How to make a delicious apple cider vinegar drink (called a switchel) with all the potential health benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar water daily!
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 apple cider water every morning and did not get sick for five years. Five years! Not a sniffle.
I stopped drinking it regularly about a year ago- then started to get colds again. So I’ve started up again, only this time, I’m sharing my my recipe, along with all the potential health benefits. It turns out, there is a name for this – it’s called a Switchel!
What is a Switchel?
A friend informed me, that my Apple Cider Vinegar Water goes way way back, originating in 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, also called “Haymaker’s Punch”. It was basically sweetened apple cider vinegar water.
Potential health Benefits of Apple cider vinegar
There is a lot of confusion about apple cider vinegar. As always, talk to your doctor about it, especially if you are on medications. To help clear things up, it turns out there is a lot of research out there on all the good things apple cider does for the body.
- Apple cider vinegar for weight loss: According to this recent research, the acetic acid in drinking just 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (30 ml) in water daily will help lower body weight.
- Lowers Cholesterol levels: In the same study and also this meta-analysis, drinking apple cider also significantly lowered triglycerides and total cholesterol.
- Lowers Blood Pressure: in this Japanese study, acetic acid in apple cider vinegar lowers blood sugar.
- Anti-Cancer Properties: This research shows that apple cider vinegar may have anti-tumor compounds.
- Supports gut health: because raw apple cider contains the mother in it, it is full of gut-supporting probiotics to help diversify the microbiome.
- Lowers Glucose Levels: Apple cider vinegar lowers fasting glucose and HVA1C. After wearing a glucose monitor ( just for fun), I’ve noticed that when I consume this apple cider vinegar drink before meals, my blood sugar levels stay more level.
- Improves insulin sensitivity. In this Nature study, taking apple cider vinegar helps with insulin resistance. In this Science Direct article, it’s shown to moderate blood glucose levels and lower inulin, supporting those with diabetes.
- Powerful antimicrobial properties. In this Nature article, apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a natural, anti-bacterial that has been shown to ameliorate resistant bacteria.
- Contains Antifungal properties: In this Medical News Today article, consuming apple cider vinegar may help reduce yeast and fungus.
But here’s why I’m such a huge fan of Switchel!
- Curbs my hunger: One thing that I’ve been trying to do lately is not snack between meals. This switchel has been a godsend. I reach for this drink lately instead of the snacky stuff. It makes me feel less hungry, moderates my appetite, and have less cravings.
- Maintain my Weight: it helps maintain my weight, and, friends, I eat a TON of food. I am consistently 2-3 pounds lighter while drinking this regularly.
- Keeps my gut healthy and regular: Drinking this first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, gets my digestion going and sets me up for a fantastic day. Enough said.
- Supports my immunity: Like I mentioned earlier, when I drink this regularly, I don’t get colds or the flu. I believe it helps support diversity in the gut which is key to a good immune system. Perhaps it is the placebo effect. Who knows, but it works.
Ingredients in Apple Cider Vinegar Drink
- Unfiltered Apple cider vinegar (with the mother in it) Use vinegar that is not filtered or heated (pasteurized), so the healthy living bacteria are preserved and kept alive to do their healing!
- Filtered Water or Mineral water
- Pinch of Himalayan salt (for added minerals!)
- Optional additions: a squeeze of lemon juice, ginger ( fresh ginger or ground), cinnamon, cayenne pepper, turmeric, sweetener: molasses (contains potassium!), maple syrup, stevia, coconut sugar, or honey.
How to make an Apple Cider Vinegar Drink
- Place the water, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and sweetener in a large 16-ounce glass or jar.
- Add any optional additions: ginger, lemon juice, turmeric powder or cinnamon.
- Give a good stir ( or place the lid on the jar, and shake) and enjoy!
Storage Suggestions
Make a big batch of Apple Cider Vinegar Drink and store it in a pitcher or mason jar, in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Are there any risks of drinking apple cider vinegar?
