Elderflower syrup – properties, recipe, preparation, dosage

Elderberry is a plant that grows wild all over Poland. The valuable healing properties of elderberry have been appreciated in natural medicine for many years. Elderberry can be used to make juices and syrups. Flowers and elderberries are especially valuable to humans. Elderberry juices and syrups are recommended for home treatment of colds, and also as a healthy addition to teas in the fall and winter season.

Black lilac – characteristics

Black elderberry is a wild growing shrub, sometimes the plant can reach up to 3 meters in height. Elderberry leaves are oblong, dark on top, light green on the underside. Elderberry blooms white in May and June, and the fruit appears in August-October.

Black lilac – properties

The health benefits of elderberry are due to the unique chemical components contained in the plant. Elderberry flowers and fruits contain a large amount of flavonoids. Flavonoids have a strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect, they also stimulate urine secretion, strengthen the structure of blood vessel walls and have a diastolic effect.

Elderberry fruits contain large amounts of valuable B vitamins, important for the proper course of metabolic processes in the human body. Elderberries also contain a large amount of vitamin C.

It is worth knowing that elderberry contains prunnazine and sambunigrin, which are compounds that are dangerous for humans. Both substances are irritating to the digestive system, and sambunigrin is decomposed into hydrogen cyanide, which leads to weakness and vomiting, and in extreme cases to death.

However, when the fruits and flowers of elderberry are properly prepared, we should not be afraid of the effects of harmful substances. It is important to properly prepare elderberry juice or elderflower syrup.

Check: Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) poisoning

Elderberry flower syrup – properties

Elderberry flower syrup is recommended for home treatment of colds and flu. Elderberry flowers show a strong diuretic, detoxifying and facilitating expectoration effect. Elderberry flowers also have a diastolic effect, stimulate circulation and lower blood sugar levels.

What is also worth adding, the conducted studies showed that taking elderberry flower syrup had a positive effect on the duration of the flu, shortening its course by an average of 3-4 days compared to placebo. This is due to the antioxidants contained in elderberry flower syrup, which help the body fight the disease, as well as strengthen the immune system.

Elderberry flower syrup is also full of flavonoids, potassium, phytosterols, vitamin C, but also other vitamins, which translates into its positive effect in the case of persistent cough or in states of weakening the body and problems with metabolism.

It is also worth mentioning that elderberry flower syrup is successfully used in the treatment of catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, prostate enlargement, infectious diseases, and skin diseases, as well as problems with the vascular system.

At Medonet Market you can buy ready-made elderberry syrups. They have a supportive effect in the case of colds, coughs or hoarseness. Additionally, they support immunity in periods of its weakening. Try, among others:

1. PNEUMOPOL syrup with elderberry,
2. Lilac flower syrup with vitamin C,
3. Ecological elderberry flower syrup,
4. Icelandic lichen and lilac syrup.

Do you want to check the effects of elderberry? Try Oleiq for dry and mature skin. The product is available on Medonet Market.

How to collect elderberry flowers?

We collect elderberry flowers at the end of May and June. Then we also have to pay attention to the place where these fruits grow. It is very important that the place is far from large urban buildings and roads, especially those roads that are often used, so there is less chance of contamination of flowers.

In addition, it is worth paying attention to collecting it on a sunny day, at the same time remembering that the syrup should be prepared on the same day when we picked the inflorescences. Picking flowers on a sunny day is due to the fact that the flavor is in the pollen of the flowers and the rain can wash it away. For the same reason, flowers are not washed before use.

It should also be remembered that white and fully grown flowers should be picked because unripe flowers will be bitter in taste. The most important thing, however, is never to eat the flowers raw, but to heat them first, which will make us get rid of harmful compounds.

Elderflower syrup – recipe

For the preparation of elderberry flower syrup, the following should be prepared:

1. 40-60 clusters of elderberry flowers, the so-called umbellules,
2. 1 liter of water,
3. 1 kg of sugar.

