One tablespoon a day can boost your health by miles! Fire cider is a folk remedy to boost immunity and ward off respiratory infections. This is a powerful homemade fire cider recipe you can make at home and store for months!
I used to take a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (ACV) in warm water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach but now I’ve switched ACV with fire cider and I feel like I’ve improved my healthy morning routine so much.
According to me, fire cider really is a shot of crazy goodness that can keep your immune system strong especially if you’re like me and get colds the moment a chilly draft hits my nostril.
Origin of Fire Cider
Fire cider is a term coined by American herbalist, Rosemary Gladstar in 1970. It is called fire cider because it contains ‘hot’ or ingredients that make it have a spicy flavor. Her traditional fire cider recipe contains herbs such as horseradish root, onion, garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper and honey, topped off with apple cider vinegar.
The original fire cider recipe has been modified by many folks coming up with their own DIY versions and spin offs to include other powerful ingredients that make fire cider a powerful health tonic.
Amazing Health Benefits of Fire Cider
Fire cider is a spicy, pungent vitality tonic that offers a variety of health benefits because of the ingredients it contains, such as:
- Apple cider vinegar
This is the base of any fire cider recipe, hence the name ‘fire cider.’ Apple cider vinegar is essentially the fermented juice from crushed apples. It contains acetic acid (prebiotics), probiotics, enzymes, polyphenols and nutrients such as B-vitamins and vitamin C.
It is known to be an elixir that purports scientifically proven benefits such as aiding digestion, weight management, easing acid reflux, calming digestive troubles like gas and bloating, detoxification, lowering blood sugar, fighting bacteria, improving skin and hair and more.
- Garlic
Garlic is a delicious herb that is one of the key ingredients to a powerful fire cider.
It offers excellent protection against the common cold and respiratory issues. This is because of its powerful antiviral properties that not only boost the immune system but also help prevent viruses from entering host cells and replicating within existing cells.
Other benefits of this amazing herb include: strong anti-inflammatory properties, safeguards cardiovascular health, reduces blood pressure, detoxifies heavy metals in the body, improves cholesterol levels, helps prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia, improves bone health and athletic performance.
- Ginger
Ginger root is a rhizome which is popularly used in folk medicine around the world. It is an aromatic spice that gives a distinct fragrant spicy kick to both sweet and savory foods.
Eating ginger has several benefits including reducing inflammation, curbing nausea, fighting colds, cough & sore throats, alleviating all kinds of pain such as headaches and menstrual cramps, fighting free radical damage, preventing cancer, regulating blood sugar, improving digestive issues such as bloating, stomach cramps and gas.
It is loaded with Vitamin C which makes it great for fortifying the respiratory system.
- Cayenne or Jalapeno peppers
Any type of the hottest peppers can be used to make fire cider. Peppers are the key ingredient that make fire cider hot and fiery.
Cayenne pepper is a hot chili belonging to the capsicum family. It is closely related to jalapeno and bell peppers.
It is rich in many vitamins including Vitamin A, B-vitamins, Vitamin C and Vitamin K and minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, folate, choline, phosphorous and manganese.
Some benefits of cayenne peppers include treating colds, opening up clogged sinuses, reducing inflammation, relieving pain, improving heart health and more.
- Onion
Onions are rich in Vitamin C and flavonoids, a type of antioxidant that boosts the immune system.
I love using red onions for fire cider because they in particular contain anthocyanins, a type of flavonoids that give red onions their deep red purplish color.
Onions also benefit heart health, have anti-cancer properties and boost digestive health. Not to mention, their sharp pungent odor helps stimulate nasal passages and clear blocked sinuses.
- Horse radish root
Horse radish is one of the popular ingredients of fire cider. It is a cruciferous root vegetable, alongside cabbage, broccoli, mustard and kale, among others. It is known for its pungent taste and odor. For thousands of years it has been used in different cuisines as a spice and condiment, as well as for its medicinal uses.
This veggie is rich in many compounds such as sinigrin, a strong antioxidant that fight free radical damage and an enzyme called peroxidase that activates a potent anti-cancer compound that fights pancreatic cancer cells (source).
Horse radish also has antibacterial properties that may fight a range of dangerous bacteria, including E. coli, H. pylori, and Salmonella (source).
