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Syrups!
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Just a spoonful of sugar goes a long way with strong tasting
botanicals. Medicinal syrups are particularly useful for respiratory
infections as they help to ensure that botanicals coat the throat,
calming irritation and soothing pain.
The formulas in the book include relatively safe botanicals with
few, if any, contraindications or interactions. However, if you are
not familiar with herbal medicine, we strongly recommend taking
a home study course on herbal medicine before using it in your
home regularly to ensure the botanicals are used appropriately.
Basic Formula
Step One
Syrups are based upon a sweetener, usually simple syrup, honey,
or brown rice syrup. The sweetener not only helps to offset the
flavor of the botanicals but also acts as a preservative for the
product. Herbal syrups contain botanicals, sweeteners, liquid
(usually water), and the added essential oils. The essential oils
should make up no more than 3% total of the product volume.
The key procedure in syrup making is to begin with an herbal
infusion or decoction. For an average batch, begin with 4 cups.
Reduce the infusion or decoction to 2 cups total. Add 1.5 cups the
sweetener. Reduce again until the total is 2.5 cups of syrup.
Depending on personal preference, you can reduce to anywhere
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between 2 and 3 total cups of syrup. Add the essential oils at the
end of the process to ensure they don’t evaporate during the
cooking.
Make an infusion by adding boiling water to your herbs OR make
a decoction by boiling the herbs and water until they are ready. Be
sure to prepare the herbs appropriately; if you are unfamiliar with
the herbs used in this course, study the herbs well before using
them in your home.
Step Two
Place the infusion or decoction in a saucepan over medium heat
and bring to a boil.
Continue boiling until the total has been reduced by half.
Step Three
Add the sweetener. Stir well to combine.
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Step Four
Return to a boil and continue to reduce until the desired
consistency has been reached. Boiling sweeteners expand rapidly
so be sure your pan is large enough to maintain the boiling syrup.
Step Five
Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.
Step Six
Add the essential oils. Stir well to combine. Bottle the syrup and
label with ingredients, date, intended use, and the name of the
product.
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Practice Recipe
To master this technique, use the following recipe:
Digestive Syrup:
4 cups of chamomile infusion 2 cups of honey
15 drops peppermint oil
Notes on this Method
One of the most common questions we receive with the use of
herbal syrups is regarding the use of sugar in the process. While
sweeteners do negatively impact the immune system, these
recipes don’t contain much sugar per serving and often help
ensure that the botanicals are consumed.
Expected Shelf Life
Syrups should be stored in the fridge and should last 3-5 weeks.
Canning techniques can be used to make the bottle shelf stable. If
canned, the syrup can be stored in a pantry for up to 10-12
months total. However, the heat required for the canning
technique is not recommended for use with essential oils. !
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Syrups
Wild Cherry Cough
Wild cherry bark is used in herbal medicine to reduce a cough. It
is rich in alkaloids and appropriate dosing guidelines should be
followed so its extracted as a decoction in this formula for optimal
safety. If prepared according to the directions, 1 T of syrup would
be the dose for a healthy adult.
3 cups of elderberry decoction 1 cup wild cherry decoction
2 cups of honey
15 drops ginger oil
Basic Cough Syrup
When a basic cough syrup is needed, this one features some of the
most flavorful and potent aromatic cough suppressants available.
If prepared according to the directions, 1 T of syrup would be the
dose for a healthy adult.
4 cups of elderberry decoction 2 cups of honey
20 drops peppermint oil
10 drops ginger oil
4 drops rose oil
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Cold and Flu Syrup
This syrup takes advantage of the strong antiviral benefits of
elderberry syrup in addition to the essential oils studied in this
course. If prepared according to the directions, 1 T of syrup would
be the dose for a healthy adult.
4 cups of elderberry decoction 2 cups of honey
15 drops lemon oil
15 drops lime oil
10 drops chamomile oil (your choice)
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Nausea Syrup
For digestive complaints, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, this
aromatic syrup is the key. If prepared according to the directions,
1 T of syrup would be the dose for a healthy adult. However, it
may be difficult to take a full dose of this potent syrup, so 1 t of the
syrup can be taken every 1-2 hours.
4 cups of chamomile infusion 2 cups of honey
10 drops peppermint oil
20 drops ginger oil
Fighting Fatigue Syrup
This syrup is a gentle afternoon pick-me-up, perfect for long,
dreary days. If prepared
according to the directions, 1 T of syrup would be the dose for a
healthy adult.
4 cups of peppermint infusion 2 cups of honey
15 drops peppermint oil
20 drops grapefruit oil
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Rose Cough Syrup
This cough syrup has a mild, sweet flavor that’s perfect for those
who cannot tolerate
stronger aromas when fighting a cold.
4 cups of chamomile infusion 2 cups of honey
25 drops rose oil
Healthy Weight Loss Syrup
Does this syrup help with weight loss? Maybe. The potential for
grapefruit oil to
promote a healthy weight makes it worth trying.
4 cups of chamomile infusion 2 cups of honey
40 drops grapefruit oil
15 drops orange oil !
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