Post COVID, I was thinking about all the tools and ingredients that we have around us that are easy to get and cheap. The first that came to mind were garlic, honey and vinegar. They are common in most of our kitchens. Some of the best herbal preparations are the simplest. This recipe is a very old remedy with roots in Greece and Persia. It was one of the first recipes I learned from my grandmother. I remember it smelled so delicious. She used to sterilize a 1 liter bottle of Coca Cola and put the mixture inside. She would give us a spoonful of this heavenly syrup when we were sick or needed some respiratory or immune support.
WHAT IS OXYMEL?
Oxymels are sweet and sour herbal preparations mixed with vinegar and honey. It has expectorant properties that refresh and remove mucus from the lungs. It traditionally supports respiratory health when prepared in combination with antiviral and immune-supporting herbs such as garlic ( Allium sativum)or sage (Salvia officinalis).
I've been doing some research on the history of oxymel to confirm and redeem my grandmother's traditional medicine. Oxymels are ancient remedies with roots in Greece and Persia. Its name translates as vinegar honey or vinegar syrup. There are many glowing health claims recommending oxymel for: Gout, insomnia, cough, congestion, and sore throat, ears, and back. It was rubbed on vegetables to ease digestion, also on aching joints.
My grandmother was fond of this remedy. I remember that when I was 13 years old I had a theatrical presentation where I was the main role and the youngest in the cast. I lost my voice the day before opening night. She gave me a spoonful of this heavenly syrup and the next day my voice was perfect.
WHAT DOES OXYMEL CONTAIN?
The base of oxymel is vinegar and simple honey. Then come the herbs that add their own beneficial compounds and flavor to the preparation. You can make your own custom blend to meet your needs. My grandmother used onion and garlic.
You can easily find apple cider vinegar in most grocery stores, I recommend apple cider vinegar "with the mother". You can also use another type of vinegar, no problem. Vinegar is rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds, including amino acids, sugars, organic acids, polyphenols, melanoidins, and tetramethylpyrazine (Ho et al., 2016). These functional compounds not only contribute to flavors, but play an important role in the prevention and treatment of human disease through their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
The honey balances the vinegar and gives it that sweet flavor. Honey also has anti-inflammatory properties and small amounts of vitamins and minerals. Traditionally, honey has been used to calm coughs. Honey has been shown to have antiarrhythmic, thermogenic, antibacterial, anticancer, antidiabetic, antifungal, anti-ischemic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiviral properties. It also has antidepressant, cardioprotective, diuretic, and gastroprotective properties. The list is long (America Journal of Therapeutics 21, 304-323 2014).
I have heard of people who have never seen the ocean but I have never heard of someone who does not know garlic ( Allium sativum) . The health benefits of garlic have been proclaimed for centuries. Numerous research works have demonstrated the immunomodulatory and immunotherapeutic potentials of AGEs as a whole, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer effects, as well as improvements in hyperglycemia, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and allergies. (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
Sage ( Salvia officinalis) as I mentioned earlier you can make your own custom mix to suit your needs. I am going to use Salvia because its flavor is warm, bitter and astringent. The botanical name hints at its medicinal importance: Salvia comes from the Latin word salvare, to cure. A medieval saying makes reference to this “Why should a man die while sage grows in his garden? Sage is an excellent remedy for sore throats, poor digestion, irregular periods. Sage helps open the airways.
OXIMEL GARLIC AND SAGE RECIPE
If you have reached this part, you must already be a connoisseur of oxymels and their ingredients. If you have an unpleasant cough you can take a tablespoon of this remedy, you can also use it to accompany salads such as vinaigrettes.
INGREDIENTS:
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1 cup minced garlic cloves
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¼ cup fresh or dried Salvia leaves (or whatever herb suits your needs)
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1 cup apple cider vinegar
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½ cup of honey
DIRECTIONS:
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Put the garlic and sage in a 12 oz jar and cover with vinegar. Add more vinegar to cover the herbs if necessary.
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Add the honey to fill the jar.
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Wipe the rim of the jar clean, put the lid on, and shake to mix.
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Label it with the date it was made and ingredients.
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Put the oxymel in a cool place away from sunlight for 4-6 weeks.
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Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer before using.
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Store the strained oxymel in a jar with a lid in a cool place.
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This mixture can last you for more than 8 months.
Note: For the mixture to have a longer shelf life, make sure you use a glass jar with a good lid, if you are using recycled jars, sterilize them well before use.
On my Instagram @la_curanderita I have a video of the step by step. You can also share the photos of your oxymel.
Curanderites, nature gives us everything we need, take care of it and take advantage of it.