Mini everything seems to be all the rage lately. Mini can still pack a mighty punch though when it comes to these elderberry wellness shots. Featuring elderberry, lemon, and echinacea, they’re an immune supporting powerhouse, especially during the colder months.
I recently came up with these ginger turmeric immunity shots. While they’re an amazing anti-inflammatory and immune supporting drink, they are a little spicy. These elderberry shots also have great health benefits, but they’re something that even little ones will love. They have a tangy lemon flavor balanced out by immune supporting raw honey.
Elderberry For Wellness
Take a look around the Fit Bottomed Zone website and you’ll see plenty of recipes with elderberries. There are elderberry gummies, elderberry kombucha, and the ever popular elderberry syrup. This recipe is another play on elderberry, but in a concentrated version.
Unlike the ginger turmeric shots which are simply blended together, this recipe does require some cooking. You can use either fresh or dried elderberries here. Elderberries need to be cooked first because they contain cyanogenic glycosides. While they’re not poisonous, they are toxic and can cause some serious digestive issues for some people. The safest way to get the benefits of elderberry is to make sure that they’re cooked first.
A Squirt of Lemon
Despite their inviting purple color, elderberry really doesn’t have much flavor on its own. The taste in most elderberry syrup recipes comes from the other ingredients, like cinnamon or ginger. These wellness shots add some fresh lemon juice for a bit of tang and to brighten the flavor.
Lemon is also a great source of vitamin C. This antioxidant helps manage free radicals in the body to control inflammation and increase iron absorption. Lemons are also rich in flavonoids, which research shows are health protective across the board. A Danish study with over 56,000 participants found that those who regularly ate flavonoids had a lower risk of death from any reason, including heart and cancer related deaths.
Immune Boosting Echinacea
Similar to elderberry, echinacea herb can also reduce the length and severity of viral illness. Echinacea also shows some benefits when it comes to bacterial infections. While echinacea has gained a following as a “cold and flu” herb, it’s not quite so simple.
Traditional use and modern day science shows echinacea works best right at the beginning of a cold. If it’s not taken right at that first throat tickle and often enough for several days, it really doesn’t have much effect.
I like making a batch of these elderberry wellness shots when I feel something coming on and the kids love it too. So, bottom’s up!
Elderberry Wellness Shots Recipe
Servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 tsp dried elderberries
- 3 tsp echinacea (leaves or flowers)
- 3 TBSP fresh lemon juice
- 3 TBSP raw honey
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- In a small pot add the elderberries and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 5-10 minutes uncovered. This step is important to reduce the toxins that can cause digestive upset.
- Turn off the heat and add the echinacea. Cover with a lid and let steep for 10-15 minutes.
- Strain the herbs out, pressing the elderberries as you do to extract the liquid.
- Stir in the lemon juice and honey.
- Drink warm or refrigerate and enjoy cold.
Nutrition
Notes
- This will last for several days in the fridge. You can also freeze in an ice cube tray for later.
- If using fresh elderberries, then use 3 Tablespoons.
How to Use Elderberry Wellness Shots
You can keep these on hand for when illness strikes to help alleviate the symptoms. If you want to use it as more of a daily tonic through cold and flu season, then feel free to skip the echinacea. The recipe also works well with aronia berries instead of elderberry.
They’ll last for several days in the fridge, but you can also freeze them for later. Pour the wellness shots into an ice cube tray and let a few cubes thaw out as needed. You may notice some separation, but just give it a good stir/shake before drinking.
What are some of your favorite ways to stay healthy during this season? Leave a comment and let us know!
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