Fire cider is one of those things like elderberry syrup, is a tonic that has been used by herbalists as a top way to support ones immunity system whenever there is a change in seasons or colds or flu or allergies in the air. It is a must have for supporting my own family during a shift into the cold. This recipe that I want to share with you below is the base that you can start with. But as with anything, you can be flexible and add whichever immune boosting herbs you know you will like or spices that will give it a nice kick.
Some wonderful additions include:
- Elderberries
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Echinacea
- Lavender
- Jalepeno
- Black Peppercorns
- Rosemary
What is it?
In a nutshell, it is a supertonic infused with apple cider vinegar that stimulates the lymphatic system, boosts your circulation, enhances your digestion and has antioxidants. It was developed by Rosemary Gladstar, who is a very famous herbalist that wrote many great book for beginner herbalists as well as having other great recipes.
Rosemary Galdstar has shared a basic fire cider recipe and always encouraged people to modify it according to their own preferences. Does your need a punch? Add more garlic or pepper or even cayenne pepper or jalapeños. Looking for something mild? modify it with less peppers and more onions.
You will hear how fire cider is an infused vinegar but it is an oxygen if you add honey to it. Oxymels are herbal vinegars that have be mixed with honey.
I try to make a batch ahead of time as it needs to sit for a few weeks before it is good to take. It is sweet, tangy and spicy and some people with seasonal allergies use this successfully to clear up sinuses.
Herbs and Benefits
Using vinegar in an infusion is sort of like making tinctures, it is good at taking all the herbal components to be released into the mixture. Lets look at some of the benefits of the herbs you will be using.
Onion (allium cepa)
It is packed with nutrients like Vitamin C, B vitamins like folate B6 and minerals like potassium and sulfur. They may benefit the heart health with antioxidants that fight inflammation. It is also a great support for the digestive system. (1)
Garlic (allium sativum)
A member of the lily family garlic is the worlds largest selling herb. It has powerful antibiotic and heart protective properties.(2)
Lemon (citrus limon)
Rich in vitamin C lemons are known to support the immune system. If you cannot get lemons from an organic source, it is best to leave the rinds out of your recipe as you do not want to have pesticides being drawn out of the lemon. (3)
Ginger (zingiber officinale)
This is a well known Asian spice that is used mainly from the underground rhizome. It is traditionally used to help with nausea and soothe a sore throat. It is also great for headaches and stomach issues. (4)
Turmeric (curcuma longa)
You can find a full article on turmeric and how to use it here, but turmeric is shown to have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Your easy to find ally in this mix.
Thyme (thymus vulgaris)
Thyme is known more in as a culinary herb rather than an herb for its medicinal properties but it is a must have on had for respiratory issues with its expectorant properties. (5)
Horseradish root (armoracia rusticana)
A great antioxidant which also helps to break up congestion in the body as well as containing high levels of Vitamin C to boost your immunity. Also has a compound called sinigrin which is a natural diuretic. (6)
Recipe
I originally got this recipe from the Herbal Academy and have made some changes based on my own families needs. Feel free to experiment and make it your own. I want to emphesize the organic material that you need to be using in this recipe since it is a process of pulling all of the herbs compounds out, you do not want chemicals and pesticides to be in your cider.
1 organic red onion
3 heads of organic garlic
1 organic lemon with peel chopped, if not organic disregard the peel
1/2 cup organic ginger rhizome chopped
1/2 cup horseradish root chopped
1/4 cup thyme
1/2 cup turmeric rhizome chopped (if not available substitute with additional 1/4 cup of horseradish)
Raw apple cider vinegar
Directions:
- Place all ingredients into a half-gallon mason jar and cover with apple cider vinegar. Be sure to leave the herbs two inches.
- Cup a square piece of parchment paper and put over the mouth of jar before tightly capping it with a lid.
- Put in a dark place and let it sit for at least 3 weeks.
- Shake everyday if you remember.
- After 3 weeks you can strain and put in your refrigerator.
- Optional: add 1/3 cup honey and rebottle as a new drink.
Shelf life:
Herbal vinegars have a long shelf life for about 6 months or more.
5 Ways to Use It
- If you mix this with honey then taking about 1oz everyday during a cold and flu season is my own protocol, you can always add the cayenne pepper (or more of it) during this time or more honey.
- Take 1 TBSP a day without honey as a tonic or 3 TBSP a day during an active infection
- During the cold months I love drinking herbal tea and adding a tablespoon or two of this is one way to incorporate it.
- When eating salad, mixing with olive oil makes a great dressing.
- Water or juice is a great way to get this down daily. Kids will most likely drink it with some juice like orange juice and if you do not like tea then mixing it with water will do also to dilute it more.
Final thoughts
If this is your first batch of fire cider I hope you find some way to get this going for your family and a creative way for your kids to take it. Mine do not like spicy stuff and take it well in either water or juice (if we have some) while there is an active cold bug or flu bug going around. I am very prone to catching illnesses so I take a shot pretty regularly once a batch is done.
I always use fresh herbs when starting a new batch and get creative on which things I can substitute if I cannot find something at our local store such as more ginger if there is no turmeric or extra ginger if there is no horseradish.
I hope you try this one out and let me know how it turns out by tagging me over on IG.
If you are looking for support during the cold and flu season to boost your immunity and need to work with an herbalist do not hesitate to reach our for a free consultation to see if we are a good fit.