Yes, of course, only if you drink it straight! Apple cider vinegar is very acidic, so it’s important to dilute it before drinking it. Dilute it with water, mineral water, or juice, or just toss it into a salad! Undiluted it can cause:
- erosion of tooth enamel
- damage to the lining of the esophagus
- upset stomach
FAQs
What is the “mother” in Apple Cider Vinegar?
A: The “mother” in Apple Cider Vinegar refers to the colony of healthy bacteria that are responsible for the fermentation process. It is similar to the SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) used in making Kombucha. Apple Cider Vinegar “with the mother” is vinegar that is not filtered or pasteurized, thus preserving the beneficial bacteria that provide its healing properties.
Will ACV hurt my teeth, or tooth enamel?
Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid- so always dilute it with water, and rinse your mouth with water, after consuming it in large amounts.
Can I drink Apple Cider Vinegar every day?
Yes, this drink is safe to drink on a daily basis, so limit your consumption to 2 tablespoons daily.
What time of day is apple cider vinegar most effective?
- Enjoy the Apple Cider Vinegar Drink in the morning to aid the liver in cleansing or as a natural, gentle laxative.
- Drink in the afternoon for an energizing pick-me-up between meals, or to curb hunger.
- Drink before or after dinner to help regulate glucose levels and boost digestion.
- You can drink the 16-ounce glass in one shot or divide it throughout the day.
I’m curious to hear what you think about this Apple Cider Vinegar Drink…. please let me know in the comments below! It’s actually the most helpful if you actually try it first and experience the effects personally before judging. 🙂
And as a final thought, not everything needs to be “evidence-based” to be true. Take for example, love. There are old remedies that have been passed down for generations (think Ayurveda or Chinese medicine), and perhaps science doesn’t understand the whys yet, or perhaps there’s no money in it. It doesn’t make it “not true”.
Please don’t take anyone’s word for it…not even mine. Try it for yourself… drink it for a week, and see how it feels. You know your body better than anyone.
Have a fun and happy weekend!!!
xoxo
More apple cider vinegar recipes
Here are som other uses for apple cider vinegar- add to salad dressings, marinades, sauces and use for pickling!
Apple Cider Vinegar Drink Recipe
- Prep Time: 3
- Total Time: 3 minutes
- Yield: 1
- Category: drink
- Method: mix
- Cuisine: american
- Diet: Vegan
Description
How to make an Apple Cider Vinegar Drink (called a Switchel) plus the potential health Benefits of drinking Apple Cider Vinegar on a daily basis.
Ingredients
- 12–16 ounces filtered water
- 1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ( “with the mother in it”) start light, add more to taste
- pinch of Himalayan salt ( for added minerals)
Optional additions:
- 1–2 teaspoons sweetener: honey, maple syrup, stevia, coconut sugar, etc.
- squeeze of lemon or other citrus
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger, sliced ginger or 1/2–1 teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of cinnamon, turmeric, or cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Place the water, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and sweetener in a large 16-ounce glass and stir. Add any optional additions. If just starting out, start with one tablespoon vinegar, and perhaps more sweetener, adjusting to taste. As you get used to it, feel free to increase the vinegar and lower the sweetener to taste.
- Enjoy this first thing in the morning to aid the liver in cleansing, or in the afternoon for an energizing pick-me-up, or before dinner to regulate insulin, lower blood sugar, and boost digestion.
Notes
This can be kept in the fridge for 1 week.
Feel free to make a big batch and store in a pitcher or mason jar, either in the fridge or at room temp (if drinking throughout the day).
Sweetener is optional: Over time as you become accustomed to the vinegar taste, you may naturally want to lower the sweetener or omit completely. ***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 accustomed to the taste. Feel free to adjust from here.
Ideally, you want to consume 2 tablespoons of Apple cider vinegar daily for 12 weeks to see results with weight loss and body fat. Remember you can always add to salad dressings, too. 🙂 Try our Raw Apple Cider Dressing
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 16 ounces w/ 1 teaspoon honey
- Calories: 28
- Sugar: 5.9 g
- Sodium: 98.5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Has anyone ever substituted homemade, red wine vinegar for ACV? The starter for the RWV was ACV mother.
