Oxymel

This is really useful. We have many useful herbs, usually preserved by drying. Making a tea is not the best trick.

Instead we make up a mix of apple cider vinegar and honey.  The honey preserves and the acid helps extract from the herbs.  then it is as easy as crushing dried herbs or raw plants and then topping then of with this solution.  Then shaking and even stirring every day for a month.

Then straining the fluid clear of the remaining solids and you are good to go.  I would like to try this on a range of Chinese concoctions in order to see if a better product can be produced.

Drink Oxymel to Fight Asthma, Inflammation, and Obesity

An ancient elixir is still being used and studied for its many health benefits and ease of preparation

Alexandra Roach

Aug 21 2023

All oxymel starts with a honey-and-vinegar base. (Unsplash)

https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/drink-oxymel-to-fight-asthma-inflammation-and-obesity-5398193?u

In this era of readily available pharmaceutical products for every imaginable ailment, it can be easy to default to the drugstore when we need relief. It hasn’t always been that way. For millennia, our ancestors had a deep knowledge of the remedies provided by the earth. Fortunately, much of that wisdom still exists, and many people are using it to skip the drugs—and the side effects.

One such example is an herbal tonic called oxymel, a recipe so simple that it can be made in your own kitchen.

Though the ingredients are basic, their healing effects are useful for an array of ailments. Various versions of this elixir have been studied for their effects on obesity, Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, prostate pain syndrome, and even moderate to severe asthma.

What Is Oxymel?

Also known by its Turkish name sirkencubin, oxymel is a mixture of vinegar and honey with other ingredients added for taste or purpose. Its health benefits differ depending on the type of spice or herb used in the drink. Medieval Persian pharmaceutical manuscripts refer to 1,200 types of oxymel. Oxymel is a great way to extract and use the benefits of countless herbs and therapeutic plants.

Ancient doctors and healers knew from practical experience that its various ingredients had effective medicinal properties that modern-day scientists can now explain. Honey, for example, made wonderful wound treatments, soothed burns, improved ulcers, and treated other illnesses, such as upper respiratory tract infections.

Healthful Ingredients

A study on polyfloral honey, published in the Journal of Argentine Chemical Society, noted the presence of essential minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Peer-reviewed findings published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies showed that honey’s vitamins and digestive enzymes were powerful enough to relieve upset stomachs, improve digestion, promote weight loss, lower LDL-cholesterol, and reduce inflammation and allergies.

Choose a Target Health Issue

There are thousands of oxymel recipes. How do you know which one is right for you?

First, decide which health issue you’d like to address. All variations have a beneficial honey-and-vinegar base, but its effects will be aided by the specific herbs that you infuse in it.

Obesity

Insulin resistance is a health challenge for obese individuals, as well as for people with metabolic syndrome and diabetes. As outlined in the journal Antioxidants and Redox Signaling, this complication is often caused by oxidative stress. The good news is that you can counteract this effect by adding antioxidant-rich food sources to your diet.

One way to accomplish this is to create a delicious oxymel with natural antioxidants, such as turmeric, green tea, or hibiscus.

You can find more of these herbal wonders right in your kitchen—for instance, rosemary and sage, both of which have strong natural antioxidant properties.

Other kitchen spices and herbs such as clove, oregano, and cinnamon are also high in phenolic compounds and excellent sources of antioxidants. These and more herbs were studied and presented in the international journal Plant Foods for Human Nutrition.

Coriander seeds have shown significant health benefits through a reduction of oxidative stress and an enhancement of the tissue levels of antioxidant and detoxification agents, and the consumption of ginger promotes weight loss.

Upon venturing from the kitchen into the garden, you may find rose, dandelion, fennel, peppermint, yarrow, and nettles, among other medicinal plants. A study published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition observed an improvement in digestion through the use of such garden-variety medicinals.

