Idea for Super Nutritious ACV Tincture

[waldgeist]

So we all know the many health benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar. I have been drinking it for a while now and it's fantastic. Recently I have been reading about how to make herbal tinctures and when I read that you can use vinegar instead of alcohol to make them it gave me an idea.

What if you infused ACV with super nutritious herbs? The ones I know about are Moringa and Nettle although I'm sure there are many more out there. Then, taking it one step further, what if you add herbs that help with absorbing nutrients?

I'm not an expert on these things so I wanted to pose the question here to see if it makes sense. This would be my idea for a recipe:

1/3 part moringa powder
1/3 part nettle leaf powder
1/3 part wormwood powder

I would mix these with the ACV and let them infuse for some time. What should be the ration of ACV to herbs? What should be the time I infuse it before straining? Or can I just keep the herbs in there forever?

And the big question: Would my body be able to absorb the nutrients from this tincture? (I would be taking 1 Table spoon ACV tincture mixed in a cup of warm water every morning before breakfast)

These are not my recommendations for the best herbs, they are just the ones I know about so if anyone knows other ones that work better or taste better please mention those.

 

[UberMarginal]

Wow

So different ingredients, I`d never have thought that vinegar can be a substitute for alcohol. Very interesting, in general.

 

[Merriwether]

Vinegar infusions have been a traditional method of storing medicinal herbs for thousands of years. The high acid content "pickles" the herbs, preventing growth of dangerous bacteria. However, to make sure you don't exceed the protection of the vinegar you don't want to have too much herbs combined with the vinegar. Also, preparation matters quite a bit depending on if the herbs are fresh (high water content) or dried (low water content). The general rule of thumb when using fresh herbs is 2 parts vinegar + 1 part herb. For dried herbs the ratio is 1 part herb + 15 parts vinegar. In either case you want to finely chop & crush the herbs to expose as much of their "insides" to the vinegar as possible.

The infusion should be allowed to sit 2-4 weeks before using. During this time keep it out of sunlight and shake well every day. Be sure to label the bottles with the mixture and the date! After the 2-4 weeks have passed you can strain out the herbs to make it look more appealing but leaving them in won't hurt anything.
-Merriwether