, apricots.

Many sources also recommend cooking the berries before eating.  Again, I think no need to panic, but they may give you a tummy ache if you really go to town on them.

Elderberry Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup black elderberries (Sambucus nigra or Sambucus cerulea)

• 3 ½ cups water

• 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger root

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 cup organic cane sugar or honey (if you use honey the syrup will need to be refrigerated. Sugar is a better preservative)

Pour elderberries, water and spices into a medium pot

Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer for about 1 hour, or until the liquid has reduced almost by half.

Allow to cool a bit, and then strain out the liquid. (Some people like to mash the elderberries before straining- up to you!)

If you are using sugar- you can add this immediately and stir until totally dissolved.

If you are using honey, especially raw or medicinal honey (ie: Manuka), then let the mixture cool to just above lukewarm before adding the honey, as this preserves the honey’s medicinal qualities. Stir until mixed through.

Store in clean glass mason jars, or re-use glass syrup or dressing bottles.

 

Dose:

Remember this is a food, so don’t need to be too precise with dosing. But don’t go crazy, either!

Kids

Prevent: ½-1tsp 1 x daily.
Treat: ½- 1tsp 3 x daily

Adults

Prevent: ½-1tbsp 1 x daily
Treat: ½-1tbsp 3-5 x daily

Can also be used as a delicious syrup, ie: on pancakes, yogurt, or ice cream!

Enjoy!

 

About the Author:

 Hey, I’m Emily!

​I love playing outside, growing and eating good food, and drinking a bit of nice wine or a good, hoppy IPA.  With a local cheeseboard, of course. Holistic Nutrition and Herbal Medicine are my specialties.  I am a qualified natural healthcare practitioner with a Bachelor of Natural Medicine, and I offer one-on-one health assessments, individualised treatments and meal plans to help you get your health back on track.

I have just returned to Canada after spending nearly 12 years living in New Zealand, and have settled in beautiful Kelowna, BC. While I was in NZ I studied natural medicine at the South Pacific College of Natural Medicine.

​I am a Professional Member of the BCHA. My approach to health is all about balance.