Elderberry Syrup - Why Fresh Press?

After being introduced to a local elderberry grower several years back, we switched from using dried berries & have been pressing fresh elderberry exclusively in our Elderberry Syrup. 🍒 At the time we transitioned to the fresh elderberry, I was fascinated to work with the berry in it’s natural state & loved providing a freshly pressed syrup to our family & customers year-round.

Since learning the difference between using dried and fresh berries as the starting ingredient in making Elderberry Syrup, we now only fresh-press for this specific preparation.

While visiting an elderberry farm & producer in 2020 we learned that dried elderberries are strained completely of “run-off” juice before dehydration. This step helps speed the moisture removal while the berry dries in the dehydrator - makes total sense! Although, through that draining process, that berry has lost no small portion of the elderberry juice goodness.

Many elderberry preparations on the market use a base of dried elderberries that have been reconstituted with water & cooked down. Typically these dried elderberry preparations start with 1 part dried elderberry to 3 or 4 parts water. After cooking these ingredients down a bit, the finished preparation is the steeped elderberry/water. (If water is listed as the first ingredient, the product was likely made from dried berries.) This method is difficult to accurately determine the amount of elderberry per serving & the strength of the preparation.

When making an elderberry syrup from fresh elderberries, we press ALL the goodness from the elderberry & use it as the main ingredient! This allows for a very concentrated end preparation - 3,100mg of straight pressed elderberry per teaspoon or more than 1 pound of fresh berries per bottle!⁣⁣

It has been a learning experience working with the elderberry in different forms the last 8 years. I love using the dried elderberry in certain preparations as it is a pragmatic and convenient way to increase the nourishment in an herbal tea blend. Although, it is clear that a strong & natural-state Elderberry Syrup comes from using fresh-pressed elderberry!

Rest assured that you are getting a preparation that is very concentrated (but not from concentrate!), rich in flavor, vibrant in color + taste and loaded with the deep purple goodness in every serving.

We hope you can TASTE the difference! 🌱

Farmers Market Elderberry Coleslaw

The upcoming summer season calls for less kitchen time, simple recipes & jumping at the chance to incorporate all the amazing fresh (& local) farmers market produce coming available...I love that this recipe checks all these boxes! Plus, leftovers easily make into the skillet cooked veggie side dish, versatility for the win! Such a great way to keep healthy food filling our families bellies without all the time in the kitchen. A big thank you to Alison Elley with ER Organic Solutions for creating this yummy recipe duo!

Coleslaw Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded organic purple cabbage

• 2 cups shredded organic green cabbage

• 1 cup shredded organic carrot

• 3-4 organic red radishes, cut in half and thinly sliced

 Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/3 cups apple cider vinegar

• 1 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil

• 1½ Tbsp Mindfully Made elderberry syrup

• 1 Tbsp Mindfully Made honey or raw honey

• 1½ tsp maple syrup

• 1 tsp organic Dijon mustard

• 3/4 tsp Himalayan salt

• 1/8 tsp organic black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, place the shredded green & purple cabbage, shredded carrots and sliced radishes.

2. Make dressing by placing all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

3. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss to combine.

4. Let set in the refrigerator for at least an hour to combine flavors.  

5. Toss again before serving. Enjoy!

Notes: Optional ingredients:  1-2 Tbsp thinly sliced green onion tops, ¼ tsp celery seed or black & white sesame seeds.

(Left-over) Veggie Side Dish

Left-over coleslaw? Sauté it up for a yummy veggie side dish! 

Directions:

1. Strain off any extra juice by placing coleslaw in a colander. 

2. Heat skillet with 2 tsp of avocado oil (or your favorite high heat oil) on medium high heat. 

3. Add the strained coleslaw to the heated skillet and spread evenly out in the skillet. 

4. Let cook for 2 mins before stirring to get some sear on the cabbage. 

5. Stir and then cook for 7-10 mins until cabbage is slightly soft with sear. Stir occasionally during the cooking time so it doesn’t burn. 

6. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately!

Elderberry Update

These elderberry field images were taken summer of 2020 as we visited several organic elderberry farms around the Midwest. During these farm visits we enjoyed meeting the growers, learning about the specific elderberry species grown, soil amendments, water system, agricultural testing, growing challenges, and peak harvest time / procedures.

As the harvest wrapped up in late September, it was clear that across the board, growers had only a percentage of their anticipated yield. The organic growers we spoke with had unique natural and technical challenge(s); straight line winds in Missouri, low copper levels leading to a bacterial infection that wiped out 4 acres of elderberry in Arkansas, land hurricane and drought in Iowa…sadly, the list goes on...

Even with a hypothetical abundance of American elderberries this harvest, the surge in demand for elderberries has surpassed the current acreage in production across the states given the current global wellness focused climate.

A “perfect storm” of limited supply meets increased demand…

Given the minimal harvest, we are *extremely blessed* the small number of 2020 elderberries lasted this long!

As of now, our certified organic, American elderberry inventory has been depleted until harvest of 2021 next fall.

My intention & commitment to continue providing the highest quality elderberry preparation is steadfast.

Every effort went into finding a clean + fresh berry option for this preparation; as the fresh berry creates a far more concentrated end product vs. reconstituting from dry.

We are *beyond grateful* to have secured two extremely clean + fresh elderberry sources!

Wild harvested Northwest USA Elderberries

- Collected by hand from the native ecosystem.
- Untreated, as they are wild harvested from undisturbed land.
- Not certified through the National Organic Program (due to the unavailability of assessment and auditing staff; few auditors are willing to risk the level of travel required to meet demand).

Lab Tested European Elderberries

- Grown following certified organic protocols, although the farm has not gone through the certification process.
- Screened for 696 specific agricultural chemicals using an extensive 3rd party lab test.
- Test verified these chemicals met “not detected” levels which were far lower than “organic” benchmarks.

I look forward to working with these amazing, fresh berries to provide our family favorite Elderberry preparation to you!

Fresh-pressed bottles will be back in stock starting 12/21/2020 & pre-ordering is now available.

Thank you for caring enough to read this though. Your support means so much.

Please reach out anytime with questions! mindfullymadeforyou@gmail.com

- Carol B. :)

Elderberry Real Fruit Popsicles

Summer weather is here! Breaking out the popsicle molds & watching the kids enjoy a refreshing, homemade sweet treat made from REAL food is super satisfying, can I get an amen mamas?!

This is a go-to summer treat for the kids; simple, healthy & they really love the flavor. Bonus that the family gets a daily dose of Mindfully Made Elderberry Syrup in each popsicle!

Missing an ingredient? No stress, substitute another favorite fruit you have on hand!

Elder + Berry Real Fruit Popsicles

Ingredients

• 1/2 banana

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 1 peach

• 1 cup berry mix of choice (frozen strawberries, blueberries, & blackberries are our fav)

• 1 Tbsp Mindfully Made Elderberry Syrup
  

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to your favorite high speed blender.

2. Blend on medium speed for 30 seconds, then high for 30-60 seconds.

3. Pour liquid into popsicle molds and set in the freezer for several hours or overnight if they can wait!

Servings: 3-4 popsicles

Enjoy!

Elderberry & COVID-19

There is so much beauty in the community opening to the idea of nature-based support during this uncharted health climate. Although, with the fast speed that information is posted / shared, there is much to decipher & much room for misinformation & theoretical extrapolation. Without giving any specific recommendations, my goal is to provide resources you can research further & ultimately make the decision that best suits you & your family regarding the cytokine response & elderberry use at various stages of COVID-19.