Elderberry flowers need to be properly prepared – remove the stems and petioles. Then they need to be poured with boiling water and allowed to cool. Leave the cooled down, flooded flowers in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

After a day, the flowers should be strained through a sieve, add sugar and boil. It is worth remembering to systematically collect the foam that appears during cooking. After the sugar is completely dissolved, pour the ready-made syrup into sterile jars or bottles and pasteurize it for about a quarter of an hour.

1. Also try ready-made elderberry syrup

Elderberry flower syrup – dosage

In the case of a cold or flu, it is recommended to drink a maximum of 4 teaspoons a day. Due to its expectorant properties, the syrup should not be drunk right before bedtime.

1. We recommend the Szczepanówka elderberry flower syrup.

Elderberry syrup – properties

Elderberry syrup is a tasty addition to tea, desserts or drinks. Elderberry syrup is a valuable source of B vitamins and vitamin C, it will work as a healthy addition in the autumn and winter season, but also during the spring solstice.

Elderberry syrup – recipe

For the preparation of elderberry syrup, you need to prepare:

1. 1 kg of elderberry fruit,
2. OK. 1 kg of sugar,
3. water.

Elderberry fruits should be thoroughly washed, then put in a pot and sprinkle with sugar. The amount of sugar is arbitrary – depending on how sweet the syrup you want to get. Pour water over the fruit covered with sugar so that the fruit is covered, but there is not too much water. Cook everything until the fruit releases juices. We cook and wait until everything cools down, strain, and pour the resulting syrup into clean bottles or jars.

Elderberry syrup can be pasteurized, without pasteurization it can be stored in the refrigerator for approx. 3 weeks.

Elderberry juice – recipe

Elderberry juice can also be prepared. To prepare the juice you need:

1. 1 kg of elderberry fruit,
2. 1 kg of sugar,
3. 1 liter of water.

The elderberries should be washed, then poured over with water, add sugar, and cook the whole for about 2 hours. The juice must cool down, strain it all, and boil the remaining juice for about 1 hour on very low heat. Pour the finished juice into jars or bottles and pasteurize it for a quarter of an hour.

Elderberry juice makes a tasty addition to teas and desserts.

1. Try the natural elderberry juice

Other elderberry flower products

It is worth knowing that elderberry flowers can also be used to make wine, tinctures or infusions, which have a positive effect on our skin and mucous membranes, because it has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and anti-swelling properties. In addition, it can help people who have problems with dry, acne-prone (rosacea) skin or prone to irritation.

At Medonet Market, at a promotional price, you can buy an infusion of elderberry flowers Natjun or Zatoka – a liquid supplement, which includes, among others, black lilac.

Elderberry tincture – recipe

For the preparation of elderberry fruit tincture, you need to prepare:

1. about 700 grams of fruit,
2. 900 milliliters of alcohol (preferably spirit),
3. half a liter of water.

Ripe fruit should be properly prepared in advance, i.e. remove the stalks, which, due to their bitter taste, can spoil the taste of our tincture. If we are people with poor resistance to alcohol, it is worth thinking about reducing the amount of spirit or mixing the spirit with vodka. Boil the prepared fruit until it boils, then remove it from the heat. Then we have to strain them. It is worth adding that instead of throwing away fruit, we can make preserves out of them.

The strained elderberry juice must now be mixed with alcohol, then closed and set aside. If we want, we can also season the whole with lemon juice and two teaspoons of cinnamon and vanilla, which will enhance the effect of the “specific”.

After about half a year, the elderberry tincture is ready to drink.

Elderberry tincture – dosage

For elderberry tincture, the recommended daily dose is 15 milliliters 3 times a day to support immunity. In a situation where we feel that we are experiencing the first symptoms of a cold, it is worth thinking about increasing the dose, remembering at the same time that the tincture contains large amounts of alcohol.

However, you should know that while there are no medical contraindications to the use of elderberry fruit tincture, people with hypotension should be careful about it because of its antihypertensive properties. In addition, people with multiple allergies should watch out for elderberry tincture. It is worth checking in advance whether they are allergic to flowers or fruit.