Natural remedies to common minor health issues are becoming more popular, and most of them are simple enough to make at home. Fire cider is one of the remedies that is trending due to it being known to improve a vast majority of common ailments such as colds and digestive health. Herbalists recommend taking it during a cold to reduce symptoms, or can be taken year long as an anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting supplement. Fire cider users notice a decrease in congestion, increased circulation, and fewer digestive flare-ups for those with gut health issues. Here are 43 more natural remedies you can make at home.
What exactly is this cure-all drink? Fire cider is a spicy sweet vinegar drink that is flavored with root vegetables, citrus, spices, hot peppers, and honey. Raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar is used as the base. It is meant to be taken in one tablespoon increments, two to three times per day when needed. Due to the potency of the drink it is not recommended to drink straight. Instead, add to smoothies, juice, seltzer, tea, or simply water in down. You may also reap the benefits by making it into a marinade for meats, salad dressings, or anywhere vinegar would typically be used in cooking.
For such a versatile and complex health drink, fire cider can easily be made at home with readily available ingredients.
Here’s what you will need:
- One quart sized glass jar
- Wax paper
- Raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
- Raw honey, to taste
- ½ cup horseradish root, peeled and diced
- 2 jalapeno peppers, sliced
- 1 cup ginger root, peeled and diced
- ½ cup onion, chopped
- Juice and zest of two lemons
- ¼ cup crushed garlic cloves
The first step in making fire cider is to prep the ingredients. Be sure to wash hands thoroughly after handling hot peppers.
Next, add the lemon zest and juice (extract zest using a peeler), peppers, and garlic to the bottom of the jar. Then place the heavier root vegetables on top, which is the remaining ginger, onion, and horseradish.
Pour the apple cider vinegar on top until all contents in the jar are covered. This will ensure that none of the ingredients will spoil in the following step.
Line the lid with wax paper so the metal does not corrode. Seal the jar and place in a cool dark place (such as a kitchen cabinet) for 2-4 weeks to mature before consumption, allowing the ingredients to fully infuse into the vinegar.
When ready, shake well and then strain the roots out with a sieve. Add honey to sweeten. Honey has a multitude of survival uses.
For other variations, you can swap out half of the ginger with turmeric to receive more gut health benefits. For added flavor, whole peppercorns may be included along with fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary. Enjoy, in good health!
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How often and how much of this should you take?
You should be able to take a fluid ounce a day with no adverse effects. Dr Schultze’s website suggests 30ml, which is somewhere around a dropper full, in water. Adjust to your own liking. It should not hurt you, unless you drink a bottlefull at a time.
This is the same as Dr Schultze’s Super Tonic. Good stuff. I make my own recipe and take some everyday.
It looks like you are pouring all the vinegar down the drain. Is that correct?
Well I don’t know since no one will respond. Doesn’t seem like you would do that.
No! Pouring it through a strainer, into another container.
Thank you!
NOTE: It says “Add honey…” You add honey to the vinegar after you strain it. The vinegar is the GOOD STUFF! It has been sitting for 2-4 weeks absorbing all the goodness of the other items in the recipe. Just add honey to make it taste good (but you can use it w/o honey–just tastes a little funky w/ all the spicy stuff.).
i would to know about this Drink
Howdy. The solid ingredients’ medicinal qualities were absorbed by the ACV. Here, sometimes we pour our ‘dose’ over our food.
Alternative option: use the solids to make another batch.
W/o removing solids, Fire Cider lasts us 12-18 months. You can replenish the batch overtime by adding more ACV.
Here, the batch is used as-is w solids. It also tastes great served over food/salad.
Variation: for faster use, add powdered garlic, onion, ginger, etc.; only add fresh ingredients when you can’t find the dry. This recipe can be used right away but it does get stronger over time. HTH
Ever since we began relying upon Fire Cider c. 5 yrs ago, we’ve not needed an Rx for URIs or LRIs. It’s used concurrently w OTCs, other nutraceuticals & well-balanced meals.
That doesn’t look like a remedy, it looks more like a dare.
Store in the fridge i assume?
No. Just keep it out of the sunlight. It will keep well in a cupboard.
I have some kind of allergy to that type of onion, is there an effective substitute for the onion?
When using garlic for antibiotic effect mince and let rest for 15 mins. The interaction with oxygen allows the garlic to set.
After looking at YouTube and seeing other videos about fire tonic, this seems to be a more mild recipe with only one type of pepper. Not sure if that is because of the belief of more healing effects from other peppers, such as Serrano and habenero, or if the person making it just likes more spice. Any thoughts from anyone?
After straining out the solids, can you reuse them to make another batch?
If you re-use your coffee grounds to brew a second pot of coffee after you have finished drinking the first pot, you can reuse the solids in the Fire Cider recipe to make a second batch. Your second batch of Fire Cider will taste as weak and work as ineffectively as your second pot of coffee tastes and works. Or, in a word, no.
I save the solids and use them in stir fries, soup or stews. A tbsp, or so, at a time. More benefits, no waste.