Does Elderberry Syrup Actually Work?
MARVIN BOWERS
It’s hard sometimes to tell where the lore ends and the science begins with elderberry.
You hear things — that it boosts immunity, knocks out a cold before it settles in, that it’s been used “since forever.” Some folks swear by it. Others roll their eyes. But if you spend enough time around people who live by seasons, not trends — folks who fix what breaks and only keep what proves itself — you’ll notice something:
Elderberry stayed.
It didn’t fade out. It didn’t get replaced. Through changing generations, better access to medicine, even the rise and fall of wellness fads — elderberry never left the shelf.
A Tradition with Roots
Black elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) grows native across most of the eastern U.S., from Texas to Maine. It thrives in wet ditches, along creeks, and near old homesteads — the kind of places plants go when they’ve earned a spot.
The Cherokee and other Indigenous peoples of the Appalachians made use of every part of the elder: berries for coughs and chest ailments, flowers for fever, bark and roots for purging. These weren’t lucky guesses — they were practices tested over time, observed with care, passed on by doing. That knowledge survived.
When settlers came, they learned the plant's value firsthand. By the 1800s, elderberry was a staple of Appalachian folk medicine. Families didn’t need to understand antioxidant pathways or cytokine modulation. They just knew: you take it when you feel something coming on.
What the Science Actually Shows
Today, the same elderberry syrup gets made — berries simmered with spices, sweetened with honey, taken by the spoonful when things turn cold or rough. The difference now is: we can look under the hood.
Here’s what we know:
-
Anthocyanins — the deep purple pigments in elderberries — act as antioxidants. They reduce oxidative stress and calm inflammation. (Cao et al., AJCN, 1998)
-
A 2004 clinical trial showed elderberry extract reduced flu symptom duration by ~2 days vs. placebo. (Zakay-Rones et al., J Int Med Res, 2004)
-
A 2019 meta-analysis confirmed elderberry reduced upper respiratory symptoms across multiple studies. (Hawkins et al., Complement Ther Med, 2019)
-
Honey adds its own benefits — antimicrobial activity, soothing for the throat, and a natural preservative when added below 120°F. (Mandal & Mandal, Asian Pac J Trop Biomed, 2011)
The bottom line? Elderberry doesn’t “boost” your immune system. It supports it. It calms the noise, helps your body stay on track, and in some cases, helps you bounce back faster.
The Practice
Making syrup is simple:
-
Simmer berries and spices in water.
-
Strain out the pulp.
-
Once cool, stir in raw honey.
-
Store cold.
People still make it — not because they saw a reel about it, but because it fits into a rhythm that already existed. Pick. Simmer. Strain. Pour. Repeat.
What We Offer
The Elderberry Syrup Kit from Nantahala Honey Company is nothing fancy. Real dried berries. Real spices. Simple instructions. You can use your own local honey or we can add some Mountain Wildflower or Sourwood from right here in the western NC and North Ga mountains. You stir it in your own pot. It’s the same thing families here have done for generations — but now you don't have to fight the chiggers and copperheads.
Why It Lasts
Elderberry has enjoyed a viral moment lately, but it’s never been about hype. It sticks around for the same reason any good practice does: because when you use it, it earns its keep.
So no — we don’t know if it works because of science, or because belief is sometimes part of the medicine.
What we know is: it works. And around here, that’s enough.