Chronic Inflammation

Inflammation itself isn’t always bad—it’s part of the body’s natural defense mechanism. The immune system recognizes and removes harmful foreign irritants through inflammation in healthy individuals. Thus begins the healing process—inside and out.

The causes of inflammatory diseases differ. Inflammation becomes a problem when it changes from an acute form to a chronic form, persisting for a long time or returning frequently. Various conditions such as arteriosclerosis and diabetes are linked to chronic inflammation.

Don’t be dismayed, however. You can thwart some of the symptoms of chronic inflammation by eliminating processed foods from your diet and by supplementing with common herbs and spices—such as in a refreshing oxymel beverage.

An article in the Oxford Academic Journal of AOAC International recommends these anti-inflammatory herbs to do the job: chili pepper, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, turmeric, fenugreek, rosemary, and garlic. The efficacy of turmeric, ginger, and rosemary is backed up by yet another study published in Advanced Pharmacological Sciences, which also points to borage and evening primrose.

Asthma

A study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine indicates that herbal medicine is a good alternative treatment for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

A review article in Frontiers of Immunology describes the effects of honey and its natural power to strengthen the immune system, as well as to counteract allergic diseases, including anaphylaxis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis.

A 2019 study published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods indicates that honey in combination with other herbal substances shows a relatively high efficacy in patients with asthma.

Immune Support

The immune system defends your body against infections. When it gets weak, you get sick. A healthy immune system is a lifesaver.

Oxymel can support the quest to build a strong immune system by using the following herbs: elderberry, echinacea, tulsi, Schisandra, and astragalus.

Thyme oxymel is an excellent example of how the basic honey-vinegar mixture combined with just one common culinary and medicinal herb can create a multi-layered health remedy.

An article in The Journal of Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy describes the drink as boosting support for the immune system. Thyme oxymel’s effects are plentiful: anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic (lowering cholesterol and triglycerides), anti-viral, and antioxidant. The same study states that the beverage improves oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, homeostasis of some trace elements, and weight-regulating hormones.

2 Ways to Make Oxymel at Home

Note for all extracts:Many recipes suggest a 1:1 honey-to-vinegar ratio, but that can range widely, with some suggesting up to 3 parts honey to 1 part vinegar. Adjust based on your preference for a sweet versus tart flavor.

It’s best to use apple cider vinegar for its many health benefits.

Always ensure that all plant matter is covered by the liquid, with no bubbles.

Store finished oxymel in dark glass bottles, or store in a cool, dark space.

Oxymel-Preparation Technique I: Easy and Slow Extraction

In a glass jar, mix the honey with the vinegar.

Wash and cut chosen herbs into small pieces. Add them to the jar with the honey-vinegar mixture.

If using a metal lid, place a double-layered piece of plastic wrap in between the glass and the lid (the acid in vinegar reacts with metal).

Keep in a dark but warm place for 3 to 4 weeks.

Shake vigorously every day.

After the extraction time has ended, the oxymel can be kept with the herbs in it, or strained through a muslin cloth to filter out the plant matter.

Oxymel-Preparation Technique II: Fast and Dry Herb Extraction

The fastest extraction method utilizes heat—and in so doing some of the beneficial active components of the apple cider vinegar may be lost—however, this method works well when extracting from dried herbs.Add vinegar, honey, and cut herbs to a pot.

Heat for about 1 hour or until the extract is syrup-like. Don’t exceed a temperature of 195 degrees F.

Stir frequently.

Bottom Line

As an effective medicinal remedy, oxymel has withstood the test of time.

The wisdom of Hippocrates, Dioscorides, Galen, and other ancient doctors who prescribed the drink for a litany of complaints still holds true today.

Many historical texts such as the British Pharmacopoeia (1898), German Pharmacopoeia (1872), and the French Codex (1898) also detail the formula.

Today, as we’re often looking for the newest and most innovative pharmaceutical remedies, it would be wise to not cast aside the ancient wisdom they’re built upon.