Good point on adding a bit of Himalayan salt.
Southern sweet tea recipes sometimes include baking soda (claim that it reduces bitterness of the tea).
Bonnie- it sounds like it would be a great substitute! It makes me want to try to make my own vinegar too!
Thank you soooo much!! Various times I’ve got the Apple Cider Vinegar Ginger Lemon and Honey drink and I’ve always wanted to make it but I didn’t know the portions, this saved me a lot of time!! I will tell you how it tastes once I’m done making it. Again thank you!
Sounds great Sara!
I have started using the ACV with lemon and honey and sometimes add some ginger ;and within a month I lost nine pounds and my A1c levels have being improving ; I am now adding chamomile tea to it and I am feeling much better;also sleeping better .I am looking forward to loosing more weight and better control of my A1c levels.
I definitely recommend this because for years I have been trying to control my diabetes and lose weight and it has not happened until I started the ACV method and feel fuller longer.
Great to hear! Such good news, thanks for sharing- really appreciate this.Any other dietary changes?
Hi Sylvia! Love your blog! It’s always so informative 🙂 Most mornings I will start my day with a warm glass of water that I either add some lemon juice or water or Apple cider vinegar. After reading your post on benefits of celery, I would like to incorporate drinking celery juice into my morning routine. I was wondering how you would do it to reap benefits of both ACV and celery – would you drink one or the other (if so, how often would you rotate them) or both one after the other (if so, does it matter which goes first and should I wait 30mins before consuming the next)? I would sincerely appreciate your thoughts. Cheers,
Hi Penny, personally I would drink the celery juice first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Then wait an hour and sip on Switchel throughout the day.
Thank you Sylvia!
I had discovered Switchel recently from a local company. The one I loved was a blood orange but it was pretty expensive, 8 bucks for four 300 ml cans, so I decided to look up a recipe and was pleasantly surprised that it was made with apple cider. I have been juicing a blood orange, half a lemon, 2tbs of cider, concentrated ginger juice and honey to taste I then add this to a can of soda. So happy to have stumbled upon your recipe! Thank-you!
Love it Suzanne!
Love this… I have been drinking since January 1 and now I need up how much I am drinking.. love your recipes
My son and I have been drinking switchel every morning for a week and we both love it. However, I was wondering if anyone has checked with a dentist about whether that amount of vinegar can affect tooth enamel? Thanks!
Rinse your mouth with water after drinking. 🙂
Q: For the Apple Cider Drink (Switchel), how many ounces of filtered water do you use?
Just discovered your blog and it is amazing! Cannot wait to download my plant based book. Thanks a million!
Thanks Alma. So Basically to see the health benefits of Apple cider vinegar, you need roughly 30 ml daily. Or two tablespoons. Here I’ve mixed it with 14 ounces of water, to keep it more palatable. After time, you can lessen the water if you like and have it be more concentrated. Up to your taste. 🙂
I love this drink! I put twice as much vinegar and a little more lemon and lime. Very tasty and refreshing.
So I’m literally drinking it right now. I’m having issues with fatigue and sinuses. Also, I’ve been craving vinegar, ginger, and honey lately. I feel like this is hitting the spot! I appreciate this recipe and look forward to the benefits!!
How much of this do you drink at a time? I made a bottle last night and want to give it to my boys as well. Is 1/2 a cup enough or do you drink a full glass at a time? I didn’t add any sweetener as I drink ACV regularly and don’t need it, but we’ll see what they say! 😉
Thanks!
I usually drink 8-12 ounces.
I haven’t made this recipe but have loved switchel since I was a little girl growing up in Pennsylvania.
The farmers swore it was the best thirst-quencher! My mother’s recipe was:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ginger
4 quarts water
Mix well and chill. Delicious!
Serves 15
Love it Mavis!
I have been doing this for several weeks now and love it! I substituted a Cara Cara Orange for the lemon and that was delicious also. I have not added any sweetener, and still find it delicious and refreshing. (Trying to cut back on added sugars) I have been hesitant about adding the salt for the same reason, but now will have to try it! I find I can’t eat anything when drinking it though or my belly aches.
