Recipes · Tonic
Switchel (Haymaker’s Punch)
Reader ratingsA tangy, gingery old-farmhouse cooler of apple cider vinegar, fresh ginger and maple syrup in cold water.
A colonial-era American farm drink, known as haymaker’s punch because workers carried it to the hayfields.
Safety
- Vinegar is acidic. Dilute it as written, rinse your mouth with water afterward to protect tooth enamel, and skip this drink if you have reflux or slow stomach emptying (gastroparesis), which vinegar can worsen.
- A case report linked large amounts of cider vinegar to low potassium. If you take diuretics, digoxin or diabetes medicines, ask your clinician before drinking it daily, and ask about regular large amounts of ginger if you take blood thinners.
- Keep it refrigerated and finish it within 1 week. Discard it if it smells off or grows mold.
Why it’s good for you
A refreshing, lightly sweet drink with real ginger and vinegar, and far less sugar than soda or most bottled sports drinks.
Evidence
Traditional use
Long history of use; little or no direct research on this preparation.
No study has tested switchel itself. Vinegar’s best-supported effect is on blood sugar: small crossover trials (11 to 16 people) found vinegar blunted the rise in blood glucose after high-carbohydrate meals, and a meta-analysis of nine trials found daily apple cider vinegar modestly lowered fasting glucose and HbA1c. Those studies used vinegar with meals, not as a hydration drink, and switchel supplies little sodium, so it is best seen as a tasty, lightly sweet cooler rather than an electrolyte replacement.
General information from research and traditional use — not medical advice, and not a treatment for any condition. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition, check with your clinician first, and seek care for symptoms that are severe or do not improve.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a quart jar, stir the grated ginger, vinegar, maple syrup and salt (if using) into 1 cup of warm water until the syrup dissolves. Let it stand for 10 minutes so the ginger infuses.
- Add the lemon juice and the remaining 3 cups of cold water, cover, and shake well.
- Chill for at least 1 hour, then strain out the ginger if you like. Stir before serving over ice. Keep it refrigerated and finish it within 1 week.
Tips
- If you are new to vinegar drinks, start with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and work up to 1/4 cup.
- The old-fashioned version uses molasses. Blackstrap molasses gives a deeper, earthier taste and a little potassium and iron.
- Switchel has about 6 g of sugar per cup and almost no sodium. For long, sweaty days in the heat, add 1/8 teaspoon of salt per quart, or make the Homemade Electrolyte Drink instead.
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