COVID-19 Prevention: From Commonsense to Natural Remedies (& Avoiding Nonsense!) - Aviva Romm, MD

“There’s an enormous amount of information and misinformation circulating on the internet about elderberry, COVID-19, and a phenomenon called ‘cytokine storm.’ The bottom line is that most of the evidence for elderberry is for the treatment of flu when taken during the first 72 hours of symptoms, not for the prevention of either colds or flu, though one study showed a reduced duration and severity of colds (upper respiratory infection) in air travelers compared to those who didn’t use it.

Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), or in its extreme, cytokine storm is an immunologic phenomenon that occurs in advanced states of infection, for example, in ARDS, as mentioned above, a potentially severe advanced COVID-19 complication, sepsis, also a possible severe COVID-19 complication, or with certain specific immunologic medications (i.e., monoclonal antibodies). It was considered a major cause of death in the Spanish Flu, SARS, and H1N1 Interleukin-6 is a term often dropped in these conversations because it is an immune mediator that acts as both a pro-inflammatory cytokine but, simultaneously it also acts as an anti-inflammatory.

The association with elderberry and cytokine storm is implausible; elderberry is not able to cause cytokine storm whether used for prevention or infection, or during infection. Were one to be experiencing cytokine storm, one would be far too sick for herbal therapies; this is an ICU/life support level crisis.

Bottom line: elderberry is unlikely, based on what we know at this time, particularly relevant for COVID-19 prevention or even treatment of mild-to moderate symptoms and if you’re concerned about cytokine release syndrome or cytokine storm as a result of this herb, don’t use it.”

Guido Masé's via BotanicWise: An Herbalist Perspective - below excerpt from corresponding slideshow

“There is conflicting, theoretical evidence that elderberry may increase cytokine release in some cases. Elderberry contains immune-active lectins, though more in its leaves. These ramp up immune function and may limit viral incursion into cells, theoretically impacting likelihood of first infection.

What does this mean? Taking elderberry once symptoms are present will not likely be as effective as some of the other measures discussed, and in folks with immune dysregulation or with severe symptoms, might (theoretically) be contraindicated. The likelihood that a hospitalized patient will be taking elderberry is low. Best rely on the medical system for severe cases.”

Seven Song explains the cytokine action further….

“There were some studies showing that Elder increases Interleukin 6 (IL-6), which is the cytokine thought to be one of the major players involved in the cascade of immune responses that create the cytokine storm. It should be pointed out that IL-6 also has anti-inflammatory (immune-modulating) action as well, but here, we will consider its pro-inflammatory status. So since Elder can increase IL-6, and since IL-6 is implicated in the cytokine storm, can Elder increase the chances of this event?”

Seven Song’s continues with his opinion:

“Reducing Elder to just its IL-6 activation is very limiting to what else Elder can do; it is simplifying a chemically complex plant. And having been around many people who have taken this plant in multiple preparations (tinctures, syrups, capsules, etc) and not having seen it create this condition, it seems relatively safe.”

Is Immune Health On Your Mind? - Dr. Bridget Somine, ND

Elderberry is well known for its use in influenza, with at least 3 randomized controlled trials demonstrating improvement in flu symptoms. Elderberries may inhibit the ACE2 receptor, which certain viruses use for cell entry in the lungs. Elderberry has been shown to increase cytokines in one small human study and there have been some concerns expressed about the potential that it could potentiate a cytokine storm in susceptible individuals. I have not seen or heard any case reports on elderberry contributing to a cytokine storm, despite its very broad use as an antiviral.

Furthermore, the impacts of elderberry on the immune system cannot be reduced to cytokine activity alone. Elderberry also acts as antioxidant and probably has a net anti-inflammatory effect. Of course, if you have a sense that elderberry is not right for you, don’t take it!

Herbs For Immunity – Rosalee de la Forêt

“I know of zero actual cases of elderberry stimulating a cytokine storm or CRS. I’m happy to revise my statements if a clear correlation is found; however, I’ve seen elderberry work too many times to now brush it aside because of a hypothesized risk.”

