It’s that time of year again and the season change to Autumn always seems to bring with it sniffles, coughs and sore throats. A garlic oxymel is a quick and easy home remedy that you can whip up at any time and keep a batch for emergencies.
You may already know about garlic’s wonderful antimicrobial properties. Garlic has the most antimicrobial activity when it is fresh and raw. If its crushed then stored for too long it wont be as effective. Ideally chewing on a clove of garlic a day would be be most beneficial to ward off the sniffles but that doesn’t really appeal to most (including me!). Enter the garlic oxymel. Oxymel literally means ‘acid and honey’. Its two main ingredients are honey and apple cider vinegar and is traditionally used to make herbs like garlic more palatable.
This garlic oxymel should keep in the fridge for about 2 months and is a great tonic to have on hand instead of reaching straight for over the counter medicines. The great thing about the ingredients in this homemade remedy is that they have antimicrobial properties and actually help support the bodies immune response. Unfortunately most over the counter remedies only mask symptoms – but of course these can have their place too if you’re in a lot of discomfort!
Ingredients
- 5 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 cup raw, organic apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Manuka honey. If you don’t have Manuka, a good quality raw (unheated) honey
- 1 tablespoon of additional herbs that you like; cinnamon, fennel, rosemary, thyme, chili
Instructions
- Simmer herbs in vinegar over very low heat for a 1-2 minutes. It is important not to overcook.
- Remove from heat. Add garlic and honey.
- Heat VERY gently on a low heat – just enough to blend the honey and vinegar. It’s important not to heat the garlic for too long to avoid destroying the antimicrobial properties.
- Pour into a sterilized glass jar.
- Store at room temperature in a dark place. The oxymel will be ready to use after 1-2 weeks and will keep for 2-3 months.
For colds, coughs, sore-throats and flu-like symptoms:
- Adults: 1 tsp every 1-3 hours depending on severity of symptoms.
- Children: 1/2 tsp every 2 hours.