Cider recipes have been around a long time as an aid in fighting off winter colds and flus. The shorter, colder days of the year bring more illnesses, less energy in general, and for me, at least, a need to keep my gut and immune system in fighting form as much as possible. Here is an easy cider vinegar recipe to help you stay well during cold and flu season!
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Cider recipes have long been used, infused with herbs and spices, to keep illness at bay. By boosting your immune system with some of these old-fashioned ingredients, you are helping your body help you.
Because apple cider or cider vinegar is the fermented product of the apple, or other fruits, it has a certain amount of alcohol in it that helps with the infusion process with other ingredients. Alcohol extracts much more of the nutrients and medicinal properties of the herbs you are wanting to extract from.
The differences between apple cider and apple cider vinegar don’t matter much here. The results are similar, except for flavor. Cider is more like apple juice, just with some alcohol content. Cider vinegar is much more, well, vinager-y in taste. I use apple cider vinegar for a lot of things, as I have so many apples from my nine apple trees, and making vinegar is one way to use them.
Raw apple cider vinegar is wonderful for so many reasons.
I use it in making household cleaners, and as a rinse for my hair from time to time.
It can help rebuild your gut health, it can be used for making your own skin products, hair rinses, and many other things. Some people swear by it for regulating blood sugar, weight loss, or lessening wrinkles. I even have a link for you for an Ebook on Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits. It is well worth learning about this simple and effective, organic product and the many ways to use it around your home, and in as well as on your body.
Disclaimer: before you start using home remedies like this, please consult with your doctor, especially if you are on medications or have other health issues. If you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding consult with your doctor first.
The process is quite easy for your own medicinal cider. I suggest using a glass jar, 1 quart in size, for these measurements. Glass does not react with the cider like metal or plastic.
Ingredients:
- One large bunch of parsley washed and patted dry with a clean towel
- 6 cloves of garlic smashed and loosely chopped
- 1 lemon sliced thin
- 1 inch of ginger root sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- If you like a little kick to clear the sinuses, add one Thai chili or a milder jalapeno pepper – completely optional. Or you can add 1/8 th tsp of cayenne pepper.
- 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper, or peppercorns
- !/2 tsp tumeric, or 1 inch fresh tumeric root sliced thin
If you have other herbs handy from your garden, you can add them to this as well.
Experiment and keep a notebook handy to track your recipes and ideas, and when you find ones you like or that are particularly effective, you can then replicate them year after year.
Label your bottles and jars so you know what is what!
- Stuff everything into the jar and cover with cider, or apple cider vinegar.
- Put in a dark cool cupboard and shake to mix every day for at least three weeks, and up to six.
- Strain the mixture through a coffee filter or cheese cloth into a clean, sterile jar, cover, and keep in a cool dark place.
- You can take a tablespoon full or two every morning, either straight up, in a glass of water, or in juice or tomato or V8 juice. Whatever suits you best.
If you find yourself feeling under the weather, you can make this Green Soup recipe that my father brought over from Europe. His Belgian mother would make this soup whenever someone was sick, much like chicken noodle soup is used here. It has high amounts of potassium, iron, and other nutrients that a body needs when unwell. Even now, when I get sick, I crave this soup. So good! Plus, it gives you a really good way to use all that parsley from your garden.
The goal with this apple cider vinegar recipe is to provide an added item to your list of ‘stay healthy’ go-to’s that may help prevent you from getting sick or getting less sick through the buggy season.
Let me know if this has helped you at all and leave a comment below! Maybe you already have a go-to recipe you’d like to share to help everyone else get started. Much love, Cathy.
