Oxymel

In 400 B.C.E., in his On Regimen in Acute Diseases, Hippocrates wrote, “You will find the drink, called oxymel, often very useful…for it promotes expectoration and freedom of breathing.”

So, what is an oxymel exactly?

The ancient Greek word oxymeli translates to “acid and honey.” The simplest definition is an herbal extraction of vinegar and raw honey. Most often, I see people using raw apple cider vinegar, which boasts a host of healthful qualities on its own. Bringing together the acid of apple cider vinegar with the healthful properties of honey is a fantastic way to get the benefits of both, while also extracting and ingesting supportive herbs, particularly pungent ones that aren’t always pleasant to take on their own.

What are the benefits of Oxymels?

Both apple cider vinegar and honey have been used for millennia to help boost the immune system, soothe dry throats, and temper digestive issues. Organic apple cider vinegar is high in acetic acid, and when you use the raw, unfiltered version, you are also getting "mother" strands of proteins, enzymes, and helpful bacteria (similar to what one might enjoy in fermented kombucha tea). Meanwhile, the honey brings soothing qualities and provides germ-fighting properties. So, these two ingredients alone are beneficial to the body, and when you add herbs, you have an incredibly effective method of getting extra herbal support as well.

Herbal Oxymel Recipes & Benefits

One can learn how to make apple cider vinegar here: Making vinegar from scratch

Raw honey is best to be purchased locally. My advice, when it comes to one’s health, do not skimp. Purchase quality if you can.

There are different recipes to make Oxymel, no one way seems to be the correct way. Research if you do not like the one posted below. Also, add herbs and berries to Oxymel that adds extra medicinal properties.

Basic Herbal Oxymel Recipe

Ingredients:

Organic dried herbs of choice (see below for some of our favorites)
1 part organic, raw apple cider vinegar
1 part raw, local honey
Directions
Depending on what herbs you’re using, there are several ways to prepare an oxymel. Here are three great options.

Shaking an infusion is a simple way to incorporate herbs into a carrier like vinegar and honey. This oxymel will serve as an herbal supplement with delicious results.

Fill a pint jar 1/4 full of your choice of herbs.

Cover with equal parts apple cider vinegar and honey to fill jar.

Stir to incorporate.

Wipe any liquid off the rim and top with a tight-fitting plastic lid. Alternatively, place a piece of parchment paper under a metal canning lid and ring to keep the vinegar from touching the metal.

Shake jar until thoroughly mixed.

Store jar in a cool, dark place to extract for two weeks. Shake jar at least twice a week to assist in extraction.

Strain out herbs through a fine mesh strainer, pressing down on the herbs to release as much liquid as possible, retaining liquid and setting herbs aside to compost.

Pour strained oxymel into glass storage jars or bottles.

Label and date.

Store in cool, dark place until ready to use. When stored properly, shelf life is approximately 6 months. Herbal Oxymel Recipes & Benefits

This is a great article that discusses Oxymels and the different herbs, benefits. Definitely a worthy read.

Stay Well with Oxymels

Stay Well with Oxymels

Properly made oxymels are one of the most delicious herbal remedy forms. Their complex flavor is versatile enough to use as a medicine from a dropper or spoon, but also as a salad dressing, marinade, or baking sweetener in the grand tradition of food as medicine.

 

There are vinegars and all are not alike. Some of the apple vinegars take months to make, some modern white vinegars made with alcohol take 6 to 12 hours, and some of the white vinegars come straight out of the chemical truck, pure acetic acid made chemically that is mixed with water to give proper vinegar level. Only those made from natural sugars and starches, that ferment and then convert to vinegar, will have anything beyond acetic acid in them. Wine, apple, potato, etc with the proper mother and time will give you something with benefits that we may not even know about yet. While I don't pay $10 for a small bottle of some special vinegar, I find the added cost of a good aged vinegar made from natural things worth every penny that you pay for it. If TSHTF, a person who could make good apple cider vinegar would be a valuable asset for any community. It was used in the past as a way of preserving foods, as a taste enhancer in all kinds of pickles and dressings, as a medicine, as a means of disinfecting things, as a way or removing tarnish from metal and mineral deposits from cook ware and milking equipment.

 

Good one. Thanks @Motomom34.

 

I have been teaching this for years , Apple cider vinegar and honey 2 tablespoons of each in a cup of hot water.
On the onset of a cold or flu, this will usually beat the illness right away however if you have been harboring the illness a while it takes longer to beat but it will over time.
I lived in the mountains and you did not want to travel up the hill with a cold because it would be driven into the rest of your body with the change in altitude.
I would make a thermos of it and drink it all the time I travel and usually beat the illness before heading back up the mountain.

 

What? I have never heard that increasing altitude would drive the illness into your body. That is interesting.

 

Barometric pressure changes with altitude, it get's weaker.
If you notice, as you travel up, air tight packages will burst. It is not uncommon for the Frito lay trucks to loose half their load to this phenomenon. From experience having a cold and going home to Big Bear (7,000 ' elevation) I have experienced the phenomenon I know better.

 

This is first time, I heard the word oxymel. Anyway nice useful information, I like it very much, Using natural honey is surely providing good results in human being healthy life. Natural honey contains so much health benefits to the body.