Fire Cider
Unfortunately, as the autumn season marches on and we slowly creep into winter, we may find it more and more difficult to avoid coming into contact with everyday toxins. As we spend more time indoors, our incidence of exposure to certain chemical products tends to increase (think petroleum-based lotions, household cleaners, and other environmental pollutants from non-organic produce). Even if we were able to avoid all possible pollutants, our bodies still tend to become overburdened quite easily in the fall and winter months. This is why it’s so important to give your body an extra boost here and there to help it rid itself of these toxins. Fire cider is an easy detox drink you can make at home and keep on hand to help usher out everyday toxins that cause you to feel bloated, sluggish, and worn down. It contains:
- Apple cider vinegar (the natural medicine world’s liquid gold). Apple cider vinegar has been shown to improve your digestive function, kickstart your metabolism, balance blood sugar, AND help cleanse your liver and lymphatic system.
- Lemon juice, which helps balance your body’s pH and reduces inflammation.
- Onion and garlic for their antiviral and antibacterial benefits
- Herbs and spices for their medicinal benefits, especially their anti-inflammatory tendencies.
Fire Cider is a popular holistic wellness drink that was brought forward into the larger wellness community by one of my favorite herbalists, Rosemary Gladstar in the early 1980s. While fire cider has its origin in old folk medicine, there are many different recipes that have come into circulation within the global wellness community. Additionally, due to its folk medicine origins, the recipe can be altered year-to-year as the quantity and quality of these ingredients may change. This year we had lots of hot peppers on the farm, so I’m using those in my blend. Fire cider is best when taken as a spoonful every day, or several spoonfuls throughout the day if you feel under the weather. It could also be added to homemade juices, stirfries, and bloody marys. As always, it’s incredibly important to get quality, organic ingredients, but even more so in this case, as it will be doing double duty as detox support.
I got this recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs:
Ingredients
● 1 medium organic onion, chopped
● 10 cloves of organic garlic, crushed or chopped
● 2 organic jalapeno peppers, chopped
● Zest and juice from 1 organic lemon
● 1/2 cup fresh grated organic ginger root (or organic ginger root powder)
● 1/2 cup fresh grated organic horseradish root (or organic horseradish powder)
● 1 Tbsp. organic turmeric powder
● 1/4 tsp. organic cayenne powder
● 2 Tbsp. of dried rosemary leaves
● organic apple cider vinegar
● 1/4 cup of raw, local honey, or to taste
Directions
● Prepare your roots, fruits, and herbs, and place them in a quart-sized glass jar.
● Pour the apple cider vinegar in the jar until all of the ingredients are covered and the vinegar reaches the jar's top.
● Use a piece of natural parchment paper under the lid to keep the vinegar from touching the metal, or a plastic lid if you have one. Shake well.
● Store in a dark, cool place for a month and remember to shake daily.
● After one month, use cheesecloth to strain out the pulp, pouring the vinegar into a clean jar. Be sure to squeeze as much of the liquidy goodness as you can from the pulp while straining.
● Add honey and stir until incorporated.
● Taste your cider and add more honey until you reach the desired sweetness.
Those who have used fire cider in the past have claimed the following benefits:
● boosting energy
● warding off colds and cases of flu
● easing sinus congestion
● regulating blood sugar
● curbing cravings
● aiding digestion
● fight against tonsilitis, respiratory disorders, urinary tract infections, and pathogenic fungus
● boost cardiovascular health as well as bone and connective tissue health
● And so SO many more!
Don’t forget to swing by the Woodside Farms farm stands Wednesdays 4 pm-6 pm and Saturdays 9 am-noon to pick up your local peppers, garlic, onions, and herbs for your own fire cider and let us know how it goes!