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Citrus And Honey Health Tonic

Honey fermented health tonic with lemon, ginger and turmeric
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5 from 3 reviews

This tonic is a strong and flavorful ferment that is designed to boost your immune system. It’s packed with citrus, ginger, turmeric, and honey. Unlike fire cider and other immune-boosting ferments, this health tonic is gentle on a sensitive stomach and the flavor is mild enough for children.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 organic lemon
  • 1 organic lime
  • 3-inch piece of ginger
  • 3-inch piece of fresh turmeric (or 2 Tbsp ground turmeric)
  • 1/4 cup unpasteurized honey (see notes)
  • 3 cups filtered water

Instructions

  1. Wash lemon and lime. Slice them in half and squeeze the juice into a 1-quart (1 L) jar. Then add the peels and pulp to the jar.
  2. Wash and dice the turmeric and ginger. There’s no need to peel them, the skin helps with the ferment. Add them to the jar.
  3. Add in the honey. Pour in the water, leaving at least 1 inch of headroom at the top of the jar.
  4. Cover the jar with a loose or use a fermentation-specific lid (like a pickle pipe) that will allow gas to escape as it ferments. Place the jar somewhere warm and dark to ferment for 3 to 5 days. Stir once per day with a clean spoon.
  5. To serve, pour through a fine-mesh sieve. If the flavor is too strong, then dilute with filtered water, as necessary. See the section above for details on how to bottle your health tonic to turn it into a sparkling beverage.
  6. Store in the refrigerator and use within 1 month. 

Notes

  • Unpasteurized honey has a natural bacterial culture, which will ferment when mixed with water. Because of the health risks associated with the consumption of raw honey, this is not recommended for pregnant women, children under the age of 1 year, or anyone who may be immunocompromised. 
  • Alternatively, brew your health tonic with ginger bug! Ginger bug is a wild-fermented culture made from grated ginger, turmeric, and sugar. So it is a perfect alternative for anyone looking to avoid honey. You will need to add 2 Tbsp of raw sugar to make a carbonated beverage with ginger bug.
  • Feel free to use oranges instead of lemon and lime. Either option will give you a boost of vitamin C.

Find it online: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/health-tonic/