REAL salt is necessary for bodily function; for adrenal and cell function. Grey Celtic sea salt or Redmond’s real salt
I’ve been pouring the mother into a new bottle of vinegar when I’ve emptied one but have quite a large amount built up now. What do I do with it? I can’t stomach the thought of eating it but it feels wasteful to toss it out.
I am with you! I’m not sure what to do with it too! I Can’t drink it but hard to waste.
I don’t understand the part about the mother. I shake my vinegar before use. So why would anyone have only the mother at the end of their bottle??
Probably because they don’t shake it. 😉
This is a go-to for me and it’s what I turn to any time I experience acid reflux. It sounds counterintuitive but a lot of the time it’s not too much acid causing reflux, but too little. Not enough acid in our stomachs causes food not to break down properly, which can cause the digestive tract to back up, leading to acid reflux. Discovering this was a life-saver after a couple months of daily reflux that was not helped by any OTC or prescription meds. After a few days of 8oz of ACV and water three times a day, the reflux was gone. I’m a believer! Thanks for the reminder that I should just make it a daily habit and not wait until I need it as a treatment. 🙂
Love it! Great to hear!
Hi Sylvia, I have not tried this recipe but am a firm fan of apple cider vinegar with the mother. My concoction every morning is 2 tbsp ACV, 1 tsp powdered cloves, 1 tsp powdered ginger and 12g collagen powder and hot water. I did start taking it with 1 tsp honey but stopped the honey as I don’t have a sweet tooth and found it unnecessary. It is definitely an acquired taste but I have taken this for several years now. It does give me a boost in the morning but what it doesn’t do is reduce my belly fat – in fact, that has increased greatly over the last few years since I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid.
thanks Dora!
Does the recipe call for 1/2 to 1 lemon juiced, or sliced? The photo shows slices but the ingredient list doesn’t suggest a juiced lemon? There would be a dramatic taste difference, I believe.
You are right. Use juiced, the slices are more for garnish.
I start craving it!! I poured some into icecube tray so I don’t water it down when I drink it all day!
Downloaded the recipe and going to try it. I’ve always use organic apple cider vinegar every once in awhile, but I always used two tablespoons and a half a cup of water and just drink it down quickly!
Although I hate it, but I became a snacker too since this covid-19 virus and yeah, the mouth gets bored LOL. I gained 12 pounds since this started. I just found out I have NASH. So I’m going to start on this to not only help with my health but to lose weight. I thank you for sharing this information and recipe.
Thanks for sharing Gail!
I’ve been drinking this for over 60 years. My Mom made it with just the water, vinegar, sweetener and ginger, the recipe she used when making it for the farmhands on her father’s farm during haying season. She used powdered ginger (ginger root wasn’t available in rural stores back then. Made some for the grandchildren and they were skeptical, but I told them it was 18th Century Gatorade and they loved it!
Awesome Kevin, love it!
Fantastic recipe! I’m definitely going to try this one out.
I found this recipe while looks for something to make me less tasty to mosquitos. I haven’t been able to test out the mosquito deterrent effects, but the drink was quite tasty. I don’t normally drink alcohol and have been looking for a refreshing summer drink, think I found it.
Does it work??? Mosquitos love me.
Hi, I just read your post and mosquitos and bugs love me to LOL! If you like lavender, try lavender oils after your shower/bath. Bugs hate that smell.
Good to know!
well I just made the switches. I did not add the sweetener. Just had my first glass. Not bad at all. I will continue drinking it to see for myself. Thank you.
I just made Switchel…and I have to say I love it! I did not add sweetener at all. The combination of ginger, lemon & acv is stellar fabulous. So great that it makes a big mason jar for in my fridge so that it is handy for the week. Thank you so much!
Awesome Shelley!
How much do you drink at each drinking
Hi Frank, I just drink a 8-ounce glass 1-2 times a day. Now I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t add sweeter.