Elderberry: Is it Safe? - Rosalee de la Forêt presented by Learning Herbs

“Many many many things encourage cytokine production. Cytokines are a necessary part of our immune system. Elderberries are often attributed with having a modulating effect on inflammation…. There is absolutely no evidence that elderberries are contraindicated for the coronavirus.”

Plants are powerful & abundance of caution with use is always recommended. Please see this herbal monograph to learn about the elder & its many actions.

Extrapolating data & reducing this plant part to a single action is quite possibly a disservice to the immune modulating actions this berry holds.

Lastly, this article shows how the COVID-19 is presenting uniquely among patients & a multi-faceted Eastern medicine approach is being taken. I find it fascinating to learn how nature-based approaches are being applied at the front lines of care.

I hope this information is helpful for you & your family as we all work together to navigate this uncharted territory.

In health,

Carol

Win the Seasonal Allergy Battle Naturally!

I grew up battling seasonal allergies on and off most of my life & remember many spring/summer seasons having the typical red/itchy/watery/swollen eyes, sneezy/runny nose…pretty miserable looking back on it! My mom suffered from seasonal allergies as well, so I assumed they were somewhat normal and I just dealt with it. Thankfully, these last 5 years it has been a blessing to have allergy symptoms pretty much vanish!

Although, my 10-year old daughter has the same seasonal allergy predisposition, so we have been ears to the ground to help relieve her symptoms naturally.

The last 2 spring seasons we have gathered information and incorporated herbal remedies, natural supplements, and guided her to pay close attention to how foods make her feel…all in the hopes to assist her bodies innate ability to balance.

So far this 2019 spring season she is symptom free!

Below you will find the information gathered from my research; talking to local chiropractors, other concerned/educated moms, and some of my favorite resources/teachers in case it is helpful to you.

If possible, start about 6-8 weeks before the trigger allergy season hits: (tree pollen: spring, grass pollen: summer, weed/ragweed pollen: fall)…

• D-Hist: (which includes the below listed: stinging nettle leaf, quercetin, N-acetyl cysteine, bromelain) OR

  • Freeze-Dried Stinging Nettle: 300mg 2-3x times daily

  • Quercetin: 500mg daily

  • N-acetyl cysteine (NAC): 300 to 900mg, 3x daily

  • Bromelain: 1,000mg daily

• PA-Free Butterbur: 75mg 2x daily

• LOCAL Bee Pollen: Start taking 6 months before trigger allergy season. Start off with a 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon local pollen & add a tiny amount daily to very slowly work up to 1-3 tsp daily. {If you are local to the Kansas City are, Jordy’s Honey offers local bee pollen at the Overland Park Farmer’s Market}.

• Immunomodulating Herbs: Astragalus Root, Reishi Mushroom, Elderberry - found in our Slow Cook Chai

• Foods with naturally occurring Quercetin: Elderberry & other common foods

• Eliminate mucous producing foods; gluten and dairy are common triggers

• Lean towards plant-based/pescetarian foods

To limit/reduce exposure to pollen in the environment:

• Saline nasal irrigation daily. NasoPure brand is our favorite for the kiddos.

• Shower before bed to wash out the pollen from your hair & skin

• Wash bedding more frequently

• Keep windows and doors closed when pollen count is high

Please note: Many of these suggestion above have helped our family. This is only our unique experience, please talk with your health care practitioner before adding any of these ideas to your regime.

Resources:

• https://avivaromm.com/remedies-seasonal-allergies/

• https://www.drfuhrman.com/library/health-concerns/1/allergies

• https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/organic-allergy-relief.html

• https://draxe.com/bromelain/

• https://www.orthomolecularproducts.com/natural-d-hist/

It has been a joy to watch my daughter outside taking in the transition to spring time without any allergy symptoms!

Elderberry :: Frequently Asked Questions

Do you take bottles back to reuse?

