Herbal Syrups & Sprays – Natural Support for Daily & Seasonal Wellness
Herbal Syrups & Throat Sprays
Elderberry Syrup and the Winter Cupboard
A herbal syrup is a preparation made by extracting botanicals into a sweetened liquid base, taken by the spoonful. The sugar acts as both preservative and carrier, which is why syrups keep for months in a cupboard without refrigeration. It's one of the oldest ways of taking herbs and remains the easiest format for anyone who dislikes swallowing capsules.
Elderberry syrup is made from the dark berries of Sambucus nigra, the common elder, cooked down and sweetened. The berries ripen across British hedgerows in late summer and early autumn. The same tree also gives elderflower in late spring, which is used for cordial. Berries and flowers are used differently in herbal practice despite coming from one plant.
Some are formulated for children and others are for adults only, so the label is the guide rather than the category. Age guidance appears on every product. Our Family Herbal Cough Syrup is made with younger household members in mind and states the ages it suits.
Most don't, though some do, it varies by maker, so check the label if it matters to you. Syrups are sweetened rather than alcohol-extracted, which is what makes them the usual choice where alcohol needs avoiding. Ours contain no alcohol, and no artificial colours, flavourings or sweeteners.
Follow the label, which will state both a best-before date and a period after opening. Many syrups need refrigerating once opened, since removing the seal introduces both air and bacteria. Use a clean spoon each time rather than returning one to the bottle.
No, a pillow spray is a linen mist, spritzed onto bedding rather than taken by mouth. It's usually built on lavender, which has been used to scent linen since Roman bathhouses. Ours is the Sleep Pillow Spray, and it sits in this collection because of the format rather than because it's taken like the others.
Most people buy in early autumn, before anything is needed. Syrups keep for months unopened, so there's little reason to wait, and it saves a trip out at the point you'd least like to make one. October is when the collection is busiest.
It depends on the formula. The full ingredients are on each product page, and our Medical Herbalists are happy to talk it through.
