How to Make a Switchel!

How to make a switchel- a healthy, energizing, probiotic drink made with apple cider vinegar (with the “mother” in it) that builds healthy bacteria in the gut, lowers cholesterol, regulates insulin, helps sheds weight, boosts immunity, aids with digestion and regularity and increases energy and vitality! 

If you’ve been here a while, you’ll already know I’m a huge fan of apple cider vinegar water. When I first started the blog, way back in 2011, I was drinking it regularly every morning and did not get sick for five years. Five years! Not a sniffle. I stopped drinking it regularly a couple of years ago- then started to get colds again. So I’ve started up again, only this time I’m making it a little more palatable for beginners.

It turns out, a friend informed me, that there’s actually a name for this, and it goes way back. It’s called a switchel (or switzel), and originates from New England where it became a popular drink in the late 17th century – where it was used to revive tired and thirsty farmers at harvest time,  called Haymaker’s Punch.

But here’s why I’m such a huge fan of this Switchel!

During my last day in India, I was sitting in a beautiful cafe in Mumbai on a hot day with a friend and totally spaced it and gulped down a huge glass of tap water. For most of the trip I had been eating every form of street food imaginable… and never got sick. I flew out the next day and miraculously was OK for my entire 36 hours of travel.

When I got home, however, I found something had been brewing in my belly.

I wanted to see if I could heal myself, instead of taking drugs that are typically prescribed for this. And guess what? It totally worked. It took a while because I was inconsistent in the beginning, but once I figured out that on the days I drank this, my stomach was better, and on the days I didn’t, it got bad again, I made a point of drinking it straight for a week. Eventually, the good bacteria from the apple cider vinegar defeated the bad bacteria in my gut that was making me sick- at least that’s how I pictured it.  😉  Now I’m not a doctor, and I have no idea what was actually happening in there- all I know is, I got well without taking medicine. I am at 100%. 😉

Here are a couple of articles that talk about the benefits of  apple cider vinegar that I found interesting: Longevity Live  and  Medical News Today

If you are wondering what “the Mother” actually is in the Apple Cider Vinegar – it is is the colony of healthy bacteria, similar to a Kombucha SCOBY, that help make the vinegar through a secondary fermentation process. Apple Cider Vinegar  “with the mother in it” is vinegar that is not filtered or heated (pasteurized), so the healthy living bacteria are preserved and kept alive to do their healing!

I know that on days when I drink this Switchel, I feel so energized!   Not only does it help keep me “regular” (drinking it first thing in the morning), when I drink it before a meal, I feel less hungry. I’ve read it helps regulate insulin and lower cholesterol – but please do your own research and see.  As I told you earlier, I know first hand it boosts immunity, making us more resistant to colds and flu.

But please don’t take my word for it…try it for yourself… drink it for a few weeks, and see how it feels. Isn’t that the true test? Experiencing something for yourself personally?

One thing that I’ve been trying to do lately is not snack between meals. This switchel has been a godsend. I snack out of boredom, not hunger… and you’ve probably heard me say, my mouth gets bored!  So I’ve been reaching for this drink lately instead of the snacky stuff. It feels good!

I’m curious to hear if you try it and what you think…. please let me know in the comments below!

Have a fun and happy weekend!!! Get energized with this drink!

Switchel Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 16 reviews

How to make a switchel- a healthy, energizing, probiotic drink made with apple cider vinegar (with the “mother” in it), lemon, ginger, honey or maple syrup– that builds healthy bacteria in the gut, lowers cholesterol, helps sheds weight, boosts immunity, aids with digestion and regularity and increases energy and vitality!

• Author: Sylvia Fountaine
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 5
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 cups 1x
• Category: drink
• Method: stove top
• Cuisine: american

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 4 slices ginger ( optional- see notes)
• 3 ¾  cups water, divided
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ( like Braggs – “with the mother in it”) more to taste
• ½ –1 lemon (or sub limes or other citrus! Blood oranges are pretty too!)
• 1 tablespoon honey ( preferably raw)  or maple syrup  see notes

Instructions

Place ginger in one cup of water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Let cool.

Pour the ginger water, remaining water, apple cider vinegar, juice from half a lemon, and your choice of sweetener into to a quart mason jar. Stir and adjust lemon and sweetness to your taste.

Store in a pitcher or mason jar, either in the fridge or at room temp ( if drinking throughout the day).

Enjoy first thing in the morning to aid the liver in cleansing, or in the afternoon for an energizing pick-me-up.

Notes

This will keep for  1 week in the fridge.

It’s important you let the warm water cool- you do not want to kill the healthy bacteria in the vinegar or the health benefits of the raw honey.

If in a hurry, simply leave out the ginger, and make the drink in a glass, with lemon, vinegar and sweetener to taste. You can also use sparkling water and serve over ice.

Over time as you become accustomed to the vinegar taste, you may naturally want to lower the sweetener or leave it out totally.  Most mornings I drink filtered water with just a splash of the apple cider vinegar. No sweetener, no lemon, no ginger.  Simple and easy. But I know this may not be pleasant for most. This recipe was intended to get you used to the taste. Feel free to adjust from here.

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