Nutritionist and forager Joanna Ruminska shares with us a nutritious and delicious recipe for elderflower tea
Elder shrubs are blooming at the moment, filling the air with its characteristic, sweet aroma - and it's not only bees who are attracted to it, but also foragers.
Elderflower (
Sambucus Nigra) is a fragrant flower with a medicinal background. As well as tasting delicious, elderflower is a potent medicine that has been used in holistic medicine for centuries.
The flowers are very well known for their high antioxidant and vitamin C content, and also have diuretic, antiseptic, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.
Whenever picking the flowers, please be mindful and remember to take only what you're going to use - elderflowers are a great source of pollen for bees and other insects, and it's also important to leave plenty of flowers so we (and birds) can enjoy berries in the late summer.
Elderflower Tea
This is the easiest way to enjoy the taste of elderflowers.
Simply pour hot water over the aromatic flowers, let it cool down and enjoy your drink.
The list of benefits of elderflower tea is long.
First of all, it's very high in vitamin C. It also has antiviral properties and is full of antioxidants which help fight off free radicals. Simply put, they help us to stay youthful.
Elderflower tea is caffeine-free, so can be enjoyed in the evening and can also be served to children or people who want to exclude caffeine from their diet.
You are free to experiment with different flavours with this recipe.
I like adding a slice of ginger to mine. It gives the tea a little spicy kick and adds immune boosting properties. To balance the spiciness you may want to add a dollop of honey.
Elderflower tea has a long history in holistic medicine and has been used for its strong antioxidant properties and amazing antiviral effects. That's why elderflower tea is so popular when it comes to fighting the unpleasant symptoms of colds and flu.
I can't have enough of this tea. I love sipping it during warm summer evenings. Knowing how good it is for us makes it a superfood!
Find out more:
Joanna Ruminska delivers foraging activities for children and adults. She leads walks, runs events and delivers tailored “forage and feast” courses and foraging workshops on native plants and fungi that can be found in Devon and Cornwall. Her foraging adventure started in early childhood. While growing up in unspoiled, mountainous areas, she was exposed to nature's pantry. She loves discovering the taste that each new season brings and experimenting with new recipes. As a qualified nutritionist she has a genuine passion for finding the health benefits that plants, fungi or algae have.
