Garlic Oxymel

Now that Autumn is upon us I thought I'd share a home remedy for those pesky colds, coughs, and flus. This recipe is for an oxymel syrup, which is basically just honey and vinegar. It's very tasty, easy to get the kiddos to take*, and very effective. The trick for max results with this remedy is timing. As soon as you feel like you are going to be sick, at that first sneeze, itchy throat, or achy evening take 2 tablespoons of oxymel every few hours. Mix one teaspoon into a shotglass of water and gargle it, too! You can continue to take it as and IF the cold persists. This honey syrup will keep for three months in the fridge and for a couple or a small family this should last the season.

I prepared and completed this recipe, from James Green’s The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook in a total of about one hour and fifteen minutes.

Garlic Oxymel by the Late Dr. John Christopher

8 oz. apple cider vinegar
¼ oz. caraway seeds (Carum carvi), crushed
¼ oz. fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare), crushed
1 ½ oz. garlic (Allium sativum), fresh pressed
10 oz. honey

Measure apple cider vinegar into glass pot, add caraway and fennel seeds. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, add garlic. Let sit until cool. Press and strain the liquid. Add honey. Place onto low heat and simmer to the consistency of syrup.

The beauty of a remedy like this one is that it is food-derived. A goal of Nu Era Botanicals' is to bridge the gap people feel between what they eat and what they use to heal. Garlic is a powerful antibacterial, and while many love the flavor in their spaghetti, the fresh juice is very pungent, spicy, and not so appealing. As such, it is a prime example of how food can be medicine, especially when paired with honey and vinegar. Both of which are expectorants--they help cough up all the mucous that causes congestion and runniness.

I encourage you to experiment with oxymels! A basic oxymel is simply honey and vinegar in a 5:1 ratio, though you can adjust to taste. Often water is added, too. If you're like many, you already have honey and vinegar, so make it as you need it. Just these two ingredients are enough to produce results, and they happen to be a great carrier for herbs like garlic and ginger because of their pleasant taste.

I am proud to announce that this remedy will be included in the Nu Era Cold/Flu Kit which will be available soon for purchase. Please check back soon under the Apothecary link for details!

*Remember, children under 1 year of age do not apply, as they can't digest bee enzymes. Babies are sweet enough without the honey!