Switchel is a classic energy drink made with apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, ginger and lime, with its benefits discovered right from the times of the early American settlers. This drink, with its spicy, sweet, and tangy taste, is a perfect thirst quencher and is making a big comeback in many restaurants and bars. In addition to being a great drink, it helps improve digestion and gut health. The only thing you’ll need to remember to do after sipping on this drink is, to rinse your mouth with water to protect your teeth from the acidic properties of Vinegar.
The Recipe
There are 6 simple ingredients that go into Switchel.
1. ½ cup apple cider vinegar
2. 3 tablespoons of maple syrup
3. 1 tablespoon of grated ginger
4. A pinch of kosher salt
5. ½ a lemon
6. 4 cups of water
To make this drink, mix the vinegar, maple syrup, ginger and salt and squeeze the lemon into the mixture. Refrigerate for a couple of hours and shake the drink before use. Switchel can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month. But you’ll see that it won’t last that long!
The 5 Health Benefits Of This Drink
1. It Helps Maintain The Body’s Electrolytes
Our body needs electrolytes, the minerals present in bodily fluids, that carry an electrical charge. These are present in our blood and urine. These positively and negatively charged ions help transmit voltage needed for many functions in the body like the signals that nerves send or contractions that happen in the muscles. Every time we sweat or urinate, we lose these electrolytes.
The most common cause of an imbalance in these electrolytes is dehydration –either after rigorous physical activity or when we are down with the flu. Dehydration in the body manifests as many symptoms like muscle pain, anxiety, headache, fatigue and dizziness. These electrolytes then need to be replenished by ingesting things rich in charged minerals like calcium, sodium etc. Switchel, rich in potassium from the apple cider vinegar, and calcium, magnesium and sodium from the maple syrup is a healthy, natural and sugar-free way to restore the electrolyte balance in the body.
2. It Helps With Pain And Inflammation
Switchel works as a great post-workout drink. Back in the day, farmers used this drink after a hard day at work to help with pain and inflammation. The presence of ginger helps combat inflammation and eases the aches and pains that follow after an intense workout. This anti-inflammatory property of ginger also helps with other ailments arising out of inflammation like arthritis, acne, eczema and aging. It contains gingerol, that is a very effective pain reliever.
3. It Gives You The Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar doesn’t just help replace the body’s electrolytes, but also helps maintain healthy pH levels. It helps in digestion by encouraging the growth of healthy gut bacteria and keeps blood sugar levels under control. It is also good for the heart and helps in healthy weight loss. While having apple cider vinegar has immense health benefits, it isn’t very palatable. But having it in Switchel becomes a tasty alternative.
4. It Gives You The Health Benefits Of Ginger
Ginger is known to have amazing health benefits. It doesn’t just help lower cholesterol, but also improves blood circulation and reduces blood sugar levels. It helps cure indigestion and helps with symptoms like heart burn, bloating and nausea. And not just this, it also boosts mental processing, and improves memory, attention span and
reaction times.
5. It Gives You The Benefits Of Maple Syrup
The sweetener used in switchel is pure maple syrup, that comes from tree sap and is extremely good for health. It happens to be rich in many nutrients like calcium, manganese, riboflavin, zinc and potassium. And being plant based, it also contains a staggering 63 different types of antioxidants. Need we say more?
