This Keto Elderberry Syrup can boost your immunity against cold and flu viruses without all of the sugar found in store-bought brands. Inexpensive and easy to make at home!
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With Coronavirus cases on the rise worldwide, many are fearful of getting sick and looking for ways to boost immunity. Â You might be wondering if you can avoid or treat the flu and still stay keto, and the answer is yes!
Every family has their go-to remedies when sickness hits, and one of ours has always been Elderberry (Sambucus Nigra) Syrup, which as been proven to reduce the symptoms and duration of cold and flu viruses.Â
In fact this study from a few years ago has shown that compounds found in elderberries worked against H1N1 in a similar way as medicines such as Tamiflu!  Pretty impressive results for a tiny berry if you ask me!
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One of my issues with the store-bought elderberry syrups is that they contain plenty of sugar and carbs, so a few tablespoons a day can put your ketogenic state at risk. Â There are some sugar free elderberry syrup options but they all seem to contain stevia, which I’m allergic to.
The other problem with store-bought elderberry syrup is cost – a small bottle can get pretty pricey at almost $20 for around 8oz.  Ouch.
For those reasons, I decided to make my own keto elderberry syrup – giving me all of the same immunity boosting health benefits at a fraction of the cost.
I ordered a whole pound of these dried organic elderberries for around $20 on Amazon.  I can make about half a gallon of this keto elderberry syrup with that amount of berries – all for around the cost of one 8 ounce bottle of store-bought!
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Did I mention it’s super easy? Â I simmer the ingredients, blend them, strain them, and into the fridge it goes for whenever I need it. Â
I added some sliced ginger, cinnamon sticks, and orange zest strips to my syrup while it simmered, which gave it a lovely flavor.  It’s pleasant on its own if you just down a spoonful, but it’s also tasty enough to put on yogurt or even your cream cheese pancakes!
In addition to this keto elderberry syrup, when we’re experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms, we load up on Vitamin C, Zinc, and Oregano Oil, which gets us feeling better in no time.Â
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To soothe a sore throat, I like to enjoy this keto elderberry syrup in a cup of hot tea with some extra ginger and orange peel. Â You can also freeze the syrup into ice cubes and then add it to water and sip it cold.Â
However you choose to ingest it, this keto elderberry syrup is a valuable addition to your immunity boosting arsenal! Â
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Low Carb Elderberry Syrup – Sugar Free
- Yield: 16 oz 1x
- Category: Low Carb Elderberry Syrup
- Cuisine: American
Description
This immunity boosting low carb elderberry syrup is loaded with antioxidants and compounds that are proven to fight against cold and flu viruses!
Ingredients
- 4 cups filtered water
- 3/4 cup dried elderberries
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 2 inch piece of ginger, sliced
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/3 cup erythritol or other low carb sweetener (I used Swerve)
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Blend with an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender) until mostly smooth.
- Strain through a fine strainer into a clean bowl and then pour through a funnel into a clean glass jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to one month or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Approx nutrition info per tablespoon: 12 calories, 0g fat, 2g net carbs, 0g protein
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Rhonda Tenderholt says
Do you happen to know how to do this with the instant pot or is it simplier to do in a saucepan? Also, if you don’t have fresh ginger, do you know how much ground ginger from a bottle you would need? THANKS!
Judy says
What is the serving size? 1 tsp, 1 tbsp?
Claudette says
Melissa is right. Two months ago, the price for a pound of Elderberries was about $20. Since January, it has increased to $40-$45. I learned that for sure after reading the reviews of many who have been making elderberry syrup for years. I bit the bullet and succumbed after checking all the other sites that sell them and they were all comparable in price. Most of them are on back order including Frontier. Good luck and, as always, thank you Melissa.
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Tami says
Oh My. I just clicked on the link to the dried elderberries and it shows that they cost $44.95!? That has more than doubled in cost from when you ordered. Maybe from the corona virus scare?
I have a question about using the erythritol. When you put the syrup in the fridge do you find that the erythritol re-crystalizes? I make a homemade version of Irish Cream and also Kahlua. But if I don’t drink it fast enough (HaHa–I know… not drink it fast enough), the erythritol ends up with crystals in the bottom of the bottle very similar to rock candy. Or do you use the elderberry syrup fast enough that this isn’t a problem?
Thanks for this recipe. I do want to give it a try. Sounds like something every home should keep stocked.
Jeanine says
Hi Melissa, I’m a newbie on your site but really LOVE your recipes. I was very excited to make the sugar free Mulberry syrup. I went to the site on Amazon and the dried Mulberries are extremely expensive now, anywhere from $45-55.00 a pound! I realize we are right in the middle of a pandemic but do you have any other suggestions of where I could find good dried mulberries? (I’m on a very limited budget) Thank you for your help.
Mellissa Sevigny says
It’s elderberries not mulberries so that might be why. But I have noticed the price of elderberries skyrocketing in the last few months unfortunately!
Patricia says
Fabulous! I’ve used Sambucol for years and it does work and it is expensive. Thank you for developing this homemade recipe. One question, what is the shelf life of the dried berries? do you store in the pantry in a glass jar or in the fridge or freezer. Seems a 1 lb bag would last me a long time and looking for best long-term storage method. Thanks a million for this recipe and the ice cube idea, adding to tea, etc. Can’t wait to make it and keep healthy.
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Mellissa Sevigny says
I keep mine in a glass jar in the cabinet Patricia and they seem to keep just fine that way for up to a year, but if you have the space freezing them probably isn’t a bad idea either!
Patricia says
Thanks so much for the quick response. And BTW, you look fabulous and seem to be aging in reverse, no doubt a testament to a healthy KETO diet and living the dream on an island the last few years. Inspiring.
Karen Seay says
WDo elderberries have carbs themselves? If so how much in what quantity?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Not sure, you can probably find nutrition info on the USDA database online though.
Patty says
Melissa, I followed the recipe exactly except that I didn’t have tangerine or orange zest, only Meyer lemon zest, so I substituted that. It tastes extremely bitter. I’ve never had elderberries before so maybe this is how they taste or do you think I may have messed something up? I use your recipes all the time and they are fabulous.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Lemon zest could change the flavor profile but if it’s bitter then you probably got the bitter white “pith” from the inside of the peel in there instead of just the yellow rind that is considered the zest. It could also be the sweetener you used if you substituted stevia for example. But the elderberries themselves should not be bitter.
Chaundra says
Thank you thank you thank you!
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