The Ultimate Kombucha Flu Tonic (plus a few variations!)
Winter is so much fun. ‘Tis the season for snowball fights, sledding and hot chocolate. It’s also the season for long, adventurous walks in the crisp snow and cozy evenings spent indoors by the fire.
Unfortunately, however, it also often means colds and flus. We can bundle up and wash our hands all we like, but somehow those unpleasant colds always seem to get to us no matter what!
Introducing the Ultimate Kombucha Flu Tonic
Let’s kick the winter flu into another galaxy and say goodbye to miserable days hiding alone in bed this winter. With this simple yet powerful tonic, you can bolster your immune system and help your body fight off the flu bug.
Flu tonics are often made with apple cider vinegar but we have a solution that is far better - both for your overall health and for your taste buds: kombucha!
Drinking kombucha as a general habit is extremely beneficial for your body. And if you feel the need for a tonic (which we highly recommend), kombucha makes a great base. Here’s a basic recipe to follow:
- Two and a half cups of kombucha
- One half cup of grated ginger
- One medium white onion (diced)
- Four cloves of garlic
- One jalapeño pepper
- One quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- One tablespoon of turmeric powder
Pour the kombucha over the other ingredients, seal the jar as best you can, and let it steep in the fridge, at least overnight. Remember, the longer you let it steep, the more powerful it will become. Once it’s steeped, take a tablespoon (or two) every morning. Make it a daily toast to yourself and to your health!
Be Creative With Your Kombucha Flu Tonic
We know this flu tonic sounds like pretty strong stuff. And believe us, it’s definitely not for the faint of heart! However, while drinking flu tonics often feel like the fires of Mount Doom are going down your throat, this kombucha tonic actually tastes good, even if it is spicy.
Try getting creative with the ingredients and have fun experimenting with different flavors of kombucha, depending on what you like best. Below are some tasty combinations that have been tested here at the Narrow Gate kitchen. We recommend trying at least one of these first:
Kombucha Flu Tonic Variation #1
Use ginger or apple kombucha. Substitute the grated ginger for lemon/orange peel. If you are using apple kombucha, go ahead and leave the ginger in as well. Add rosemary to taste.
Kombucha Flu Tonic Variation #2
Use red grape kombucha or blueberry kombucha. Substitute the jalapeño pepper for a tablespoon or two of diced horseradish root. Feel free to sprinkle in parsley, sage, rosemary, or thyme (Scarborough Fair reference intended).
Kombucha Flu Tonic Variation #3
Use grapefruit or lemon kombucha. Again, cram in the lemon/orange peels! Also, if you wish to substitute jalapeño for horseradish as in variation #2, go ahead! (In fact, we tend to find horseradish much more palatable than the jalapeño; but to each his own.) Finally, add basil, and ta da! You are good to go.
These flu tonic variations are just a small handful in comparison to the world of kombucha flu tonic recipes. If you would like to know more about the health benefits of kombucha (and other fermented foods), make sure to read this blog post, 10 Amazing Kombucha Health Benefits.
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Looking for more great health and wellness tips? Learn about Nadia’s health courses here and check out Narrow Gate Foods' full selection of booch.