elderberry recommendations please

[chocolate-chip chooky]

We're just heading into flu season here and I'd like to be prepared.

I've heard that elderberry is good. 

I'm all ears to recommendations.

Thank you 🙂 

[AmandaVT]

Honey Gardens makes our favorite and it is a good price right now on Amazon. 

[Corraleno]

Elderberry is AMAZING stuff! At least 9 times out of 10, if I take elderberry syrup at the very first sign of a cold or sore throat, it stops it within 24 hours. Even if I don't catch it right at the start, it definitely shortens the duration. I've made it myself a few times from dried berries and honey, but most of the time I just use Sambucol. (Personally I can't stand the thick texture of Sambucol, so I just stir it into a glass of water.)

[Ali in OR]

I like Sambucol. I do think it lessens a cold if I can remember to take it 3-4 times per day for 5 days. The liquid is a lot stronger than the lozenges, but I do like the lozenges too when my throat is a little scratchy or to calm a dry cough.

[scrapbookbuzz]

You can make your own. I have a recipe. Message me if you would like the recipe.

[Liz CA]

Also goes by the name "Sambucus" around here. IMHO, it falls into the category "can't hurt, will try it." I have used it with good results.

[catz]

I much prefer to make it.  I order berries off of amazon during the off season to last all year.  

[DawnM]

Order some berries and make a "tea. " 

Boil water (I use about 4 cups) with 1/2 cup of elderberries and then simmer for about 20 min.  Let cool.  Strain well (making sure to get all the juice out of the elderberries through a strainer)

Pour into ice cube trays and freeze until hardened.  Put into a container to keep in the freezer and plop a cube into boiling water and add any sweetener of choice (or not) and drink one daily as a hot beverage.

That way you aren't getting all the sugars of the syrups.  It is my preferred way.

[chocolate-chip chooky]

Thanks, folks.

Do you think there is any therapeutic benefit to the homemade stuff?

I'm really kind of lazy with making things from scratch, but I'd consider it if it really made a better brew.

Sambucol I can just buy off the shelf at my local grocery shop, so that is pretty tempting 😶

[AmandaVT]

7 hours ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

Thanks, folks.

Do you think there is any therapeutic benefit to the homemade stuff?

I'm really kind of lazy with making things from scratch, but I'd consider it if it really made a better brew.

Sambucol I can just buy off the shelf at my local grocery shop, so that is pretty tempting 😶

 

I like the Honey Gardens because it doesn't have sugars or syrups in it - just honey, elderberry, and echinacea I think. I think the biggest benefit to homemade, compared to a higher quality syrup, is it's much more cost effective. If you buy the dried berries on the offseason, they're quite inexpensive and you can probably make a whole season's worth of syrup for the cost of one bottle. I never remember to do it before the cost of the dry berries skyrockets in the winter and by the time I need it, I'm usually not feeling well and not feeling up to making homemade. One of these years, I'll get ahead of things and make syrup for the winter!