Name: Elderberry Syrup with Antiviral Boost
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 4 cups filtered water; 1 cup dried elderberries; 1/2 cup dried astragalus root; 1/4 cup dried echinacea root; 2 cups raw honey; 1/4 cup lemon juice

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When sickness hits your house, it’s comforting to be able to make some herbal medicines to help heal your body from the inside. This delicious elderberry syrup with an antiviral boost is not only delicious but it’s very effective. Modern medicine absolutely has its place but so do home remedies using herbal medicine. I want to encourage you to make and use your own home remedies if you don’t already!

Quart jar and half-pint jar of elderberry syrup with antiviral sitting on a wooden cutting board on a counter.

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Sickness is inevitable whether it’s a cold or the flu or something else altogether. When sickness hits, I always like to make home remedies to help heal our bodies from the inside.

Our care plan on the homestead for dealing with sickness includes eating nourishing foods made with rich, homemade chicken bone broth, getting plenty of rest, hydrating with water with lemon juice, and using home remedies. (Click here for my creamy vegetable soup recipe!)

I also encourage fermented and probiotic-rich foods.

I want to note here that we avoid added sugars and dairy. What and how much you eat will greatly affect the degree of illness. Dairy products tend to make the symptoms of a cold and flu worse. Likewise, so do sugar-rich foods.

What is herbal medicine?

Simply speaking, herbal medicine uses herbs to maintain or improve health. It includes teas, tinctures, tonics, oils, salves, and other natural remedies made from herbs.

Herbs have been used successfully as food and medicine for thousands of years. Over-the-counter and prescription medicines often have nasty side effects but herbal medicine rarely does!

Is herbal medicine safe?

It’s important to be your own advocate when it comes to your health; however, herbal medicines are generally considered safe and effective. Especially when using plants in their whole form (roots, leaves, berries, flowers) and not concentrated forms of the plant.

The NIH National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health has an Herbs at a Glance page that lists common herbs, their uses, and potential side effects if you’re interested in learning more.

As with any food, make sure you know where your herbs are coming from and what may have been sprayed on them.

It’s best if you grow your own herbs organically or have a reputable, local source for medicinal herbs; however, I’ll link to some high-quality herbs at the bottom of this post.

Note: I am not a doctor, so be sure to consult with your health care provider if you take any pharmaceuticals. Herbal medicine may interact with other drugs you are taking.

Elderberries, Echinacea, and Astragalus.

One of my favorite home remedies is elderberry syrup with echinacea but my family needed something stronger this week. So I added some astragalus root.

Elderberries stimulate the immune system, treat cold and flu, relieve digestive issues, and it’s also an antiviral. They are generally considered safe but talk to your doctor if you have an autoimmune disorder.

Echinacea treats colds and upper respiratory infections, it’s a blood purifier and natural antibiotic, and it stimulates the immune system. It also treats yeast and fungal overgrowth. You should omit this herb if you have an autoimmune disorder. Also, do not take for longer than 8 consecutive weeks.

Astragalus root stimulates the immune system, treats cold and flu, is an antibacterial and antiviral, it helps your body adapt to stress (adaptogen), it increases white blood cell count, is an anti-inflammatory, and even protects the cardiovascular system.

I also want to note that according to the book Herbal Antivirals, no toxicity has ever been shown from the regular, daily use of astragalus root; however, for some people (not all) in late-stage Lyme disease, using astragalus root can exacerbate autoimmune responses.

Recipe for elderberry syrup with antiviral boost

Bags of elderberries, echinacea root, and astragalus root along with measuring cups on a wooden cutting board.

First you’ll need 1 cup of dried elderberries, 1/2 cup of dried astragalus root, and 1/4 cup of dried echinacea root.

A pot on a stove with 4 cups of water, 1 cup dried elderberries, 1/2 cup dried astragalus root, and 1/4 cup dried echinacea root.

Add herbs to a medium pot and add 4 cups of water. Simmer the herbs for 15 minutes while stirring occasionally.

A large measuring glass with a metal sieve sitting inside. Herbs are strained through the sieve. Next to the measuring glass is a jar of honey and a jar of lemon juice.

After simmering for 15 minutes, turn off the heat and strain the herbs using a fine mesh sieve. (Set the herbs aside for later.) Get out some raw honey and lemon juice for the next step.

A pot on a stove with elderberry syrup with an antiviral boost.

Wash your pot and re-use it as a mixing vessel. Pour the strained liquid back into the pot and add 2 cups of raw honey. Stir until the honey is all dissolved. (This happens quickly since the liquid is still warm from simmering.) Then add 1/4 cup of lemon juice and stir until blended.

A quart jar with a stainless steel funnel on top, sitting next to a half-pint jar filled with elderberry syrup with antiviral boost sitting on a wooden cutting board on the counter.

After mixing well, pour your finished syrup into a quart jar and half-pint mason jar. Label each jar with the date and instructions and store in your refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Save your scraps!

You can save your scraps and re-use them! Although they won’t be as potent as unused herbs, I still think there are some medicinal properties left behind in the scraps.

I often put these scraps in an ice cube tray and freeze them in cubes. I’ll store the cubes in a freezer bag or other container in my freezer and pull them out as I need them. I then use the cubes to make hot, herbal tea when my family feels under the weather.

Elderberry syrup scraps in a white bowl on a wooden cutting board.

Directions for taking elderberry syrup with antiviral boost.

If you’re healthy: take 1 teaspoon per day during cold and flu season or any time you’re around a sick crowd.

If you start feeling sick: take between 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon every 2 hours while you’re sick.

How long can I store this elderberry syrup?

You can safely store this syrup in your fridge for up to 6 months. Just label it properly with the date made or a “use by” date on your jars.

Variations to the recipe.

Using raw honey is best but if you don’t have honey or if you plan on giving this syrup to a child under 1 year, you can substitute maple syrup.

If you don’t have lemon juice, you can omit it from the recipe, but the syrup will only last in your fridge for 2-3 months.

Recipe for elderberry syrup with antiviral boost.

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