Learn how to make a herbal syrup at home so you can incorporate herbs into your picky child’s day. They are naturally sweet & delicious!
Learning how to incorporate herbal syrups into your daily routine can be life changing, especially if you have fussy children. Herbs don’t always taste that great and kids often refuse to take herbs because of their taste.
Herbal syrups change the playing field, because… they contain SUGAR! Everything children love. What they may not know is that it contains herbs that are going to help keep them healthy and strong.
Don’t be fooled, herbal syrups aren’t just for kids. They also are a great way for adults to take in extra herbs. When herbs taste great, adults are more likely to take them as well. Some great options to incorporate herbal syrups into your day include using them in cocktails or mocktails, adding them to your favorite sparkling water, or pouring over ice cream or yogurt. You can also just take a spoonful right out of the bottle.
When making herbal syrups, I prefer to use honey. It is naturally antimicrobial, anti fungal, full of antioxidants and nutrients, and a cough suppressant. With that being said, you can easily make the syrup out of raw cane sugar, maple syrup, or glycerine. If you are making a herbal syrup for a child younger than 1, make sure you do not use honey. Child under 1 are not suppose to consume honey, due to their risk of botulism.
MAKING A HERBAL SYRUP
Making a herbal syrup seems much more complicated than it actually is. It is simply a few more steps after making a herbal decoction. So if you have mastered the art of herbal decoction, then you totally got this. If you haven’t, you still got this!
- Place 2-3 ounces of herb/herbs in a medium sized pot with about 1 quart of water. Turn temperature to low heat and simmer liquid down to about half the amount of water.
- Strain the herbs and pour the liquid back into pot.
- Add in 1-2 cups of honey or other sweetener. The amount depends on the sweetness level you desire. The more sugar that the syrup contains, the longer it will last.
- Heat the mixture on low heat for about 20 minutes to combine the liquid. Maintaining a lower temperature is especially important if you are using honey to keep all of the beneficial properties present in the syrup.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Pour into storing bottles of choice and store in the refrigerator. It will last for several weeks.
- Enjoy!
BEST SINGLE OR COMBINATION HERBS
Herbal syrups are easy to play with. You can use a single herb, or get creative by mixing a variety of herbs. Typically, you choose herbs that have a similar action so that they promote the same thing. For example, choosing immune boosting herbs in your elderberry syrup, or cough supporting herbs in your cough syrup.
Here are some of the best herbs to use in an herbal syrup, both as stand alone or in combination.
- Elderberry
- Elderflowers
- Ginger
- Lemon Balm
- Rose hips
- Hawthorn Berry
- Mint
- Schisandra Berry
- Wild Cherry Bark
- Lavender
Some of my favorite herbal combinations include:
- Elderberry, Astragalus, and Echinacea for immune support
- Elderberry & Elecampane with honey for cough support
- Rose hip & hibiscus syrup that is high in Vitamin C
LEARN MORE:
HOW TO MAKE A HERBAL DECOCTION
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