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Elderberry syrup for bronchitis and flu
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Elderberry syrup ready for therapy
Elderberry syrup is a common remedy for respiratory ailments, especially bronchitis. It's a therapeutic powerhouse for the flu, as well. With winter coming on, it's wise to think about remedies for what may be around the corner.
Page 290 of "Smart Medicine for Healthier Living" presents a 1995 study in which elderberry extract reduced both the severity of flu symptoms and also the duration of flu from 2-3 days in the treated group versus 6 days in the placebo group. This is because elderberry inhibits neuraminidase, the enzyme used by the virus to spread infection to host cells. That's very impressive, especially if you're the one trying to get back to your life.
The elderberry, a member of the Honeysuckle family, is quite a common shrub in the wild. According to "A Modern Herbal" by Mrs. M. Grieve, the elder bush yields bark, leaves, flowers and berries for medicine. This article will be concerned with only the berries. Dr. Christopher's "100 Herb Syllabus" says that "elder is an indigenous shrub growing in all parts of the United States and Canada in low, damp grounds, thickets, and waste places." They also grow in Europe. They are often cultivated in gardens. Indeed, Dr. Christopher's belief in elder's great healing powers led him to state that it is one of the herbs that should be in everyone's yard and medicine chest.
You can get starts of elderberry bushes at any local nursery in the Salt Lake area. Two year old plants will start producing a sizeable crop. They need to be pruned in the spring or fall to avoid over-running the property, but with proper care, your elderberries should play nicely with your other plantings and give you elderberries for many seasons. Alternatively, look for wild elderberries in the mountains, along roadsides, or anywhere in nature.
The berries are ready for harvest when they are a deep black-blue and are very soft, as in the above picture. Harvest them by cutting off the entire umbrel (cluster) upon which they grow. Then place the clusters in the steamer-juicer. Once the juice is extracted, simply discard the used berries attached to the plant material--into the compost heap.
Here's a picture of elderberries before steaming:
The steamer is a Nutri-Steamer by Back to Basics. The bottom of the pan holds the boiling water, the middle section collects the juice, and the top, which is a colander, lets the warm berries release their juice without the solid material falling into the juice. The tube coming out of the center section collects the juice into a separate pan, measuring cup, or other container. Be sure not to use plastic as it is very hot! Steam the berries about an hour. There is a lid that is not shown in this picture. used during the steaming process.
Once the juice has been collected, measure it and add the same amount of raw honey. Stir to dissolve the honey if it is crystallized. You may put the mixture on a VERY low heat to facilitate the melting/blending process.
Meanwhile, sterilize as many canning bottles as you will need to hold the amount of ounces you have collected. Jelly jars are a perfect size, but any size will do. If the jars are taken from boiling water, filled with warm elderberry syrup and then sealed, they need no further processing for the lids to seal. I have kept my elderberry syrup in a cool basement for months with no spoilage this way. However, they may also be canned by boiling water bath method for 20 minutes. Once open, the syrup should be kept refrigerated. At the beginning of winter, a teaspoon a day should be enough to help ward off infection. However, if infection develops, several teaspoons a day is appropriate. There is no toxic level. Do not give elderberry syrup to children under one if you have added honey to it. If you would like to use it for infants, substitute another sweetener. Agave nectar syrup would be a good choice. Both honey and agave nectar have medicinal properties of their own, adding to the total therapeutic value.
For more info: J&L Garden Center You'll find quality elderberry bushes here.
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