When a cold or flu hits, it can feel like you’ve been hit by a train. Your energy is low; you feel all those aches and pains; and you want relief quickly.

One thing that you can stock your pantry with before you feel sick is elderberry syrup. These small purple berries are one of the most effective home remedies for both viral and bacterial infections and can substantially shorten your time in bed.

You may have heard of or seen elderberry syrup at your local grocery store, but it’s more cost effective and quite easy to make at home.

The syrup tastes delicious and contains vitamin C, bioflavonoids, minerals and other immune-boosting nutrients.

And if you are wondering why you can’t toss dried elderberries into a smoothie or your morning oats, most varieties cause abdominal cramps or even vomiting when eaten on their own. You need to cook them into a syrup to get the benefits.

You can take 1 tablespoon a day to help boost your immune system throughout the season or take 1 tablespoon up to 3 times a day, when you feel a sickness coming on. It’s also delicious to drizzle over pancakes like these 5-Minute Easy Almond Pancakes. You can store it in the fridge, next to your probiotics.

Just a spoonful a day of elderberry syrup could help prevent a lot of sniffles and aches this season.