Making Herbal Honey Syrups---Easy and Healing PART 2

Making Herbal Honey Syrups---Easy and Healing PART 2

Last time we discussed how to create herbal honey syrups.  Now we will talk about what herbs we will choose to make our syrups into.  Not only can we use herbs specifically for their medicinal properties, but we can also use them as flavorings to add to dishes, desserts and in drinks.  The possibilities are literally endless.  When using as a tonic or medicinal, we will take a tablespoon or two directly (especially for coughs or sore throats), or we can dissolve it into a hot drink.  We can take it on an "as-needed" basis, or we can take it daily for specifically addressing another health issue---such as for dealing with inflammation.  In this case, it is good to use it for several weeks, then let the body rest, and then renew taking it again.  It might be good to switch out the herbs with other herbs with similar properties then too, by making different syrups.  That way the body doesn't get over-whelmed with a specific herb and other herbs may have other properties that can help you.

Here's where the homework comes in.  There are many, many different herbs with a myriad of properties.  It is up to you to invest a few hours to do some research on which ones would work for you and have a taste you would enjoy.  This is the fun part---discovering all the many herbs and their uses.  Of course, you can blend more than one herb so that you get the good benefits from several different herbs.  Or you can just use single herbs in your syrup.  It is really up to you and what you and your family needs.  If you are plagued with headaches, you might just want to make a peppermint syrup to have on hand to get rid of migraines or sinus headaches when they pop up.  However, if you are interested in making a tonic to boost the immune system, you might want to blend Rosemary, Ginger and Cinnamon.   And by the way, adding these to your foods is just as good a way to take them as downing a spoonful or adding it to your tea.  They are healthy components for boosting your health any way you use it.

Here are three 2-ingredient syrup flavors to get you started on your journey.

Rose/Cinnamon Syrup (use organic dried rose petals and good quality cinnamon sticks---4 sticks): A very tasty syrup that can be used in most desserts.  A favorite of mine?  The syrup poured over pound cake!  The Rose is good for inflammation, depression, boosting the immune system, as a blood tonic and expectorant (good for banishing colds, bronchitis, pneumonia) and as a digestive.  The Cinnamon is also an anti-inflammatory, helps repair tissue damage and regulates blood sugar levels.

Peppermint/Rosemary Syrup (use dried herbs equal parts):  A very tasty syrup and terrific in drinks.  Peppermint is good for headaches, specifically migraines too, is a digestive and helps dispel gas, promotes sleep.  Rosemary has similar properties as a headache reliever but also stimulates the nervous system by getting rid of stress and pain, boosts the immune system, helps digestive disturbances and has been shown in studies to be helpful in lowering cancer risks. 

Lemon/Ginger Syrup (use fresh lemon juice and peel and grated ginger root):  A delicious combo that can be used as a cough syrup and so much more.  Lemon lowers cancer risk, prevents kidney stones, lowers blood pressure and is high in vitamin C.  Ginger is specifically good for arthritis, is an anti-inflammatory, good for dispelling nausea, managing weight, balancing blood sugar and helps with indigestion.  It too is high in vitamin C.

It is helpful to make only syrups you will use up within a few months, so it is best to try one or two at a time.  Keep them refrigerated and enjoy them.  They are especially good to keep on hand in winter when you are fighting off colds and flu or the hot summer months to add to lemonades, iced teas or as a flavored water or sparkling water.  Let me know what you have tried and how it turned out.