Our kids absolutely love gummy bears. Most of the gummy bears you can buy in stores contain high levels of sugar, artificial food colouring, and other processed ingredients that we make a point of avoiding in our home.
Does that mean that we only feed our children fresh fruits and vegetables all the time? NO! Instead, we like to make delicious and fun treats using whole food ingredients that have health boosting properties.
I learned to make healthy gummies using ingredients like grass-fed gelatin, raw honey, organic juice, kombucha, water kefir, tart cherry juice, and essential oils. The result? My kids gobble up these healthy treats and I feel good about boosting their immune systems, helping them sleep, promoting gut health, and bringing a smile to their faces.
When cold and flu season rolls around, I pull out this easy, DIY recipe for healthy gummies that boost the immune system and help to combat colds and flus. I have kept this recipe as simple as possible with just four ingredients, but you can easily add in some essential oils for further immune protection or tart cherry juice for sleep.
The Ingredients:
Elderberry Syrup
Elderberries are rich in bioflavonoids that increase antioxidant activity in the body. They have been shown in research to have immune boosting properties that can help to prevent and treat colds, flus, sinusitis, and other upper respiratory infections. (1, 2)
We keep elderberry syrup on hand year round to have when anyone in our home gets sick. It is sweet and thick, and one natural supplement that our kids will willingly take when they aren’t feeling their best. Not only does it have antiviral properties that help fight whatever infection is lurking, but it can be especially soothing for a sore throat or cough.
Raw Honey
Since the beginning of time, almost every known ancient culture has used honey for its medicinal properties. Raw honey has been studied for everything from its antioxidant properties to asthma, gastrointestinal health, wound healing, and even cancer. (3)
When it comes to treating infections like colds and flus, raw honey is definitely a superstar! It is antiviral, antibacterial, anti fungal, anti-inflammatory, and can help relieve sore throats and coughs. Add it to warm water with lemon, tea, take a teaspoon, or use it in a recipe like these immune boosting gummies!
Grass-fed Gelatin
Gelatin is a type of protein derived from collagen, and it has a unique amino acid profile that provides numerous health benefits (gut health, joint pain and inflammation, skin vitality, heart health, bone health, weight loss, depression and anxiety).
Another amazing benefit gelatin can provide is a better nights’ sleep! We all know how hard it can be to sleep when colds and flus are running the show, and anything that can calm our bodies and minds is a huge plus. Studies have shown that gelatin can shorten the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, improve sleep quality, and help us feel more rested during the day (no more drowsy mornings). (4)
Organic Juice
I’ll be honest, we are not huge fans of juice (organic or non-organic) in our home because of the high sugar content, but we do use juice sparingly in recipes like this healthy gummies one.
I chose to use freshly squeezed organic orange juice for our gummies to increase the Vitamin C content, but you could easily use any other type of juice like cranberry juice, grape juice, tart cherry juice (great for sleep), pomegranate juice, or whatever you have on hand.
*If you feel very strongly about not using juice or prefer to limit the sugar (outside of the honey) in this recipe, try using brewed herbal tea cooled to room temperature. Use the same measurement as the juice but add 1 additional tablespoon of gelatin.
Elderberry Gummies for Colds & Flus
These healthy gummies for colds and flus are made from immune boosting elderberry syrup, raw honey, grass-fed gelatin, and orange juice. With just four ingredients, this simple, homemade recipe is great for kids (and adults too).
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Grass-fed Gelatin Powder
- 1/3 cup Elderberry Syrup
- 1/4 cup Organic Orange Juice
- 3 tbsp Raw Honey
Instructions
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Add all ingredients to a small saucepan mix gently with a whisk until smooth with no visible clumps.
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Turn stove to low heat and continue to stir until honey is completely dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch.
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Immediately pour into silicone gummy molds like these ones.
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Allow to cool in refrigerator for one hour.
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Pop out of molds and store in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
- Gummies will remain solid at room temperature.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
- You may substitute the orange juice with any other juice at the same ratio. If you choose to substitute with a thinner liquid such as herbal tea or kombucha, increase the gelatin by 1 tablespoon.
Have you tried making this elderberry gummy recipe? Do your kids love them as much as mine? Share below!
