Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with Garlic and Rock Sugar

Why people make this

Apple cider vinegar has attracted considerable popular attention in the West for its purported health benefits, including supporting blood pressure, cholesterol, and joint health. Nourilo’s take on it is straightforward and practical: straight organic apple cider vinegar is too acidic to drink comfortably, so steeping garlic in it for several months mellows the vinegar while allowing the beneficial compounds from both the vinegar and the garlic to meld together. The result — a dark, amber liquid — becomes genuinely pleasant to drink diluted in warm water.

Garlic is one of the most extensively studied foods in nutrition research, with documented antimicrobial properties against a wide range of bacteria (including streptococcus, staphylococcus, and E. coli). Together with the acetic acid of apple cider vinegar, the combination is traditionally considered to help clear toxins from the body, reduce inflammation, and support healthy cholesterol metabolism.

Nourilo came across this almost by accident — he had prepared a jar and then forgotten about it, only to rediscover it months later. The vinegar had mellowed beautifully, and the garlic had turned a deep brown-black. He now recommends this as an inexpensive, easy-to-make daily health supplement.