It is so thoughtful to hear the offers to recycle the Elderberry bottles back to us! I really wish we could. At this point we don't have the means to clean and safely reuse the bottles. Although, they work great for re-purposing to store salad dressing and sauces. :)

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How long is the bottle “fresh” if kept refrigerated?

The Elderberry will stay fresh in the refrigerator for approx 90 days from date opened. If you will not finish the bottle before that period of time, you could pour serving size amounts in ice cube trays and freeze to extend the shelf life.

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Is Elderberry safe for my little one?

Elderberry is safe for littles, although Mindfully Made Elderberry does have raw honey, so would not be recommended under 1. If mama is breastfeeding, the benefits of Elderberry will pass through mother's milk without the risk of botulism.

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Is it safe to take Elderberry while pregnant?

There isn't evidence of specific contraindications for taking Elderberry while pregnant. Although, clinical pharmacology (and subsequent lists around the web) state Elderberry as possibly unsafe for pregnant or lactating women because (like many botanicals) there is lack of research and insufficient evidence of safety, that is where the exercise of caution comes in. Looking back on the history of use, elderberry has consumed safely in the diet of many cultures for a super long time (and traditionally used to increase milk supply in nursing mamas). All that to say, ultimately it is up to the mama and what she feels is best and meets her comfort level. To be conservative, it can be taken only while symptomatic during pregnancy.

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How does the ‘Subscribe & Save’ option work?

Save 5% by receiving elderberry on your doorstep every month or two! Your account will be created during the check out process & your subscription will renew automatically at the frequency you select. You will have access to view and manage your subscriptions anytime. Manage your subscription & shipping information by signing into your account, "sign-in" from the navigation menu.

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What amount of Elderberry do I take & how often?

Elderberry can be taken throughout cold and flu season to up-regulate the immune system. It is also great if symptoms arise. There is a significant amount of fresh pressed elderberry in each teaspoon; 3100mg. As a preventative, adults take 1 - 2 tsp daily and little's (1 - 12 years old) take 1/2 - 1 tsp daily. At symptom onset or known exposure, take the same small amount with increased frequently of every 2-4 hours, up to 6x's daily.

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How many servings are there per bottle?

Each 13.5 oz bottle has 81 x 1 teaspoon servings.

Each 7 oz bottle has 42 x 1 teaspoon servings.

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More Elderberry product details here.

Have a question we missed? Don’t hesitate to shoot us a line here.

Chai Latte - Vegan Creamer

Love a good chai? But not the sugar load from the coffee house or the “naturally flavored” overly sweet tea bags found at the big box…same here. And, after a love/hate relationship with coffee ended, (I love coffee, my body doesn’t love it so much) I was looking for a healthy, yet better-be-tasty alternative. After a couple years of tinkering…a slow cook chai blend with an immune building twist was born!

PACKED WITH IMMUNE ENHANCING + BALANCING PROPERTIES FROM ELDERBERRY, REISHI MUSHROOM & ASTRAGALUS ROOT.

This full-leaf tea blend stands alone with a subtly sweet, rich, & warming flavor. Although, if you prefer the creaminess & mouth feel a latte offers like I do, you can easily achieve a more sophisticated chai drink with only a few more ingredients & just minutes of your time.

First things first, follow Slow Cook Chai package brewing instructions. Time saving tip: batch prep 4+ servings and store in mason jar refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Next, prepare below creamer. I usually make 2x’s the below recipe to last through the week…

Vegan Creamer

1 can full fat coconut milk (Thai is my favorite)

1/3 cup grade B maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk ingredients working to incorporate coconut cream clumps. Refrigerate in a pour-friendly container. If available, add creamer to frother machine before adding desired amount to your slow cook chai.

I enjoy the flavor of approx 2oz creamer added to 10oz chai tea, although you might play with the creamer amount to taste.

I hope you love this super nourishing + immune building chai as much as I do!

