08/30/2026
Jess Bergeron • Herbalist & Wellness Guide Immuni-‘tea’ never tasted so good. SAVE THIS RECIPE
This is the kind of herbal medicine I love most—the kind that doesn’t feel like medicine at all. Cold, tart, slightly sweet, deeply red and something the whole family will actually drink.
ICED ELDERBERRY IMMUNI-‘TEA’
Herbal tea blend:
2 Tbsp dried hibiscus
1 Tbsp dried rosehips
1 Tbsp dried echinacea leaf
4 cups hot water
For each bottle:
Lots of ice
1–2 Tbsp elderberry syrup
Prepared herbal tea
Fresh lemon
A little raw honey, if desired
Add the hibiscus, rosehips and echinacea leaf to a jar or teapot. Pour 4 cups of just-boiled water over the herbs, cover and steep for 15–20 minutes. Strain and allow to cool completely.
Fill your bottle with ice, pour the elderberry syrup right over the ice, then top with the cold herbal tea. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a little raw honey if you want it sweeter.
Shake/stir and sip.
Hibiscus — Tart, cooling and one of my favorite herbs for kids. It’s loaded with anthocyanins and antioxidants, and I love it for keeping everyone hydrated, especially when they’re coming home hot, tired and depleted. Plus, it makes everything bright red without a drop of artificial dye.
Rosehips — One of my favorite food-like herbs for everyday family nourishment. Naturally rich in vitamin C and flavonoids, rosehips are such a simple way to bring a little extra nourishment into the cup during cold and flu season.
Echinacea leaf — This is one I reach for when school starts and suddenly we’re exposed to EVERYTHING again. Echinacea has a beautiful affinity for the immune system, and I especially love having it around at the very first hint that something might be brewing.
Elderberry — A cold-and-flu-season staple in my house. Elderberries are rich in anthocyanins and have been used for generations when seasonal viruses start making their rounds. I make elderberry syrup ahead of time so it’s already sitting in my refrigerator when we need it.