Aronia and Elderberry Syrup

So you’ve mastered the art of a basic elderberry syrup (and probably feeling pretty good about your new found skills!). You can totally stick with your 3 ingredient elderberry syrup and enjoy the wonderful properties of that syrup. (Check out that recipe!)

If you’re looking to give your syrup an extra boost, consider our current favorite elderberry syrup recipe! You’ll notice the directions are pretty similar to the simple elderberry recipe, so this recipe is just as easy to do!

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Ingredients:

1/4 cup dried organic elderberries

1/4 cup dried organic aronia berries/ 1 cup fresh or frozen

1 tablespoon grated fresh organic ginger

2 sticks of organic Ceylon cinnamon

1 teaspoon organic whole cloves

6 cups filtered water (We use an APEC Water System)

1 cup local, raw honey or 1 cup organic maple syrup

Bottles for storing

*I prefer purchasing herbs that we don’t grow ourselves from either a local store or online at Mountain Rose Herbs. I feel like they are a very trusted source. Check out their herbal selection! (I’m not affiliated with Mountain Rose Herbs!) However, recently, I have purchased through the recommended Amazon links, and have been quite pleased with them!

Directions:

1. Pour in your berries, spices, and herbs into a sauce pan with your water. Allow berries to soak in cold water for 1 hour.
2. After 1 hour, turn on medium/low heat and slowly bring up to a boil while stirring often.
3. Reduce heat and allow berries to simmer for 45 minutes uncovered. Stir occasionally. (It is very important to not shorten this time! It is critical for proper preparation that the berries simmer for 45 minutes.)
4. Strain and squeeze berries out (saving the liquid). Make sure to compost the leftovers. You should have near 2 cups of liquid. Continue simmering if you have too much, or add more filtered water if needed. 
5. Allow liquid to cool to room temperature (if using honey. Heating honey breaks down a lot of the beneficial components). Mix in your desired sweetener well.
6. Pour your syrup into your desired bottles. 
7. Store refrigerated for up to 3 months.

*Note, this recipe doesn’t give you the thick syrup most associate with medicine. It will be slightly thicker than water.*

Dosing:

For adults, take 1 TBSP 4 times daily and 1/4-1/2 TBSP 4 times daily for children at the onset of cold and flu symptoms. Only use for short periods of time, per the Herbal Academy of New England Introductory Course, no longer than a 5 day period.

Benefits of Added Ingredients:

These herbs work great together as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties! You can definitely leave any out if you aren’t able to find them.

Aronia Melanocarpa

Ginger

Ginger is wonderful for helping the body push through an infection. It is antimicrobial, thins mucous, and anti-inflammatory.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is warming and anti-inflammatory. It’s also loaded with antioxidants.

Cloves

Another tiny herb packed with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties! A little goes a long way, with this little herb.