Elderflower & Elderberries - The Use Of These Botanicals To Get Relief From Allergy And Cold

Elders know what’s best for you.  So does elderflower and elderberries.  If the name does not strike your mind instantly, then the benefits of the delicate flower will never let you forget it either. The snowflaked flowers reigning the bushy elderberry tree is a storehouse of medicinal values. The flowers bloom into luscious, dark purple berries. The healing touch of these herbal flowers has the potential to cure many ailments. Still, it has gained attention for treating upper respiratory illness and is praised for elderflower benefits for skin. 

Unlike many expectorants available in the market, the elderflower’s taste is not bitter. Why only use a spoonful of elderberry syrup for cough and cold, when you can sprinkle it on your everyday drinks or food to keep allergies and ailments at bay.

As a matter of fact, you will relish any ordinary food platter or beverage when you add the delectable flowers and berries of the elder tree to them. Usually, people have labeled healthy eating as bland and tasteless food. However, elderflowers are going to change that perception once and for all.  It is only a matter of time until you thank yourself for reading this article.

Letting the cat out of the bag, here are the umpteen reasons and recipes why the botanical potion of elderberry flowers should occupy a space on your kitchen counter or medicine cabinet.

Elderflower Benefits

When you pluck a flower from the elder tree, you hold a casket of goodness in your palm. Though the list of benefits is endless, people use these elegant flowers predominantly for allergy remedy, cold and cough relief, and elderflower benefits for skin. 

Elderflower Benefits for cold and flu

The autumn bloom has the potential to knock down cold and flu that occurs at the winter onset or during season change. The timeless tips of your grandma equate to the benefits of elderflower’s elixir. A small juice extract can eradicate the viruses and bacteria, causing cold and flu. Some clinical studies suggest that the elderflower syrup is effective in controlling the severity of cough and cold. Small studies indicate that administering elderberry flower extract to patients has reduced influenza symptoms by four days.  Thus, they are a safe and efficient treatment for cold and flu.

Though the bark, roots, stem, and twigs are not safe for consumption, the fresh blossom of elderflowers and ripe elderberries are filled with properties that cure several ailments.

While looking at the alluring cluster of elderflowers, who can tell that they are exponentially rich in vitamin C, the truth is- vitamin C can combat diverse infections.  Scientists have proved that vitamin C plays a significant role in alleviating disease that causes an eruption of viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. If consumed regularly, the extract of these flowers minimizes the chances of catching cough and cold and also reduces the recovery time from illnesses. The flower has antiseptic properties that coats your throat and medicates the prevailing infection.

Furthermore, the elderflower supplement rich in vitamin C deactivates the viruses causing cold and flu. The flowers from the elder tree control the trails of pneumonia, tetanus, pharyngitis, etc. There is more than one way of using these flowers and berries from the elder tree to cure cough and cold.

Various Elderflower Uses for Cough and Cold

• You can soothe your sore throat by gargling with the flowers’ concoction.
• Sipping on elderberry tea has a soothing effect on your itchy throat.
• Biting on an elderberry pie on any day is better gulping down antibiotics.
• You can take elderberry flower extract as immunity juice shots.
• Taking elderberry-based supplements to help in compensating the deficiency in the body.
• A spoonful of elderberry cough syrup is a natural way to calm the coughing spells.
• Children can enjoy ripe elderberry gummy bears with its health benefits.
• You can inhale aromatic elderflower steam, which has the potential to open up the clogged nasal passage and reduce inflammation.
• Elderberry-based lozenges are a great way to prevent cough at the onset of irritation in the throat.
• Elderflower decongestant tablets help extensively in cough and cold.
• The antiviral agent in these flowers wards off seasonal flu and cold.

Who likes popping pills on a daily basis?  The human mind perceives medicines as a remedy for the sick, even if you are talking about supplements. However, it is hard to refuse a steaming hot cup of tea cocktail on a cold winter morning when you are suffering from a stuffy nose. It is easy to prepare and takes only a few minutes.  Sip away to a healthy you with this herbal tea recipe.

Recipe for Hot Elderberry Cocktail Tea for Cold and Flu

Here is the recipe for preparing one cup of herbal elderberry cocktail tea.

Ingredients

1.5 cups of boiling water

1 tbsp dried elderberries

1 tsp honey

½ tsp of fresh ginger

A pinch of cinnamon powder

A bit of turmeric powder

Instructions

1. Drop 1 tbsp dried elderberries in the boiling hot water.
2. Add crushed fresh ginger into the water.
3. Add cinnamon and turmeric powder.
4. Continue to boil the water. Cover the saucepan and allow the mixture to simmer for the next 15 minutes or until the water is reduced marginally.
5. Just before removing from the heat, add honey.
6. Stir well before straining into the cup.
7. Sip and satiate your taste buds.

