Fire cider is a well-known herbal folk remedy popularized by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar. You’ve likely seen it make its way around the internet for the past couple of years, and for good reason.
Bright and spicy, this potent concoction works to boost circulation, break up mucus, and give you a general feeling of warmth on a cold day.
Many of the ingredients are also antibacterial and antimicrobial, but the real zinger–and why you’ll be hooked–is that it’s highly effective at “clearing your sinuses right away in the early stages of a head cold.”
While you can keep fire cider for months in the fridge, Dr. Bennett believes that it’s most potent during the time that it’s infusing and in the first two 2 weeks of use. The hit of horseradish is quite strong and beelines straight to your sinuses.
Time to make your own ?
Ingredients
- ¼ cup minced/crushed garlic
- 1 jalapeño pepper, shredded
- ½ cup shredded ginger root
- ½ cup shredded horseradish root
- ½ cup shredded turmeric
- ½ cup chopped white onion
- Zest and juice from 2 lemons
- Zest and juice from 1 orange or 2-3 clementines or mandarins
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- Raw apple cider vinegar, to cover
- Raw honey, optional, to taste
Method
- Add garlic, jalapeño, ginger, horseradish, turmeric, lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, and cayenne powder into a quart-sized glass jar.
- Pour apple cider vinegar into the jar until all ingredients are fully covered. This is important for preventing spoilage.
- Cover with a plastic lid or place a piece of parchment paper under the metal lid to prevent it from corroding. Shake to combine. Set aside in a cool, dark place for 4-6 weeks, shaking the jar every other day.
- Strain out the solids with a fine-mesh strainer. Pour the infused vinegar into a clean jar and press out as much of the liquid as you can. Discard solids.
- Store in a sealed container in the fridge for several months.
- Add honey to individual servings, to taste. Or drink it like a shot, straight-up.
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