One of our favorite immune-boosting elixirs is called Fire Cider. Fire Cider is a traditional herbal remedy used to warm up the body during the cold months and support immunity during cold and flu season. It’s full of vitamins and minerals, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and makes a great, non-narcotic cough suppressant and throat soother.

Since the COVID-19 breakout, we’ve been helping our readers make little choices to help boost up the immune system and fight the virus. (or any virus for that matter!) We’ve given you little choices and all our immunity posts here.

This recipe takes about 4 weeks for the flavors to infuse so it’s best to make this recipe now to have on hand for later. If you can find a fire cider in your local health food store, drink up sooner than later while your batch is “brewing!”

The standard base ingredients are onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, ginger, horseradish, and hot peppers, but there are plenty of other immune-boosting herbs that can be thrown in for added flavor. Take by the spoonful or mix in your other morning beverages for an added twist. (See added twists below recipe.)

Fire Cider

  • 1 medium white onion 
  • 4–5 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped 
  • 4 TBSP freshly grated ginger root 
  • 3–4 TBSP freshly grated horseradish root 
  • raw apple cider vinegar 
  • 1/4 cup of raw, local honey, or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp. organic cayenne powder
  1. Combine the onion, garlic, ginger, and horseradish in a wide-mouthed glass quart jar and fill the jar with enough warmed apple cider vinegar* to cover the herbs. 
  2. Place the jar in a warm spot in your house, ideally near a sunny window, and let sit for 3-4 weeks. 
  3. Strain; then discard the spent herbs. 
  4. Add the honey and cayenne pepper to taste; this is where you can make the fire cider more or less kid-friendly. 

*Warming the apple cider vinegar allows it to actively draw out the constituents of the herbs from the get-go. That’s a Win-Win!

Take 1 Tablespoon a day and if you need a little extra immunity-boosting powers have some more!

Added Twists:

  • Zest and juice from 1 organic lemon
  • Zest and juice from 1 organic orange
  • 1 Tbsp. organic turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp. black pepper
  • Mix in your lemon water
  • Add to Kombucha