Easy, Immune Boosting Elderberry Tea (2 Ways)

Try this comforting, immune-boosting elderberry tea to fight off colds & flu this season. There are 2 simple ways to make it: with dried elderberries or by using leftover elderberries after making homemade elderberry syrup. No more waste!

If you know me well, you know that my love for a good cup of tea runs DEEP. Maybe it’s the 3-year stint we lived in Scotland, but then again, I also sipped from a teacup in the sweltering Arkansas heat at a young age. (Here are my 7 favorite cuppas.)

I guess you could say tea runs in my veins?

That’s one reason I’m so excited about the final post in our elderberry series on the blog. (Catch up if you haven’t already read the recipes for Instant Pot elderberry syrup, elderberry gummies, and apple cinnamon elderberry syrup. I also have recipes for classic elderberry syrup and a thick version. Whew! That’s a lot of elderberries.)

I think we may have saved the best recipe for last! At least, my tea-loving self thinks so.

What are the benefits of elderberry tea? Is it good for colds?

If you’re wondering what kind of tea to drink for a cold or illness, look no further. Elderberry tea is the perfect choice if you’re looking for a natural folk remedy to try.

The most common form of elderberry is Sambucus Nigra (also known as black elderberry or European elderberry). They can be difficult to forage for and use fresh, since eating bark, stems, roots, leaves, or unripe berries has been known to cause digestive upset. So stick to dried berries of the Sambucus Nigra family, which are easily found online.

Elderberries are one of the highest antioxidant berries around and have been shown to boost the immune system according to this study. They also have high levels of vitamin C, A, and B. Elderberry research is currently being conducted to discover more benefits of these wonderful berries.

Dried elderberries are SO easy to make into a nourishing pot of tea to sip on whenever you have a cold. So yes, you should grab some and make this tea the next time you feel like you’re coming down with something! Here’s the kind I use. Pricing can fluctuate based on the season.

If you’re under the weather, you also need to try this nourishing turmeric tea golden milk! It’s so delicious and warming.

Can you take elderberry daily?

Our family likes to take some form of elderberry (tea, syrup, or gummies) in the colder months when cold & flu runs rampant. During this time, we take elderberry daily.

According to WebMD, using elderberry every day is possibly safe for up to 12 weeks consecutively (around 3 months), or 10 days for children. The safety of using it for longer stretches of time is unknown.

It may be possible that taking elderberry too often could lessen its effectiveness. You could try taking a week off now and then for this purpose. Do some research, talk to your family doctor, and see what’s right for you.

What are the side effects of elderberry?

There aren’t really any side effects of this tea, unless you decide to use fresh berries instead of dried. Some cases of nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea from consuming leaves, stems, or uncooked elderberries have been reported.

Also note, there is not much research about the use of elderberry tea in pregnancy or breastfeeding, so consult your doctor.

What does elderberry tea taste like? (+ fun flavor combos)

Elderberries have a naturally tart flavor, so elderberry tea tastes best with a bit of honey and possibly some warming spices like cinnamon/clove or a squeeze of lemon.

The sky is the limit with this tea – feel free to experiment and create your own flavor combinations. Here are some wonderful herbs to add to your tea:

• Chamomile (soothing and calming)
• Peppermint (eases digestion)
• Nettles (wonderful for female health and circulation)
• Echinacea (elderberry echinacea tea has double cold fighting powers!)
• Ginger (aids digestion)
• Elder flowers (what a perfect combo to make elderberry flower tea!)

How to Make Elderberry Tea from Leftover Berries (after making syrup)

There are two simple ways to make elderberry tea that I am going to show you today. First, you can make a batch of tea from leftover elderberries after making elderberry syrup (so don’t throw away your mashed berries!)

This is my personal favorite method, since my husband and I are very frugal and don’t like throwing things away! This way, we feel we are getting every little drop of goodness out of our elderberries since they aren’t cheap.

All you have to do is set aside your mashed berries after making elderberry syrup. Once your syrup-making ritual is complete, add your leftover berries to a large teapot (or saucepan).

Cover leftover berries with around 8 cups of boiling water in your teapot and allow to steep for around 30 minutes (or even longer if desired). If making in a saucepan, cover berries with 8 cups water and bring to a boil. Set aside and allow to steep for 30 minutes.

Re-using your elderberries doesn’t make a super strong tea, since a most of the elderberry juices went into your syrup. But there’s enough leftover for a pot of tea, for sure!

Tea lover’s pro tip: Invest in one of these awesome little spoon strainers! You can make any sort of loose leaf tea (or elderberry tea) and simply pour it straight from your teapot into your teacup without big, messy strainers. The small spoon strainer catches any leaves, berries, or loose material. Highly recommend!

How to Make Elderberry Tea from Dried Berries

Another way to make elderberry tea is from new dried berries – you don’t need many! This is a great thing to do if you don’t have any elderberry syrup on hand and you’re coming down with a cold.

A little bit goes a long way. Since these elderberries are new, they’re strong so you only need 3 tablespoons for an entire pot (8 cups) of tea.

Simply add 3 tablespoons of dried berries to a large teapot and cover with around 8 cups of boiling water. Add warming spices like clove and cinnamon too, if you like.

Allow to steep for 15-30 minutes and strain before drinking. Add a little raw honey if desired. Keep leftover tea in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Note: If you don’t want to make an entire pot, and you just want to make this tea by the cup, add 1 tsp. dried elderberries per 1 cup of water.

Types of store bought elderberry tea

If you prefer the simplicity of using a regular teabag instead of making your own tea from dried elderberries, here are some great options.

• Republic of Tea – This organic blend includes organic elderberries as well as rooibos and hibiscus for a smooth, tasty cup. It’s non-GMO project verified, too! This tin includes 36 teabags, which is a lot.

• Buddha Teas Organic Elderberry – this tea uses organic elderberries also and is packed in unbleached teabags. If you’re a purist and don’t want any added teas or herbs in the blend, this one’s for you! Organic elderberries are the ONLY ingredient.

• Traditional Medicinals Organic Echinacea Plus – This is a really wonderful blend! Not only does it contain elderberry, it also has elderflower and a host of other illness fighting herbs like echinacea, ginger, chamomile, yarrow, and peppermint! And, there are 6 boxes in this pack so you’ll be set for the whole winter and beyond.

Have you ever tried elderberry tea? If you enjoy these recipes, please add a recipe rating in the comments!

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