Counting the Ways to Incorporate Elderberry

As fall-like weather rolls in, cold and flu season is close behind, an ideal time to make sure Elderberry is part of your immune support arsenal! If you are looking for unique ways to incorporate Mindfully Made Elderberry Syrup, this list is for you. There are so many ways to get the purple goodness in - simply add suggested serving size of Elderberry to the ideas below:

Littles

• Dilute Elderberry into water & serve in sippy cup.

• Tummy troubles? Freeze Elderberry in ice cube trays with a bit of coconut water & pineapple juice for an immune boosting, electrolyte replenishing tummy soother.

• Elderberry gummies - check out the Dishing For Real recipe.

• Elderberry smoothie - Our favorite is Elderberry, handfuls of sunflower sprouts, combo of coconut milk & milk kefir with a couple cups frozen mango/strawberry/banana.

• Freeze smoothie into popsicle molds - great for summertime snack.

Adults

• My wintertime favorite is incorporating it into a warming “tea” drink; simply mix Elderberry with your favorite tea blend (chai pairs well!) or hot water/lemon/honey. 

• A refreshing “soda pop” beverage; mix Elderberry with sparkling water, liquid stevia and serve over ice. (Makes a lovely adult beverage with gluten free vodka)

Food Add-ins

• Add Elderberry to any simple DIY salad dressing recipe.

• Mix Elderberry into final step of DIY berry compote (recipe below).

• A fizzy treat; add Elderberry as the second ferment flavoring for kombucha or water kefir (2-4 Tbsp Elderberry per 16 oz ferment).

Very Berry Compote

1/4 cup Raw Honey 🍯
1/4 cup Blackberrys (or another berry you have on hand)
2 tsp Elderberry

Heat above ingredients over medium low for about 5 minutes until the juice comes out of berries, stir in Elderberry and gently push on blackberries to release more juice. Pull off stove, strain off seeds if desired, and top waffle or pancake. My kiddos love it - I hope your do as well!

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Strong & Healthy Skin :: Fat as Skin Food

Do you know if your skin is getting all the yummy fatty acids it needs to stay healthy and glowing? See, oils provide our skin much needed fats, each unique in composition. Our body doesn’t produce some of these fats, therefore are considered “essential” to intake through our diet and skin care. Linoleic, gamma linoleic, and oleic are all EFA (essential fatty acids) and are present in different amounts depending on the source. You can eat your EFA’s in the form of fats AND you can put them directly on your skin for lovely benefits.

Essential fatty acids help to make your skin healthy, resist damage, and keep your skin hydrated and elastic.

One specific EFA, linoleic acid, is composed of ceramides which provide our skin:

• skin barrier repair

• reduction of inflammation

• reduction of itching and skin scaling

• reduction in water lost in your skin

Ceramides make up about 50% of the outer layer of our skin! In the winter our ceramides decrease which can lead to itchy and dry skin. And, those with chronic inflammation of the skin (atopic dermatitis) and acne show lower levels of these fatty acids in their skin.

Intrigued and wondering which oils contain the highest amounts?

• rice bran oil – 37%

• sesame oil – 40%

• wheatgerm oil – 55 – 60%

• watermelon seed oil – 60%

• hempseed oil – 57%

• sunflower oil – 61-73%

• safflower oil – 70%

• grape seed oil – 72%

Grape seed oil has one of the highest amounts of linoleic acid in all oils – a whopping 72% linoleic acid!

Once learning this (from the super knowledgeable Swiftcraft Monkey) I thought this sounded like a perfect base for an all over body oil.

And, turns out after some experimentation, paired with complimentary carriers; jojoba wax, shea olea, and vitamin E the blend feels soft and silky to the skin.

I FELL IN LOVE with this blend as an after bath oil and love the glow it leaves behind! First Touch was born! 

If you’re looking for skin care products that nourish and feed your skin look at the first few ingredients to ensure they are packed with essential fatty acid oils. It is empowering to understand how these ingredients from the earth can encourage and support beautiful, healthy, and radiant skin!