Lemon Ginger Cider Vinegar Infusion – Warm Healthy Morning Beverage
My husband got me started on apple cider vinegar. About four months ago he started drinking warm water with a spoonful of cider vinegar first thing in the morning. He heard about it on Israeli television and urged me to try it. “It’s really good for your health and digestion. It should be the first thing you drink when you wake up.”
The thought of drinking vinegar first thing in the morning nauseated me. “No thanks, Honey! I’ll stick to my coffee.”
MY OTHER RECIPESA couple of years ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism as well as an auto immune issue known as Hashimoto’s disease. While I am lucky not to have many of the more difficult symptoms associated with these disorders, I do often experience fatigue. After my husband started the cider vinegar routine, a friend of ours who is a doctor of Chinese medicine recommended I drink warm water with lemon, honey and ginger first thing in the morning. He explained that this lemon, honey and ginger combination is good for both the thyroid and digestion. The combination seemed more palatable than my husband’s vinegar concoction, so I went for it.
I was amazed at how I felt after a week of drinking this mixture. The ginger warmed my thyroid area each morning and stimulated my senses. Before long, I cut back on my morning coffee ritual, finding that the lemon, honey and ginger seemed to wake me up just as well as the caffeine (and no jitters, hurrah!). I was better hydrated, and starting the day off with a healthy drink seemed to set me on the right track for the rest of the day.
A few weeks later, my husband suggested I try adding a small spoonful of the cider vinegar to the lemon/honey/ginger drink. After looking up the health benefits, he was right– there are many! Raw apple cider vinegar is alkaline-forming, which means that it can help to balance your body’s pH levels. It also has prebiotic properties which boost gut health and immunity. Combining apple cider vinegar with honey and ginger creates a powerful boost of antioxidants that aids in digestion and weight loss. This drink can help to combat indigestion, nausea and bloating. Some folks notice a relief in their acid reflux symptoms when they drink this mixture regularly. It can also help to relieve many cold symptoms, including congestion.
After reading about all of these benefits, I went for it. You know what? It wasn’t half-bad. In fact, after a few mornings I barely noticed the cider taste; the lemon, honey and ginger flavors overpowered any off-flavor from the cider. It has become my morning ritual each and every day – I make one drink for me and one for my husband. Having reaped the benefits for weeks now, I figured it was finally share-worthy for the blog!
While apple cider vinegar has had a noticeably positive affect on my overall wellness and has long been considered a cure-all for many ailments, this drink is not for everyone and does come with its own set of precautions. Cider vinegar is fairly acidic, and can cause throat irritation if not properly diluted or if too much is consumed. It can also break down tooth enamel over time if you’re not careful. This drink is quite diluted which helps, but you can protect yourself even more by rinsing your mouth out after you finish the drink, then brushing your teeth. Apple cider vinegar may also react with some medications, including laxatives, diuretics and medications taken for diabetes and heart conditions. Always consult your doctor before taking apple cider vinegar to treat any medical conditions you may be experiencing.
If you really want to follow my morning routine, I always down one of these vitamin C packs (recommended by my naturopath) after sipping the cider drink. They taste really odd, but I have to say my immunity seems to be stronger than ever. I can’t remember the last time I caught a cold! If you decide to juice fresh ginger, this is the juicer I use. It’s the best I’ve found for ease of use and easy cleanup. Of course, if you’re not into juicing, there is no need to buy a juicer just to make this drink. You can make it a few different ways, which I will explain below!
Lemon Ginger Cider Vinegar Infusion
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups hot water (the same temperature you would use to make tea)
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar (or up to 3 tsp)
- 1 tbsp honey (I use manuka honey)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger juice OR 1/2 to 3/4 tsp powdered ginger spice OR 2-inch knob peeled ginger, sliced (ginger is to taste - use more or less as desired, but use enough so that your throat tingles when you drink it!)
- If using fresh ginger juice or powdered ginger: combine all ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Serve hot and sip it like a tea. If using fresh ginger: Combine the peeled fresh sliced ginger and 1 1/2 cups water in a saucepan and simmer on the stovetop for 2-3 minutes. Remove ginger pieces, then stir in the lemon juice, cider vinegar and honey. Serve hot and sip it like a tea. When finished, rinse your mouth out well with water, then brush your teeth. I usually follow this routine by drinking a full glass of room temperature or warm water.
Hi, I use 1tbps lemon juice, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp honey, in 1 cup warm water before going to bed & I sleep like a baby.
Hello, I drink a variation of this all the time and I am always making up the recipe. It is always a guessing game and sometimes it’s great and sometimes not so I’m glad to see a recipe I might follow. I do drink this A LOT and I do worry about my teeth. This “tonic” as my husband calls it, seems to keep my body feeling good and I can tell when I’ve not had any in a while. My guess is, it helps with overall inflammation and I just feel better. I have been doing it a bit different but I liked to this method. I’ve never used anything but knobs of ginger and it is not always easy when you’re in a hurry so I might try the power. I’ve been making a concentrate but I’m never sure if it’s the healthiest and safest way to do it. I’ve let the ginger steep a long time, sometimes hours. Do you know if this changes the health benefits of the ginger in any way? I alternate between maple syrup and honey. In the summer I pour the concentrate over sparkling water and ice and add mint. This is divine. It is all I drink (my poor teeth). It may not have the health benefits of drinking it fresh, hot and in the morning but it still is a lovely drink.
