Drinking vinegars are a thing. And making your own probiotics at home? YES! One of the keys to strong gut health is the variety of microbes that colonize the gut. This means you need diversity, and taking the same probiotic over and over and over doesn't really produce the diversity that you need. So probiotics from food and a variety of foods is the best way to assure that diversity. And a rotate those probiotics!
Apple cider vinegar is great choice for this drink because of all the health benefits and its history for being used as medicine for centuries. It is helpful to lower blood sugar and insulin response to high carb foods. There has been some research that indicated that apple cider vinegar was helpful in lowering cholesterol. And it is supposed to be good for your skin, and aid in digestion.
This is delicious with a sparkling water or in a cocktail! If you like kombucha, the flavor of a shrub is is similar to a kombucha. Just a lot less work to make a shrub.
Ingredients:
2 cup of apple cider vinegar with a mother
1 cup of blueberries
1 cup of honey
Directions:
In a large mason jar, pour in the fruit and smash it in the bottom of the jar. add the honey, and pour in the apple cider vinegar. Stir together and place lid on the jar. Sit on the counter for 24-48 hours. The longer it sits, the less sweet the vinegar becomes. So I like to enjoy it after 24 hours. Strain the fruit out after the time has passed and store in the fridge!
Add 1/4 cup of the shrub over ice with a sparkling water and enjoy!
My kids ask for one every afternoon!
To a healthy gut!
-Michal