Recipe for Homemade Elderflower Syrup for Cold and Cough

Here is an easy recipe for preparing a jar of herbal elderflower syrup to brush your pancakes and waffles. You can enhance the taste of your vanilla ice cream by draining the syrup over it.

Ingredients

4 cups of filtered water

1 cup of white blossomed elderflowers’ heads

50 oz of powdered sugar

3 tsp of lemon juice or citric acid

One thinly sliced lemon

A pinch of cinnamon powder

Instructions

1. Pour water in a saucepan along with powdered sugar, citric acid, and cinnamon powder.
2. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves completely. Take it off the heat and allow it to cool.
3. In the meantime, you can shake off any debris or insects from the elderflowers.  Please do not wash them as they lose their essence.  You may pluck off the entire stem to derive the nutrients of the flower only.
4. Keep the elderflowers and sliced lemon in a transparent glass jar.
5. Once the syrup cools down, you can store it in the jar. Keep it in the refrigerator for two days, so the elderflowers infuse well into the syrup.  Do not forget to stir the mixture a couple of times during the day. It would be best to keep a lid on the jar, so the extracts of the flowers do not escape.
6. After 48 hours of keeping the mixture in the refrigerator, you can strain the syrup into another clean jar using a sieve. Your elderflower syrup is good for 12 months of use if kept in a fridge with a tight lid.
7. Stir well each time before glazing your pancakes or waffles with the mouth-watering elderflower syrup.

Elderflower Benefits for Sinusitis Cure and Nasal Congestion

The elderflower is packed with antioxidants. Patients with inflamed nasal passage due to sinusitis can breathe easily after inhaling the infused flowers in steaming water. The botanical cure works as an expectorant and drains the mucus from the nose, lungs, bronchi, and trachea. With the help of an anti-catarrhal agent, it decongests the respiratory tract, removes excessive mucus, and restores balance.

You can take a small amount of elderflower orally as prescribed by the doctor to minimize the sinus cavity’s swelling. The flowers’ antimicrobial properties prevent the growth of microorganisms. Antibiotics do the same work, but chemically. However, elderflower is an organic cure from a common cold, nasal blockage, cough, nasal polyps, etc. occurring due to sinusitis.

Have you ever thought of having a pie to cure your common cold and sinusitis?  Well, with yummy elderberries recipes, you can. You can eat your way to a healthy you with a tempting low-calorie elderberry pie. The elderberry pie rewards you with 45% of vitamin C, 9% vitamin A, 11% of vitamin B6,  Niacin, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, and other goodness.

Recipe for Scrumptious Elderberry Pie to Cure Common Cold and Sinusitis

Here is the recipe for preparing one 9 inches elderberry pie.

Ingredients

4 cups of ripe elderberries

One pie crust (9 inches)

1 cup of powdered sugar

One tablespoon lemon juice

2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch

Instructions

1. Mix water, cornstarch, and sugar in a pan to the desired consistency.
2. Add elderberries to the mixture.
3. Squeeze one tablespoon of lemon juice to the consistency.  You can add more cornstarch to create a thick paste.
4. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Brush the pie pan with little oil, so the crust does not stick.
6. Transfer the filling into the pie crust.
7. Cover the pie with the top crust.
8. Place the elderberry pie into the oven at 375 degrees F.

Elderflower Benefits for Allergies Relief and Running Nose

Though springtime is a refreshing welcome after long winter months, the pollen in the air is not good news for people with allergies. Other allergens, such as dust, pet dander, particular food and scents, etc. can also trigger allergic reactions. The allergic reaction is an abnormal response of the immune system. However, if the immune system is strong, it will not be threatened by allergic substances. 

The pale-yellow pigment present in elderflowers is rich in quercetin.  Intake of a small amount of its extract can relieve you from most allergens. The elderflowers effectively relieves those suffering from running nose, constant sneezing, itchy nose, clogged nose, cough, swollen nose, lip, eyes, etc.

Dependency on chemical-based pills may not be your preferred choice. You can introduce herbal remedies in your diet, such as elderflower. Antioxidants-rich, the creamy flowers can show significant improvement in your allergic symptoms. You can sprinkle elderflower seasonings in your salad or blend it in your smoothie. This herbal alley will give you plenty of relief.

There are many health drinks and tonics that you do not gulp down with pleasure.  Here is a great way to indulge in a refreshing elderflower drink on a lazy, hot afternoon. 

