This is a great recipe to make when you or a family member are sick with the cold, flu or other common ailment.
Ingredients:
- i Liter water or chicken broth (or a mixture of the two)
- 3 beefsteak tomatoes, cored and sliced
- a 1-inch chunk of fresh ginger, minced
- 1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- enough apple cider vinegar to more than cover the ginger and garlic in a small dish
Directions:
- Heat the water or chicken broth to boiling on the stove.
- Add sliced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Once the mixture starts to boil, lower heat to a simmer until tomatoes are mushy.
- While the tomato broth is cooking, mince the ginger and garlic and combine in a small dish.
- Pour enough apple cider into the dish to cover the ginger and garlic mixture, plus more for good measure.
- When the tomatoes are mushy, remove the broth from the heat. Ladle desired amount in a bowl and add enough of the ginger/garlic mixture to taste.
- Keep the ginger/garlic mixture stored separately from the broth – we don’t want the garlic or ginger to ‘cook’ because eating it raw delivers the best health benefits. That’s why you add as much as your taste prefers just before consuming.
When to eat this: When you’re sick with the cold, flu, or a bacterial infection – sinus, ear, strep, etc.
Why is this good for me? Garlic, Ginger and Tomato all provide amazing health beneifts. Here are a few facts:
- Fresh, raw garlic is naturally antibacterial and antiviral. Garlic has been shown to naturally kill off harmful bacteria in the body without eliminating any of the healthy bacteria the way prescription antibiotics typically do. It can also knock out the common cold and flu viruses.
- Just like garlic, ginger also contains antiviral and antibacterial properties. It has a variety health benefits, but has been known for thousands of years to fight the common cold and flu.
- Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that boosts the lymphatic system, and vitamin C which boosts the immune system.
Note: if you’re not used to eating raw garlic and ginger, you want to start with less as it may upset your stomach.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has a wonderful database of information on herbs – including not only uses, but also patient warnings. For more information click here.
