Turmeric Oxymel Recipe

Turmeric Oxymel Recipe


Oxymels: The Sweet-and-Sour Tonic You’ll Want in Your Daily Ritual

If you’re into herbal wellness, kitchen remedies, or just love discovering old-school health hacks that actually taste good, let me introduce you to oxymels. This ancient tonic blends vinegar + honey + herbs into a sweet-sour elixir that’s surprisingly delicious and wildly versatile.

People have been making oxymels for thousands of years — from ancient Greece to traditional herbal medicine practices — and they’re having a modern comeback for good reason.

Potential Benefits of Oxymels

Oxymels aren’t magic potions, but they combine three powerful elements that herbalists love:

Honey

Soothes the throat

Has natural antimicrobial properties

Helps preserve the mixture

Adds sweetness to balance the vinegar

Vinegar (usually apple cider vinegar)

Supports digestion

Stimulates appetite

Traditionally used for sluggish digestion

Helps extract minerals and compounds from herbs

Herbs

This is where oxymels get customized. Different herbs = different benefits.

Common herbal themes people use oxymels for:

Immune support (garlic, ginger, thyme)

Respiratory health (elderberry, onion, horseradish)

Digestive support (fennel, peppermint, lemon balm)

Daily wellness tonics (rose, lavender, hibiscus)

Gentle reminder: Oxymels support wellness, but they’re not medical treatment. If you’re pregnant, on medication, or managing health conditions, double-check your herbs first.

Now here is an easy Turmeric Oxymel Recipe:

Ingredients

Turmeric Root (chopped or grated) or 2 tbsp dried turmeric, I use dried chunks broken up with a pestle and mortar.

1-2 Cinnamon Sticks (Ceylon cinnamon preferred)

1 tsp Whole Black Peppercorns (crushed slightly)

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (with "the mother")

Raw Honey


Instructions

Prepare the Ingredients: Chop the turmeric if using fresh. Place the turmeric, cinnamon sticks, and black peppercorns into a clean, glass jar filled with about half way.

  1. Combine: Pour the apple cider vinegar over the herbs, filling the jar roughly half to three-quarters full.
  2. Seal and Shake: Seal the jar tightly with a plastic lid. If using a metal lid, place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper between the jar and the lid to prevent corrosion from the vinegar. Shake vigorously until the honey and vinegar are combined.
  3. Steep: Place on a sunny place like a windowsill for 2 to 4 weeks.
  4. Shake Regularly: Shake the jar every day or two to assist in the extraction process.
  5. Strain: After 2–4 weeks, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean glass jar, squeezing as much liquid out of the herbs as possible. Mix in the honey or leave out, this will mean it’s just a herbal vinegar not a true Oxymel.
  6. Label and Store: Label the bottle with the name and date. The oxymel will keep for up to 6 months in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator. 

     

    How to Use

    Immune Shot: Take 1 tablespoon, add some honey if you like.

    Tonic: Dilute 1 tablespoon in warm water or tea.

    Culinary: Use it as a dressing on salads or steamed vegetables.

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