Oh elderberries...where can I begin??
I don't know about you all, but I was intimated by the thought of actually intaking elderberries for the first time considering the only phrase I associated them with was "Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries!" (in a french accent taunting on the top of a wall).
But I digress...
Elderberries are one of the most magical berries in the natural remedy realm. Most of the "important health benefits of elderberries include their ability to alleviate allergies, boost the immune system, protect against bacteria and infection, lower blood sugar, help with weight loss, moderate the digestive process, and slow down the spread of cancer" (source). How awesome is it that a small little berry like that can have so much potential?! Our household loves any type of holistic approach to illness, even if it does take a little bit of work to get it.
Eating clean, buying organically/locally sourced, as well as intaking supplements and vitamins seemed like a daunting task to me initially. It's a daily habit (that my husband can agree it's still a work in progress for me) that truly has shown me results in various aspects of my life. I went from a lifestyle of taking the first medication that could get rid of my symptoms the fastest, to finally taking a deeper look into WHY was I feeling that way, WHAT was causing my headache, anxiety, my flu symptoms-you name it.
Once we are able to look at the underlying cause of WHY we feel the way we do, we can actually TREAT the problem, and not mask it anymore. Another great way to feel better consistently is to be PROACTIVE with your health. Which brings me to this fabulous "Elderberry Gummies" recipe.
Flu season is coming up, along with the normal upper respiratory crud, allergies-basically anything that makes you a living, walking zombie.
The most common use of elderberries is to help boost the immune system, and that's exactly what these little suckers do!
By taking these gummies daily it will help your immune system strengthen, so when you do come into contact with the flu or another type of similar infection, it can either help you avoid the sickness in it's entirety, or drastically reduce you having the flu by DAYS.
So let's start figuring out what all goes into making healthy, immune boosting gummies that work for the whole family!
First- you need elderberry concentrate. I'm pretty spoiled, and have this awesome local place by the name of "Booth's Brew" that I can get elderberry concentrate that's FABULOUS, and makes it super convenient on my time schedule.
If you have the time (and the elderberries most importantly!), Katie over at Wellness Mama has a great elderberry syrup recipe that's my go-to when I can find elderberries!
The next thing you will need are some gummy molds. I HIGHLY recommend the silicon molds, and I found some cute little bears ones on amazon here, that work perfectly! It even comes with a dropper that makes filling the molds incredibly easy!There a ton of molds out there these days, so if you're aiming at giving your kiddos these, let them pick out a fun mold for their gummies!
I use tart cherry juice in mine, as well as raw local honey and this gelatin. You can use a regular box of "Knox" brand gelatin, but why would you want to when you can have all the extra added benefits of Beef Gelatin??
When making the gummies, sometimes I'm not fast enough for it, so it starts to gel quicker than I can work. If this happens to you, just pop it in the microwave or heat it on the stove briefly until it liquifies again.
The gummies should set in around 30-45 minutes in the refrigerator, and then you can pop them out of the molds and place them in an airtight container. They last in the fridge for around 2 weeks!
Elderberry syrup is usually taken by the spoonful, so a typical preventative dosage for an adult would be 1 tablespoon, and for a child 1 teaspoon. If the flu is caught, then you can increase the dosage up to 4 times a day.
Depending on the molds you buy, you should be able to figure out how many gummies equal one dose. Dustin and I eat around 6-8 a day, and our 17 month old eats 3-4 of them (happily at that) per day.
So here it is-- I hope you all enjoy this healthy treat to help you get jumpstarted in the flu season to stay happy and healthy! :)
Click the link below or picture for the printable recipe!
I looooooooove these gummies!