What is Switchel?

Switchel was perhaps the "original" Gatorade® - it was a refreshing, electrolyte loaded drink dating back to the 16th century in West India. He has many different recipes and has become popular in early America, especially among farmers. Over time, the origin of this particular drink was lost. It was attributed to Amish, who is still preparing it, but its use was probably widespread in the 17th, 18th and at the beginning of the 19th century in agricultural communities throughout the US and its territories. Probably an early drink was a combination of vinegar cider, water, molasses and possibly ginger for flavoring. Laura Ingalls Wilder calls this ginger water in the book The Long Winter , and refers to how she extinguished her thirst without disrupting the stomach after hot work hay. Other recipes for the switch use honey instead of Molasses, indicating that the beverage may not be a new world invention, but instead it could exist first in Europe, in front of sugar, and the affordable sugar melas that is available. Another common variaNtou is to add lemon juice to the drink.

There are many people who still remember drinking switches when they worked on farms, especially in the summer months. Some writers also refer to AMISH, which can serve drinks in the winter months. Most of them are more accustomed to the cold version and quotes sharp bite of vinegar and molasses paired with ginger as especially refreshing in performing work in the hot sun. The drink has gradually replaced with various sports drinks that are available today, but some people are still preparing and prefer switching.

The main advantage of the switch, except for taste - which many quote as unusual, but tasty - is that the ingredients are easy to the stomach. You could drink more switch than water without getting sick. This made it easier to avert dehydration. The famous doctor of D. C. Jarvis, who created a version with honey called Honegar, also offeredl drink as healthy. Jarvis was particularly famous for his writings on homeopathy and his book from 1958 Folk Medicine: Vermont's Guide to good health remained a bestseller for several years.

Jarvis claimed that Vinegar had special health benefits that are now questionable by modern doctors. But his defense for Switchel or Hopegar maintained a drink alive and acquaintances for many. He claimed that the drink was particularly healthy and recommended him to treat many diseases as a tonic.