How To Make Elderberry Lemonade

Flu season is well upon us, and at some point, most households will get to this cold-loving bug!

But did you know that elderberry lemonade can not only protect you from the flu virus but may also help to speed up your recovery if you are unfortunate enough to catch the flu?

How do you make elderberry lemonade? The best way to make elderberry lemonade is with fresh elderberries or elderberry syrup. Other ingredients for elderberry lemonade include sugar and lemon juice. The immunity-boosting effects of elderberry lemonade can be enhanced by adding ginger and raw honey.

Want to learn more about the best way to make elderberry lemonade? We have got all the answers and more for you!

We will take a look at the best ingredients to use when making elderberry lemonade and give you some tips on the best way to make and serve this immunity-enhancing fruity drink.

What Is Elderberry Lemonade?

Many people swear by the immunity-boosting properties of elderberries, and have a spoonful of elderberry syrup daily.

However, this can get a bit boring after a while, and elderberry lemonade is a nice alternative way to take our daily dose of antioxidants.

Elderberry lemonade is a long drink made by mixing the juice of elderberries with lemon juice, sugar, and water. This creates a zingy, refreshing flavor that is packed full of nutritional benefits.

What Does Elderberry Lemonade Taste Like?

Although this refreshing drink might be referred to as lemonade, it doesn’t bear any resemblance to the cans of fizzy lemonade we get from the store!

It is more like a fruity version of homemade lemonade and is often made with still rather than fizzy water.

Elderberries can be quite tart in flavor and have a rich fruitiness similar to a blackberry. Consumed alone they are not particularly pleasant, but when added to sugar and lemon juice they become absolutely delicious!

Why Should You Make Elderberry Lemonade?

You might be wondering if it is worth going to the effort of making elderberry lemonade, but the truth is that this simple drink can help to keep your whole family healthy!

For thousands of years, elderberries have been used by humans as an organic cure for various illnesses. They are most famous for their ability to shorten the duration of cold and flu symptoms.

If you consume these super berries within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms, the length of your illness will be shortened by as much as 4 whole days.

This is due to their high levels of flavonoids, which bind to the influenza virus in the body.

Elderberries are also rich in antioxidants, known to boost the immune system. So as well as making cold and flu symptoms quickly disappear, a daily dose of elderberry lemonade may stop you from catching these viruses in the first place!

Elderberries can be consumed in a variety of ways, including a daily supplement of elderberry syrup.

But by choosing elderberry lemonade, you are also helping to keep your body hydrated, and can mix in other immune-boosting ingredients to create a healthy superdrink!

What Are The Ingredients For Elderberry Lemonade?

It goes without saying that the principal ingredient in elderberry lemonade is elderberries! Fresh elderberries can be used, but many of us would struggle to get a ready supply of these wild-growing fruits.

The most common way to get elderberries into your drink is to use elderberry syrup.

If you are lucky enough to have elderberries growing in and around your garden, it is easy to make a good supply of elderberry syrup while they are in season.

If not, this antioxidant-packed syrup is available from specialist stores and health food shops.

Another way to get some elderberries into your life is to use dried elderberry juice powder.

The other main component of elderberry lemonade comes from lemon juice. Again, we suggest using fresh lemons if they are available, but pre-squeezed lemon juice is also absolutely fine.

Although we often associate lemonade with fizzy drinks, elderberry lemonade can be made using still water as well. If you like a bit of fizz in your drink, opt for sparkling mineral water instead.

And finally, we need some sweetness in our elderberry lemonade! These little red berries are not naturally sweet, so you will need some sugar to counteract the tartness of the berries.

If you’re looking to boost the antioxidant and immunity-boosting properties of elderberry lemonade, swap the sugar for raw honey instead.

Add a couple of slices of ginger and you’ve got a drink that will keep you in prime condition to fend off those winter bugs!

How Do You Make Elderberry Lemonade?

The method used to make elderberry lemonade varies according to the type of elderberries you are using. Elderberry syrup and powder simplify the process, but first, let’s look at the technique if you are using fresh elderberries.

Elderberry Lemonade With Fresh Or Frozen Berries

If you’re lucky enough to have a supply of fresh or frozen elderberries, they will need to be cooked to ensure they are safe to eat. This process also helps to release the precious juices into your lemonade.

Place 1/2 cup of elderberries into a large pan along with 4 cups of water. Add a couple of slices of ginger and bring the water to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, then leave to cool.

Strain the liquid through a tea strainer or muslin cloth to remove the berries and ginger. Add a generous squeeze of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of sugar or honey. Stir until well dissolved.

At this stage, your elderberry lemonade is ready to drink, or it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Elderberry Lemonade With Syrup Or Powder

This is a much faster way to make elderberry lemonade, and no heating or cooking is required.

In a large jug, mix 1 tablespoon of elderberry juice powder or elderberry syrup with 6 cups of water. Stir in the juice of 1 lemon and 1/2 cup of sugar or honey.

If you’re a fan of fizzy lemonades, then switch the water to sparkling water instead. Alternatively, you can mix elderflower syrup or powder with standard lemonade for a quick and easy refreshing drink.

Chill the liquid in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

The Best Way To Serve Elderberry Lemonade

To get the full immunity-boosting benefits of elderberry lemonade, it should be consumed every day during the winter months.

The good thing is that you can make a jug full and keep it in the fridge, ready for you to have a cup every day with breakfast.

If you are feeling under the weather, then elderberry lemonade can be safely consumed in larger amounts.

Try having a cup with every meal, and one before bed. This will help your body to fend off viruses as well as keep you fully hydrated.

Of course, elderberry lemonade is full of health benefits, but it does also taste delicious! The last thing we want is to make drinking your lemonade feel like a chore, so why not turn it into a sumptuous alcohol-free cocktail instead?

Elderberry lemonade can be served in a tall glass, over large chunks of ice. Fresh elderflowers can be added to give a hit of aromatic floral scent, or you could drop in a slice of lemon to bring out the citrus flavor notes.

Frozen red berries can bring a splash of color and fruity goodness to your elderberry lemonade.

Related Questions

Now that we’ve gone over how you can make elderberry lemonade, let’s take a look at a few related questions on the subject!

How do you make elderflower lemonade?

Elderflower lemonade is a refreshing summer drink, with a light flavor with floral undertones.

It is quick and easy to make, and will take a traditional lemonade recipe to the next level! All you need to do is make an elderflower syrup, then use this as the base for your lemonade.

In a large pan, mix 1 cup of water with 1 cup of dried or fresh elderflowers and 1 cup of granulated sugar.

Bring to a gentle simmer, turn off the heat, then let the mixture stand for one hour. Strain the syrup carefully through muslin to remove the flowers.

Add the juice of 2 lemons and 6 cups of water to the syrup and stir well. Pour this into a jug and refrigerate for several hours. Serve the lemonade in tall glasses over ice, topped with a thin slice of lemon.

How do you make elderberry syrup?

A stash of elderberry syrup in your pantry means you can quickly whip up a batch of elderberry lemonade whenever you feel under the weather!

Buying elderberry syrup from the store can get quite expensive, but luckily it is quick and easy to make at home.

Take a large pan and add a cup of dried or fresh elderberries, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, and 2 slices of fresh ginger.

Pour in 3 cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer gently for around one hour, stirring occasionally.

Turn off the heat and allow the liquid to cool. Pour it through a fine strainer or muslin cloth, squishing the berries with a wooden spoon to extract all the juices.

Stir in 1 cup of raw honey and pour the syrup into a bottle. This can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 months.

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