5 Quick Steps to Make Easy Homemade Fire Cider Recipe

What is Fire Cider?

Fire cider is a traditional folk remedy that is often used as a tonic to support the immune system and promote overall health. It is made by steeping a combination of various herbs, spices, and other ingredients in raw apple cider vinegar. Making your own fire cider is a great way to beat a stuffy nose or sore throat this flu season.

Why You Should Make Fire Cider

Fire Cider is also a cost-effective way to boost your immune system, especially during the winter months. Anyone can find the ingredients to use at low prices so that you can keep your family healthy.

How to Make It

The Fire Cider Recipe that I like best gets changed every time I make it based on what ingredients are available, but it’s always some variation of this quick version (this will make about a quart mason jar of fire cider):

• a cup of chopped Hot peppers, usually jalapenos or datils because that’s what we grow
• 1/2 cup Fresh Ginger Root, peeled and finely chopped or grate
• 1/4 cup Turmeric Root, grated fresh (a tablespoon of dried turmeric is the next best thing to fresh)
• 5 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced
• a cup of chopped Onions
• Apple cider vinegar, with the “mother”
• 1/2 cup of Raw local honey
• 1/4-1/2 cup grated Fresh Horseradish Root (side note: this is the one I frequently leave out because I always forget it at the store.)
• a tablespoon of fresh oregano

• 1: Combine hot peppers, ginger, turmeric, garlic, horseradish, onions, and herbs in a glass jar.
• 2: Cover them with unpasteurized apple cider vinegar.
• 3: Let your mixture sit in a cool, dark place for a few weeks, stirring every couple of days to be sure the flavors blend well together. You may want to use a plastic lid as the apple cider vinegar will rust a metal lid.
• 4: Strain solids out and send them to your compost bin or feed the chickens.
• 5: Add the honey at the end of the steeping period.

This is quite a forgiving recipe so don’t worry about exact measurements or time frames.  You can’t get this wrong. Additionally, you can adjust the ingredients to make this your own version, and feel free to add other herbs. A whole cinnamon stick, lemon juice, or other common ingredients can be found in our jar sometimes.

When and How to Take Fire Cider

Before taking your fire cider, shake or stir the mixture well and take a tablespoon a day during cold and flu season. Sometimes, I’ll just take the small doses of a spoonful by itself, but it packs a potent punch. Other times, I’ll add it to a quart of warm water to tone down the spice for my taste buds. I like to increase the dose to two tablespoons if I’ve been exposed to illness. As soon as I begin to feel the slightest bit of sickness, I increase the dose to 2-3 tablespoons a couple of times per day.

Health Benefits of Fire Cider

Ginger: anti-inflammatory, digestive aid, pain relief, anti-nausea, improves insulin sensitivity, reduces the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol, anti-microbial, anti-cancer properties, boosts metabolism, improves joint function, soothes respiratory conditions, antioxidant

Turmeric:

Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects, pain relief including headaches and muscle soreness, reduces indigestion and bloating, contains curcumin to improve blood vessel function, helps regulate blood sugar levels, supports liver function, improves cognitive function, inhibits growth of cancer cells, antimicrobial properties

Hot peppers:

Containing capsaicin, which blocks certain pain signals in the nerves, improves weight loss, improved blood flow, anti-inflammatory properties, promotes production of digestive enzymes, clears nasal and sinus passages, improves mood, and yet another antioxidant.

Garlic: can lower blood pressure, contains antioxidants, reduces chronic inflammation, antibacterial properties to fight infection, contains allicin which inhibits cancer cell growth, helps the liver eliminate toxins, aids digestion, may help regulate insulin levels, increases estrogen levels in females promoting bone health, relieves asthma and bronchitis symptoms, helps treat several skin conditions.

Onion: nutrient dense providing many essential vitamins and minerals to optimize good health, contains quercetin and anthocyanins fighting free radicals. May also help lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol associated with heart disease, reduces inflammation, may help fight stomach, colorectal, and ovarian cancers. Onion contains prebiotics to maintain a healthy gut bacteria balance, contains sulfur to support bone density, relieves respiratory conditions and supports lung function, and helps the liver detox.

Horseradish: relieves indigestion, clears sinusitis, works as a decongestant, naturally antibacterial, and it’s an anti-inflammatory. The plant also contains vitamin C to support immune health, thins mucus to improve breathing, promotes overall cardiovascular function and liver function

Apple Cider Vinegar: contains acetic acid to help with weight management, positive effect on blood sugar levels, promotes healthy digestion, antimicrobial. Some studies suggest it may reduce LDL cholesterol in some patients. ACV contains polyphenols to protect cells from oxidative damage, and it supports liver function. Finally, it relieves sore throat, treats skin conditions like eczema and dandruff, alleviates allergy symptoms and nasal congestion.

Honey

Besides toning down the spice that fire cider brings, raw honey has many other health benefits as well.  It’s already full of vitamins and minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, and more. It soothes sore throats to reduce the irritation that comes with a chronic cough. Raw honey has strong antimicrobial properties as well, fighting bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Honey aids in wound healing of the skins cells throughout the digestive tract. A raspy cough can be settled with raw honey, and when taken before bed, may improve sleep quality.

You can add as little or as much honey to your fire cider as you’d like.

It’s important to note that while fire cider tonic is an age-old remedy, scientific evidence supporting its health benefits is limited, and individual reactions may vary. If you have specific health concerns and are considering using any herbal remedies, it’s a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional actual medical advice. Fire cider and herbal medicine should not be used as a substitute for medical treatment for any specific condition.