How to: Making An Autumnal Herbal Syrup
Herbal Syrups — these are a really delicious way to add herbs into your life. They’re easy to make, tasty, full of health benefits, and can be used in a variety of ways. You simply pick the herbs that you want depending on your intention and follow the steps below. Syrups can be added to basically anything - teas, mocktails, oatmeal, or eaten by the spoonful!
Today I am showing you how to make an herbal syrup that supports the body in autumn as we prepare for winter.
The general steps for making an herbal syrup are as follows:
Make a decoction - you do this by simply adding your herbs to boiling water, covering it and letting sit for about 20 minutes. The amount of liquid you use depends on how much syrup you want to make. I made a small amount and used about a cup full.
Strain liquid into a bowl
Place the liquid back onto the stovetop, add honey (or sugar) and stir on low heat until combined. I used about 1/4 the amount of honey as I had liquid.
Let sit overnight until slightly thickened and enjoy. The thickness will differ depending on how much sweetener you add, it can be runny like a tea, or thicker like honey depending on your preference.
Note on sweeteners: I like using honey because it adds extra nutrients, antioxidants and other health benefits the honey provides. Plus, when you purchase local and/or ethically sourced honey, you are supporting environmental and bee preservation. The amount of sweetener you add depends on how long you would like your syrup to last and how much you are making. The sweetener helps preserve your syrup and can allow it to last for about four to five months. If this is your goal you should add equal parts sweetener to liquid. If you are making a smaller batch or don’t need it to last as long, you can add less.
The specific herbs I used for my recipe are: Star Anise (4 cloves), Licorice root (1.5 sticks) , Elderflower (finely ground, half a handful) and Rose Hips (finely ground, half a handful). There really is no specific amount to add, part of the fun is experimenting and seeing what works for you!
The why behind the herbs:
Since this medicine is meant to support your body throughout autumn into winter, the focus is on grounding, nourishing and immune boosting herbs.
Star Anise: This herb is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antimicrobial. It is known to be safe for all.
Licorice Root: This root is also known to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It can help soothe respiratory symptoms such as sore throats and stomach issues such as indigestion, heart burn, and acid reflex. In general, it is safe for all to use especially in small dosages, however if you have high blood pressure, low potassium levels, congestive heart failure or kidney disease, you may want to be careful as these can be contraindicated.
Elderflower: This is one of my favourite herbs! It not only adds a beautiful flavour, but its’ energy is sweet and loving. Elderflower is often used for swollen sinuses, colds, flus, coughs, constipation and inflammation. It is an antioxidant and contains Vitamin C. In normal amounts it is found to be safe for all to ingest.
Rose Hips: Rose Hips grow abundantly all around the area in which I am living! It is so beautiful to see nature provide the nourishment we need at the specific times when it is most supportive. This herb is rich in antioxidants and helps lower inflammation and oxidative stress. It is also known to be good for skin health, arthritis pain, and heart health. This herb is felt to be safe for all.
Remember - so much of this is about using what’s around you, what you feel intuitively drawn to, and seeing what happens! There is no perfect or right way to do it. I hope that you try out making an herbal syrup - with either this recipe or your own! And if you do, I would love to hear about your experience.