I love the idea of making a cold infusion with sparkling cider! As for the long steeping of the ginger, I don’t know if that changes things but I wouldn’t think so?
I’ve been trying this for about a week now. Great results. I found a receipt that adds cinnamon. That do you think about that?
I have heard that cinnamon is very good for stabilizing blood sugar levels… if you like the flavor, it can only help! 🙂
Hi Tori,
I drink this for my sinuses, it also good for Grave’s Disease which I was diagnosed with. It’s the opposite condition, hyperthyroidism. I agree this drink is good in the morning and before bed.
this drink is too good. I have IBS and I am bloating issues. I have started drinking this at-least 2 times in a day , It has helped me reduce bloating and also whenever I have cold and cough, I make this and drink at-least 3 times a day, because i don’t like to take medicines for cold and cough. It always helps . It a elixir I believe .
This is a great alternative to coffee! And anytime of day it’s great without the vinegar.
And where did you get that gorgeous copper pot?!!
Thanks!
Could we make this in a big batch to use over the week or will that be unhealthy?
Hi Tamara, I think that would work as long as you use a container that you can shake, to make sure ingredients are fully mixed and not settled. Also be sure to heat it before drinking, that is key. I tend to like the flavor of freshly squeezed lemon juice, but I don’t think pre-squeezing will harm the mixture. Good luck!
An added benefit if you use local honey is help for seasonal allergies :0)
Interesting KJ!
Will you lose health benefits if you make it in the evening and re-heat in the microwave in the morning?
Hi Tori,
Isn’t a 2-inch knob of peeled ginger a lot more than 1 teaspoon?
Janet in Jerusalem
Hi Janet – the knob is steeped, not eaten, so you need a bigger chunk in order to get the same strength of ginger in the steeping liquid. I hope that makes sense!
My husband used to gulp of shots of apple cider vinegar whenever he started having flu symptoms and it really worked for him. But, was too much for me to try! I like the idea of this drink with lemon, ginger and honey, doesn’t sound as bad.
wondering where you got your juicer from
I got it from Amazon, after trying many juicers this one is the absolute best I’ve found for ease of use and easy cleanup, here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001L7OIVI?tag=theshiintheki-20
I love my morning ACV. Just a note on brushing teeth after drinking though…….. Acidic drinks (and food) soften the enamel on the teeth. This chemical reaction is even more marked when the drink is hot. If you brush your teeth directly after drinking you could damage, or even remove, the softened enamel. So you should rinse your mouth with plain water directly after drinking and then brush your teeth no less than half an hour later.
Great tip Deb, thanks! I will update the post.
I’ve always had hot water & freshly squeezed lemon juice every morning. Your recipe with added apple cider vinegar, honey & ginger sounds even better. I’ll give it a try.
I take Synthroid and am curious to know what bad reaction you had to it. It is a much cheaper way to treat hypothyroidism, but if you have had better results with Armour thyroid, maybe I should stop considering cost and switch for better health.
Hi Nancy – Synthroid made me feel extremely wired and short of breath, like an elephant was sitting on my chest. I had a scary few weeks trying to figure out what caused these symptoms, but finally identified the Synthroid as the issue. Even after lowering and adjusting the dose, I still had issues. Armour is derived from natural components, which some people seem to process better. It is the only thyroid medication that has helped me. Those who are vegan or keep strictly kosher may not consider this an option, because it is derived from porcine thyroid. It is a personal choice between you and your doctor. If you are doing well on Synthroid, you may not want to switch things around, however if you’re noticing side effects or feeling unwell on Synthroid, it might be worth looking into.
WOW, my recipe is one found in many places. Start with 1 Tbs and after a month increase to 2Tbs of unfiltered ACV Apple Cider Vinegar. Mostly I can only find Braggs. I tsp of pure honey and 1 c of warm filtered water. I started drinking this in the mornings about 5 months back. After 40 years of a mug of tea as my wake up drink. I enjoy this now. It seems to have cut back on my belly fat? Helped the high BP and my perspiration seems sweeter? If that’s possible? Hehe.
I use the juicer you recommend. I’ve never had another? I like it. Unfortunately I cannot leave it set up. Due to the kitchen being a galley type. However it is easy to clean and my fave is carrot, pear and ginger. Thanks for a great blog … Cheers Jamie
So sorry about your thyroid issues.
Question: have you found any clinically measurable benefits from this concoction? Have your thyroid levels changed? It would be interesting to know for all of us out here who have thyroid and/or hyperparathyroid issues.
Hi Marietta! My levels have improved a great deal, but I can’t say this is what did it, since I also started a round of Armour thyroid (after a terrible reaction to synthroid). I started both the lemon drink and the Armour around the same time, and I am back to a healthy thyroid level. It could be multiple factors contributing to the improvement in function.
This seems like a nice alternative to the plain apple cider vinegar which I have just started doing a few weeks ago. From a logistics standpoint is sounds like you drink this, brush teeth, then drink water. Is this before or after breakfast? Seems a bit odd to do this and then have to eat and brush your teeth again. Thanks!
Hi Lauren! I do it first thing in the morning, before breakfast or anything else. I usually drink the water before brushing my teeth. Gives a nice hydration boost to the start of your day. 🙂