Medicinal Vinegars

They are easy to make, incredibly versatile, store well and are deeply effective, especially when made with raw apple cider vinegar.

Raw ACV is rich in enzymes, beneficial acids and minerals, and it supports digestion, gut health, blood sugar balance and overall metabolic function. When you use it as a base for herbal infusions, it becomes a living medicine that carries the properties of the plants into a form that is easy to use every day.

Some of my favorite medicinal vinegars are fire cider, and inulin rich vinegars made with roots like burdock, dandelion and elecampane.

Fire cider is a traditional immune supporting tonic, warming and stimulating, often used through the colder months to support circulation, digestion and resilience.

Burdock root vinegar is deeply nourishing for the liver and lymphatic system and is considered a powerful blood cleanser and skin supporter.

Dandelion root vinegar is one of my favorites because it is rich in inulin, a natural prebiotic that feeds beneficial gut bacteria and supports digestion and microbiome health.

Elecampane root vinegar is also high in inulin and has a long traditional use for supporting the lungs and respiratory system, especially through coughs and congestion.

One of the most beautiful things about vinegars is that you can also use wild weeds straight from the garden. Infused into vinegar, they become delicious and mineral rich salad dressings full of both flavour and medicine in every meal.

Simple dandelion root vinegar recipe (for inulin and gut support):

Gather fresh or dried dandelion root, washed and chopped

Raw apple cider vinegar

A clean glass jar with lid

~ Fill your jar halfway with chopped dandelion root

~ Pour raw apple cider vinegar over the top until fully covered

~ Make sure the plant material stays fully submerged

~ Seal the jar and store in a cool dark place for about four weeks

~ Shake gently every few days

~ After four weeks strain and bottle your vinegar

Tips

~ Always ensure the plant material is fully covered to prevent spoilage

~ Strain well through a fine cloth for a clear finished vinegar

~ Start with small daily amounts such as a teaspoon in water or as a salad dressing base

Once you start working with medicinal vinegars, they quickly become a staple in the kitchen and the medicine cupboard. They are food and medicine in one, deeply practical and easy to integrate into everyday life.

This is exactly the kind of traditional, grounded herbal knowledge I have brought together in my Grassroots Herbalism Guide.

It teaches you how to confidently work with plants like these and turn them into real remedies you can use at home. Not just vinegars, but also herbal teas and infusions, tinctures, oil infusions, syrups, poultices and more.

It is designed to help you build a simple home apothecary using what is around you, when it is in season, so you can start supporting your own health naturally and practically.

If you are ready to go deeper into herbal medicine making, you can find the Grassroots Herbalism Guide at https://www.wildbotanica.co.nz/collections/grassroots-herbalism