By Kristy Dusevic CHC – Fire Cider: Have you ever heard of it? It’s not as commonly known as some of the other previous natural immune building options like Elderberry Syrup and Bone Broth that I have discussed. However, this amazing tonic is just as powerful at boosting and building your immune system.
Mother Nature provides us with so many ways to support our bodies naturally.
The one thing to keep in mind with Fire Cider is; YOU MUST LOVE HEAT!
This powerful tonic is packed with various pepper and other hot spices. The added honey does take some of the “bite” off though. I have some fermenting now and should be ready in a few weeks. My mouth starts to water just thinking about this delicious stuff! I am going to go out on a limb here and confess that I am not a fan of the yearly flu shot for various reasons. My body responds better with natural immune building options much better than pharmaceuticals which is why I want to share this most amazing natural immune building cider.
What is Fire Cider?
Fire Cider is essentially an apple cider vinegar infusion. It’s spicy, savory, tangy, slightly sweet, and incredibly simple to make. It has been used by herbalists for generations to help ward off cold and flu symptoms and boost the immune system thanks to its long list of antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiviral ingredients. It does take about a month to completely infuse, so we say now is a good time to make it.
The great thing about fire cider is that the recipe can be easily adapted depending on what ingredients you have on hand. The general recipe consists of horseradish root, ginger, onion, garlic, hot peppers, and apple cider vinegar, but you really can add just about anything to your liking.
So what does each of these ingredients do?
Habanaro Peppers – The most impressive aspect of a habanero pepper’s nutrition is its vitamin C content. A single habanero pepper contains more than 100 percent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C. The same pepper also contains a bit of vitamin A – 9 percent of your recommended intake – plus 4 percent of your recommended potassium intake, 3 percent of your recommended iron intake and a scant 1 percent of your recommended daily calcium intake.
Garlic– the allicin found in garlic can serve as a health aid during times of illness by reducing cold symptoms and the length of colds.
Onion– contains a high amount of sulfur compounds which are powerful detoxifying agents. They provide therapeutic and antibacterial properties that cleanse and detox our bodies to eliminate disease.
Horseradish– due to its antibiotic properties, horseradish can also be used to treat urinary tract infections (UTI) and destroy bacteria in the throat that can cause bronchitis, coughs and related problems.
Ginger– has been used to help treat the common cold, flu-like symptoms, headaches, and painful menstrual periods.
Turmeric– has been used for 4,000 years to treat a variety of conditions. Studies show that turmeric may help fight infections and some cancers, reduce inflammation, and treat digestive problems. Turmeric has been used in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory, to treat digestive and liver problems, skin diseases, and wounds.
Lemon– an excellent source of the powerful antioxidant vitamin C, lemons and lemon juice can help fight the formation of free radicals and can help the immune system battle germs that cause a cold or flu.
Cayenne– contains Capsicum which is used for various problems with digestion including upset stomach, intestinal gas, stomach pain, diarrhea, and cramps. It is also used for conditions of the heart and blood vessels including poor circulation, excessive blood clotting, high cholesterol, and preventing heart disease
Apple Cider Vinegar– can increase insulin sensitivity and significantly lower blood sugar responses during meals
Honey– has been shown to hamper the growth of food-borne pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella, and to fight certain bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Fire cider has been around and used for centuries. History and folk herbal remedies has Fire Cider recipes dating back to the 1800’s..If something has been around that long, there must be some amazing benefits to it.
How to Use:
There are several ways you can incorporate fire cider into your daily diet. Take straight as a shot or as a yummy salad dressing or marinade. To help fight present cold symptoms, take a spoonful every few hours. For sore throats, mix a spoonful with honey and take as needed. You can even mix Fire Cider into some fresh orange juice for the little ones, just make sure it’s not too spicy!
A basic recipe below; modify and play with it
– Add the onion, garlic, horseradish, ginger, and turmeric into a large quart sized mason jar.
– Add 4-6 habanero peppers Depending on how spicy you’d like your fire cider, use 1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne powder.
– Slice one orange and lemon, rind included, and quarter each slice. Add to the mason jar mixture.
– Pour your apple cider vinegar over the mason jar mixture until it’s entirely covered. It’s important to use a good quality ACV like Bragg’s “with the mother” (natural sediment on the bottom of the bottle). Cover the mason jar with a piece of parchment paper before sealing with its lid. This is an important step so the vinegar won’t corrode the lid.
– Make sure the mason jar is tightly sealed before vigorously shaking to incorporate all the ingredients.
– Label with the date and let steep for 4 to 6 weeks. Yes, this recipe requires a bit of patience. The mixture is fine to leave out at room temperature while it is infusing. I stick mine in the pantry, away from any direct light.
– After 4 to 6 weeks, strain the mixture, pouring the vinegar into a clean jar.
– Add about 1/4 c of raw, unfiltered honey and mix until combined. Add more honey to taste.
If I don’t drink all mine up, I will have some available for purchase at Thrive Yoga and Wellness or you can email me directly to put a bottle on hold @ kristy@thriveyogaandwellness.com
Cheers to a happy and healthy fall (immune building) season!