Fire Cider: A Tonic to Unlocking Health Independence
Fire Cider is a beautiful tonic to not only unlock health independence but a Folk Remedy for the cold and flu season is traditionally made from garlic, onions, ginger, horseradish, and cayenne infused in honey and apple cider vinegar. Other herbs, fruits and veggies may also be added for your liking.
Fire Cider, which is an Oxymel (infused plant medicine in vinegar & honey), have been part of the traditional Herbalism since the time of Hippocrates, who took most of his ideas from Egyptian medicine.
For generations Fire Cider has been used to warm the body and boost vitality to combat and prevent various ailments such as common cold and flu and its symptoms, congestion, digestive issues, sore throat, fever, respiratory infections, etc.
This tonic has several wonderful ingredients and depending on what you decide to include in yours it can help fight bacteria, promote circulation, ease nausea, bring down inflammation, stimulate digestion, boost your immune system and is a good source of nutrients and vitamins.
You can find more information on the benefits of fire cider here, here and here as well as in the references below.
Making Fire Cider
There have been many versions of the recipe over the years and unfortunately there was a trademark issue that caused a commotion in the herbal community. Fortunately, the legal matter concluded in 2019 when a Massachusetts court determined that "fire cider" is a commonly used term, rendering the trademark invalid. This decision set a legal precedent, safeguarding the names of other traditional herbal remedies from potential trademark restrictions.
Anywho, the entire process can take between 4 weeks to 3 months. WAIT, DON’T STOP READING….The steeping time will depend on your preference of taste. Yes, there is a 4 week minimum to get the full effects, but after that 4 week mark you can judge if it’s ready or not by tasting it weekly.
Equipment Needed
Quart glass jar
Strainer/Cheesecloth
Parchment paper
Grater
Knife
A smile
The Recipe
Again, there are MANY different versions of Fire Cider. Feel free to modify it or replace certain ingredients. This is my version…
Ingredients:
½ cup fresh ginger root – grated
1 head of garlic – roughly chopped
½ cup/medium onion – roughly chopped
1 lemon with rind – quartered
¼ cup ashwaganda (Withania somnifera)
1 whole dried cayenne pepper – crushed
¼ cup rosehips
¼ cup elderberries
1.5 tbsp turmeric powder OR 1-2 small rhizomes grated
1-2 sprigs rosemary
Organic apple cider vinegar
Raw honey
Instruction:
Grate and roughly chop everything and place in your glass jar
Add enough apple cider vinegar to cover everything and tightly seal
Steep for a minimum of 4 weeks or until it tastes the way to want it. If this is your first batch, try for 4 weeks to get an idea of what your preferred taste is
Strain and squeeze every bit into another clean jar/pot and then add honey to taste
Bottle your Fire Cider!
This is best stored in the fridge and will last up to a year.
Not only can you take a tablespoon daily, you can increase the dosage if you are or do get sick until you are better as well as use this topically for congestion, sore muscles and joints and some skin eruptions.
Dosing Fire Cider
This is a concentrated herbal tonic, and the number of servings you get from it depends on how you use it and the serving size. Typically, people take a small shot or spoonful of Fire Cider as a health tonic or mix it into other recipes for added flavor and health benefits.
Here's a rough estimate:
Serving Size: A typical serving size for Fire Cider is about 1 to 2 tablespoons (15-30 ml). This can vary depending on personal preference and tolerance for spiciness.
Yield: The recipe is designed to fill a half-gallon (approximately 1.9 liters) mason jar. However, because of the herbs and solids, you won't get a full half-gallon of liquid. Let's estimate that you end up with around 1.5 liters of Fire Cider after straining and mixing with honey.
Servings: If we assume a serving size of 1.5 tablespoons (22.5 ml) and a yield of approximately 1.5 liters, you would get roughly 100 servings from this recipe.
Keep in mind that this is just a rough estimate, and the actual number of servings may vary based on how you use the Fire Cider and the serving size you prefer. Additionally, Fire Cider is quite potent, so you might not need large servings to experience its benefits. Adjust the serving size to your taste and needs.
Important Notes On Taking Fire Cider
Everyone is different. If you are on medication that may be contradicted by any of these ingredients, please contact your doctor to discuss taking this under their supervision.
Use common sense – if you need to go to the doctor, GO TO THE DOCTOR!
When giving this to small children, please consider that they are smaller and should therefore have smaller doses. Their taste buds may not be a match this this tonic!
If you are taste sensitive, remember you can hide this in your food! Salad dressings, smoothies, teas, etc. You don’t have to take this on the rocks.
That’s it! Hope you have a Happy Fire Cider Day. Have fun making it and remember to be creative, this is YOUR tonic.
To learn more about the FREE FIRE CIDER campaign, click here
Happy herbs, spice and everything nice,
Ninetta M Savino, B.A., Dip. Phyt.
Medical Herbalist
References:
https://godsandradicals.org/2015/06/04/of-fire-cider-folk-medicine-and-trademarks/
http://freefirecider.com/alternative-producers-of-fire-cider/
https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/fire-cider
http://www.holistichealthherbalist.com/winter-preparations-fire-cider/
http://stayfitandyung.com/2016/04/health-benefits-of-fire-cider/
http://www.holistichealthherbalist.com/winter-preparations-fire-cider/
http://www.hippyhomemakers.com/fire-cider/
For educational purposes only This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