Because of its spicy taste that causes a burning sensation in the sinuses, nose and throat when consumed, it helps open up clogged sinuses and blocked noses which makes it good for improving colds and respiratory issues.
- Honey
Honey is added at the end of the fire cider preparation, when the fire cider has been strained from the spices and herbs steeped in the apple cider vinegar.
Known to soothe sore throats and alleviate cough, honey is a great natural medicine for the respiratory system. It also has powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibacterial and antiviral properties.
Adding honey also sweetens the taste of the fire cider.
How to Make Homemade Fire Cider
Below, I’ll be sharing one of my favorite homemade fire cider recipes. This is a powerful recipe because of all of the potent herbs and spices added to it. This fire cider tastes very zingy and delish on top of being power houses of nutrients and having potent immune boosting properties! Check it out:
Powerful Fire Cider Recipe:
The additional ingredients and we are using for this fire cider recipe and their benefits include:
- Pomegranate – Pomegranate is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, which makes it a great immunity-boosting food. Other benefits of pomegranate include: improving heart health, fighting inflammation and infection, and preventing dental plaque.
- Turmeric – This golden yellow spice is popular in Ayurveda (Traditional Indian Medicine) because it helps decrease inflammation, relieves pain, fights free radical damage and kills bacteria and microbes.
- Black pepper – Black pepper increases the bio availability of turmeric. Since it’s a fiery spice, black pepper gives relief from coughs, colds and respiratory issues by warming up the body and clearing blocked sinuses & nasal airways. It also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
- Rosehips – Rosehips are high in vitamin C, which can strengthen the immune system because they help the body produce white blood cells and antibodies. They also contain other vitamins and minerals that support the immune system, such as vitamins A, E, and K, as well as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus.
- Rosemary – Rosemary is a fragrant herb that has significant antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-tumorigenic, antinociceptive, and neuroprotective properties. Consuming it lowers the risk of infection and helps the immune system fight off any infections that affect the body.
- Elderberries – Elderberries are known to have immune-boosting properties and may help with cold and flu symptoms because they contain anthocyanins that have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating effects. Elderberry extracts may also inhibit influenza A, B and H1N1 viruses.
What you need
- 1 pomegranate
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- 1-inch fresh horse radish root or 1 tablespoon of horse radish powder (where to get it)
- 2 jalapeno peppers or the hottest peppers you can find
- 2 inches fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ginger powder (where to get it)
- 2 inches fresh turmeric or 1 teaspoon turmeric powder (where to get it)
- 1 red onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon rosehips (where to get it)
- 1 tablespoon rosemary (where to get it)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper corns (where to get it)
- 2 tablespoon elderberries (where to get it)
- Organic apple cider vinegar (where to get it)
- Large mason jar (where to get it)
- Brown kitchen paper (where to get it)
- Muddler (where to get it)
- Measuring spoons (where to get it)
Directions
- Wash and chop up all the ingredients. Leave the peels on for the orange and lemon. You can grate the fresh ginger, turmeric and horse radish. Dry powders can be substituted for the fresh ingredients you don’t have on hand. For example, horse radish powder can be used instead of fresh horse radish root.
- Seal tightly and infuse for a month. You can place a piece of brown paper between the lid and the jar to prevent the vinegar from reaching the lid.
- Remember to shake the jar and remove the lid to ‘burp’ or release gas from the jar every single day.
- After a month or so, strain the solid ingredients to separate them from the cider and store in a fresh sterilized glass jar or bottle.
- Drink a tablespoon a day in warm water, add to teas, soups or even use it as a salad dressing for a healthy zing. You can add honey as well.
Recipe 2: My Go-to Homemade Fire Cider
This homemade fire cider recipe is the one I always come back to because it’s not only very easy to prepare with lesser ingredients but it’s also just so insanely good. I even drink it straight up most times, I love that tangy pop of taste in my mouth, it’s just that delicious.
It also contains nutritious herbs and spices that make it very healthy, of course. Let’s see the ingredients you need below:
What you need
- 1 red onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3 knobs of ginger or 1 tablespoon of ginger powder (where to get it)
- 3 knobs of turmeric root or 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder (where to get it)
- Zest and juice of one lemon
- 2 chili peppers
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves (where to get it)
- 1 tablespoon horse radish powder (where to get it)
- Organic apple cider vinegar (where to get it)
- Large mason jar (where to get it)
- Brown kitchen paper (where to get it)
Directions
- Wash all fresh ingredients thoroughly.