Recipe for Herbal Elderflower Allergy Relief Beverage

Here is the recipe for preparing two glasses of herbal elderflower beverage

Ingredients

5-6 fresh elderflowers

A pinch of lemon zest

A few leaves of lemon balm mint

Sugar to taste

Vodka

Instructions

1. Take a transparent glass jar and pour vodka into it.
2. Pluck the elderflowers and drop them in the glass jar along with the lemon zest, lemon balm mint.
3. Keep the mixture aside for two weeks for the flavors to blend in.
4. Stir in sugar syrup and keep aside for another two weeks.
5. Serve and enjoy the flavorful beverage with ice cubes when your guest arrives.

Elderflower Benefits for Strengthening Immunity

The flowering herbal drug helps to develop immunity in the body to deal with epidemics and other outbreaks. The extract of elderflower is a health tonic that goes back to traditional medicines to strengthen the immune system. The plant has an antiviral agent that prevents viruses from dwelling in the body. The presence of vitamin A and vitamin C in the berries of elderflower plants keeps the body strong and healthy. Scientifically, vitamin A is proven to modulate a wide range of immune activities. The flowers from the elder tree have the extract of vitamin A, which interacts with the immune system positively and exert its effect on the body cells and tissues. Vitamin A occurring naturally in the flower of the elder tree stimulates the cells and maintains a healthy lining of the body’s interior surface.

The berries extracted from a black elder or Sambucus nigra, a species of elderflower plants, effectively build the immune system and fight viruses causing laryngitis, flu, cold, etc. A strong immune system does not allow the virus to attach itself to the host cell and begin the reproduction of new viruses. 

The sound of medicine may not be appealing. However, the thought of pies and tart with the goodness of the elderberry will have most of you drooling. The mouth-watering delicacies of elderberries will seamlessly strengthen your immune system as you tuck in the nutrients of the botanical potion. 

Recipe for Delicious Elderberry Immunity Building Tarts

Here is the recipe for preparing after-dinner dessert with elderberries. These tarts are in demand at all times, and you would not mind baking it for its health benefits.

Ingredients

3.6 cups of juicy elderberries with nipped stalks

Pastry cases about the size of a quarter-cent

2 medium-sized eggs

2 tbsp of creme de cassis

4 oz of finely powdered sugar

2 tbsp of white sprinkled sugar

2 oz of plain flour

3/4 cup of double cream

Tart tins for baking

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven at 400 degrees F.
2. Whisk together, cream, plain flour, creme de cassis, and eggs until you get a smooth paste.
3. Place the elderberries in the pastry case.
4. Pour over the creamy blend over the elderberries evenly.
5. Sprinkle the remaining sugar on the top.
6. Insert the tart into the preheated oven and allow it to bake for 35 to 40 minutes. From time to time, you can check to see the elderberries melt with the creamy fill.
7. Allow it to cool down before you sink your teeth into the divine elderberry tart.

Other Elderflower Uses

There are a plethora of elderflower uses. You can use the flower extracts as medicines. Drifting away from the healing properties of elderflowers, you can use it to tickle your taste buds by seasoning your food. Moreover, you can add the herbal flower extract to enhance your skin quality and introduce it into your beauty regime. Wines and gins become flavorful with a nip of elderflower.  Let us enumerate the list of elderflower uses.

• Medicines to cure diseases
• Elderflower syrup for allergy and cold relief
• Effective in curing Tamiflu
• Curing hay fever
• Reducing the chance of influenza and herpes simplex
• Ointments for treating wounds
• Daily supplement
• Immunity booster
• Reducing symptoms of sinus infections
• Curing Constipation
• High cholesterol
• Toothaches
• Lotion for chapped lips
• Anti-wrinkle Lotions
• Lotions to soothe puffy eyes
• Lotion for irritated skin
• Perfumes
• Refreshing bathing mist
• Skin toner
• Hair treatment
• Aftershave lotion
• Insect repellent
• Mouthwash and gargling
• Seasoning of food
• Adding to your tart recipe
• Treated as sweetener
• Preparing herbal tea
• Preparation of gin, and more

Bottom Line

Elderflower is the key to a healthy lifestyle. So, the next time you find yourself sniffling and sneezing, you know how to control it the organic way.

The multifaceted properties present in elderflowers and elderberries enable the body to fight the foreign viruses that enter the body and make you sick.   Whether you administer elderflower medicines or take supplements, you have the secret of wellness guarantee with you. Moreover, berries and flowers of an elder tree can become a part of your daily diet to keep you hail and hearty during the flu season. Either way, elderflowers’ nutrients will keep you as fit as a fiddle.