Elderberry flowers and berries simmered into a healthy tea, laced with honey and made into convenient gummies for daily health preventative properties.
Elderberries
Elderberries have long been a health remedy to relieve colds, fight the flu and boost the immune system.
Elderberry cough syrup has also been a long time remedy to soothe if not reduce a cough due to colds or allergies.
Elderberries are known for many beneficial properties, especially those that help with illness because of their antioxidant, antiviral and other immune boost components.
If you are not sick, though, you might be interested in the elderberry properties for your skin, because of the rather high element of vitamin A.
All good reasons to not buy a ready made product but rather make it yourself. That way you control the concentration of the extraction and instead of corn syrup sweeteners, you can use honey or agave.
Homemade Health Remedies
Herbalist have been way ahead of the game of preventative health remedies. Having an understanding of the beneficial properties found in nature sure sounds like a smart way to manage our health.
I have always had a curiosity for natural remedies, whether for health or for beauty aids. I used to make many of my own concoctions as a teenage for my crazy curly hair and to ward off acne during teenage years.
Fast forward to 2007, when I moved to Brazil for a period of time, I knew I just had to explore plant medicine knowledge from the interior areas of Brazil. I learned much and knew I could use what I learned once back in the states.
Honey For Health
Raw honey. It must be raw honey. Not that wet stuff that pours like syrup. Raw honey is natures gift to our body. It is loaded with properties that are antibacterial and anti fungal.
It’s plant chemicals act as antioxidants. Raw honey alone will soothe the throat and aid in coughing. These are all things we will need to comfort us when we become ladened with this virus or any unwell time.
Gummies For Grownups Too!
It was said to me by my daughter in law that the boys (I thought she meant just my grandsons), wouldn’t take vitamins or medicine unless it was in the form of a gummy.
How was I to know that she included ‘hubby’, my son, in that rat pack of boys she was referring to! LOL.
So, I set out to do what any good mommy/grandma does; find a solution.
With the help of a pinch of gelatin or agar agar (a plant gelatin powder), I was able to make a huge batch of … gummies at the onset of school season, ie cold and flu season.
Then, I realized I could also make medicinal gummies for them to suck on by using the recipe here for a homemade elderberry gummies.
Wouldn’t you know it, while I simply used a sheet pan to set the gummies and then cut them into cubes; my grandsons (or maybe it was my son, wink), for Christmas, gave me cute little molds to shape more gummies in the future. Dang kids never really grow up! LOL.
Ingredients Needed
- Dried Elderberries
- Dried Elderberry Flowers
- Water
- Raw Honey
- Agar agar
Equipment Needed
- Sauce pan
- Strainer
- Sheet Pan or Gummy Molds
- Whisk
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Mason Jar or Airtight container