- Peel your red onion and chop it up. Also peel the garlic cloves, ginger and turmeric roots and chop them up. You can also use a garlic press to mince the garlic into fine pieces.
- Get the zest and juice of one lemon.
- Slice two chili peppers into two halves (or you can also use hottest peppers you can find).
- Now add all chopped and sliced fresh ingredients into a clean sterilized glass mason jar.
- Add in 1 tablespoon each of rosemary leaves and horse radish powder.
- Top the jar off with organic apple cider vinegar.
- Mix gently with a long spoon.
- Place brown kitchen paper over the open mouth of the jar and then cover with the lid.
- Let the jar sit in a dry dark place for a month.
- When the time is up, strain the ingredients out and filter out your delicious fire cider.
- Enjoy!
Ways to Use Fire Cider
- Morning fire cider tonic
This is the most common and easiest way to consume fire cider. It’s my favorite way of taking fire cider. It like getting a direct shot of its goodness without additives and gives a detoxifying or body cleanse experience.
Simply add 1 tablespoon of fire cider to a glass of warm water. Drink on an empty stomach when you wake up in the morning before breakfast or after inter fasting. Optional: Add a bit of raw honey to sweeten then sip up!
- Dilute with juice or smoothies
If you love juicing or drinking smoothies, you can sneakily add a tablespoon of fire cider to your juice/smoothie to give it a zingy health kick!
- Add it to your cooking
When you’re sautéing veggies, tossing fried rice or making a stew/sauce, throw in a few tablespoons of fire cider.
- Salad dressing
A very delicious way to use fire cider is by sprinkling it in a salad. Any salad dressing that calls for vinegar can use fire salad inside. It adds a really nice tangy flavor that is oh-so-lip-smacking good!
You can also make your own salad dressing or vinaigrette with fire cider. All you have to do is mix fire cider, olive oil, djon mustard and a bit of honey and that’s it! I have also simply tossed salad with fire cider, black pepper and salt and it was awesome.
- Marinade
Take your margination to the next level by soaking your meat, fish or tofu with a little fire cider! It’ll make your meat taste tender and very flavorful.
- Add it to soups
Instead of lemon or vinegar, add fire cider to your soups. Hot soups are perfect for getting over colds so adding fire cider to a soup whether it’s chicken soup or plain clear soup is a game changer to heal your respiratory system.
- As a marinade
Use the leftover strained veggies and herbs as a marinade to have your grilled meats bursting with yumminess.
- Add a tangy zing to sauces
Many sauce recipes call for vinegar or lemon juice in their ingredients. Sub that for fire cider instead and enjoy!
- Splash on rice, pasta or potatoes before serving
Adding a little fire cider as a seasoning just before you have your rice, pasta or potatoes makes it extra delish so try it out!
FAQ’s
How long do I need to infuse my homemade fire cider?
Herbs and spices are typically steeped in apple cider vinegar for a month. You can steep them from one week onwards. However, note that the longer you infuse it, the deeper in taste/pungent it gets.
How long does homemade fire cider last?
Since it is basically vinegar infused with herbs, it won’t spoil easily. Once strained, store in the refrigerator or a cool dry place for up to six months.
Does fire cider need to be refrigerated?
Since fire cider is made of vinegar, it is shelf stable and can be stored just like apple cider vinegar, in a cool dark pantry for several months. You can store it in the refrigerator too.
How much fire cider should I take?
The daily recommended amount of fire cider is ½ to 2 tablespoons per day to reap its health benefits.
Other Fire Cider Tips
- Dilute fire cider before consumption
Since it is made of vinegar, fire cider can wear down your enamel if taken straight without dilution. Although it’s best taken alone, diluting fire cider not only protects your teeth from erosion but also prevents heart burn, acid reflux and diarrhea caused by consuming spicy foods.
- Sterilizing your glass jars for fire cider
You can sterilize your glass jar before preparing fire cider. Thoroughly wash with warm water and soap. Dry them well with a clean towel. Next place on an oven-safe tray at 275°F for ten minutes. Metal lids can be sterilized by placing them in boiling water for 10 minutes. Let it dry properly before preparing your fire cider.
Are you ready to make your own homemade fire cider recipe? Let me know any questions you may have in the comments below!
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