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Healthy Home Economist / Archives / Natural Remedies / Master Tonic: Natural Flu Antiviral (+ VIDEO)

Master Tonic: Natural Flu Antiviral (+ VIDEO)

by Sarah Pope / Affiliate Links ✔

Jump to Recipe

Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • How to Make the Master Tonic+−
    • Prep Tip
    • Minimizing Time Spent
    • Nightshade Allergy?
    • Video Tutorial
  • Dosage
  • Master Tonic Recipe+−
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Recipe Video
    • Recipe Notes
  • Fire Cider vs Master Tonic

The Master Tonic is a fermented elixir for prevention, flu, or travel. It is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, and anti-fungal.

master tonic ingredient preparation on a table

The Master Tonic is a must-have remedy for flu season or when traveling overseas. It is potently anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal. It requires no refrigeration and lasts indefinitely with no special storage conditions.

This post details how to make the Master Tonic and why it is so effective as a homemade, totally natural anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic remedy.

Note that the Master Tonic is not to be confused with the Master Cleanse.

Who needs Tamiflu with all its dangerous side effects when you have the Master Tonic, with no side effects, in your back cupboard?

I have a friend who coordinates missionaries overseas to third world countries who told me that the missionaries she knows always take this remedy with them when traveling.

The Master Tonic keeps forever, so make it now before you need it!

This tonic is extremely powerful because all the ingredients are fresh. Its power should not be underestimated. This formula is a modern-day plague remedy and can help prevent or cure the most chronic conditions and stubborn diseases. It stimulates maximum blood circulation while putting the best detoxifying herbs into the blood.

The Master Tonic remedy is not just for the sniffles, it has helped to turn around the deadliest infections resistant to antivirals, antifungals, and antibiotics. It can be used in combination with conventional treatments as necessary.

How to Make the Master Tonic

Make plenty as the Master Tonic does not need refrigeration and lasts indefinitely without any special storage conditions.

The healthiest Master Tonic is made with homemade apple cider vinegar brewed with raw honey.

If you don’t have time to do this, then be sure to buy only raw ACV packed in glass bottles. Never buy it packaged in plastic, as the acidity of the ACV will leach toxins into the vinegar.

Prep Tip

These ingredients can make your eyes water and burn while you are chopping and grating.

I put a large cutting board on my (cool!) stovetop and turn on the fan above the range on high. This allows me to chop everything without discomfort.

Minimizing Time Spent

I’ve recently noticed that bags of organic, peeled, whole garlic cloves are available at some health food stores. Using these instead of peeling the garlic yourself will easily halve the time required to make this traditional tonic. It will also prevent your hands from smelling like garlic for 2 days!

Nightshade Allergy?

If you have an allergy to nightshade vegetables, substitute grated turmeric root for the cayenne pepper or double up on the onion or garlic.

Video Tutorial

The video included with the recipe below details visually how to make the master tonic and why it is so beneficial.  It is sometimes easier to learn with pictures than words. This tutorial is especially helpful while you are in the kitchen making it for the first time. Just follow along!

Dosage

The dosage for the Master Tonic is 1 or 2 ounces, two or more times daily. Swish and swallow.

Don’t dilute with water if you can avoid it. Mix with food if you have to, but best to take it full strength on its own.

If it makes you gag because it is strong tasting, try stimulating this acupressure point to temporarily halt the gag reflex.

For ordinary infections, a dose taken 5-6 times a day will deal with most conditions.

It can be used during pregnancies and is safe for children (use smaller doses or mix with some honey for children over age 1). Not recommended for children younger than age 1 unless under the advice of a physician.

It is the ultimate food-as-medicine. This traditional tonic is completely non-toxic.

The Master Tonic: Natural Flu Antiviral
4.49 from 52 votes
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Master Tonic Recipe

The Master Tonic is a must-have remedy for flu season or when traveling overseas. It is potently anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal. It requires no refrigeration and lasts indefinitely with no special storage conditions.

Course Drinks
Keyword home remedy, tonic
Prep Time 45 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Calories 15 kcal
Author Sarah Pope

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh chopped garlic preferably organic
  • 1 cup fresh chopped onion preferably organic
  • 1 cup fresh grated ginger root preferably organic
  • 1 cup fresh grated horseradish root preferably organic
  • 1 cup fresh chopped cayenne peppers or any hot peppers seasonally available preferably organic
  • 1 quart raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1 half gallon mason jar

Instructions

  1. Fill a half gallon glass mason jar 3/4 of the way full with equal parts by volume of the above fresh chopped and grated herbs (1 cup each works well). Wear gloves when chopping the hot peppers.

    organic master tonic ingredients
  2. Fill jar to the top with raw ACV. Close the lid tightly and shake.

    fermenting master tonic ingredients
  3. Shake at least once a day for two weeks, and then filter the Master Tonic mixture through a clean piece of cloth, bottle and label.

  4. Make sure that when you make this tonic that you shake it every time you walk by it, a minimum of once per day. Remember that all the herbs and vegetables for the Master Tonic should be fresh and organically grown if possible. Use dried herbs only in an emergency.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Use only fresh and preferably organically grown herbs if possible as this will make the most potent and effective Master Tonic. Substitute dried bulk herbs only in an emergency if fresh is unavailable.

If one of the ingredients is not available (fresh horseradish is difficult during certain times of the year), then substitute another hot pepper such as habanero.

Nutrition Facts
Master Tonic Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 Tbl)
Calories 15
% Daily Value*
Potassium 11mg0%
Carbohydrates 3.5g1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
master tonic best natural antiviral ingredients

Fire Cider vs Master Tonic

Fire cider is a very similar immunity-boosting tonic to the Master Tonic. The primary difference is that most versions of fire cider contain honey to mitigate the strong taste.

Fire cider is available for purchase from a number of companies in recent years.

This brand is one of the best if you prefer not to make your own full strength Master Tonic at home. However, homemade is more potent and cost-effective per dose.

More Information

Elderberry Syrup to Boost Immunity
Onion Poultice for Congestion
Power Shot: Best Green Juice for Congestion
Best Natural Antibiotics and How to Use Them
The Best Cough Expectorant You’ve Never Tried

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Category: DIY, Immune support, Natural Remedies
Sarah Pope

Sarah Pope MGA has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. She is a summa cum laude graduate in Economics from Furman University and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

She is the author of three books: Amazon #1 bestseller Get Your Fats Straight, Traditional Remedies for Modern Families, and Living Green in an Artificial World.

Her four eBooks Good Diet…Bad Diet, Real Food Fermentation, Ketonomics, and Ancestrally Inspired Dairy-Free Recipes are available for complimentary download via Healthy Home Plus.

Her mission is dedicated to helping families effectively incorporate the principles of ancestral diets within the modern household. She is a sought after lecturer around the world for conferences, summits, and podcasts.

Sarah was awarded Activist of the Year in 2010 at the International Wise Traditions Conference, subsequently serving on the Board of Directors of the nutrition nonprofit the Weston A. Price Foundation for seven years.

Her work has been covered by numerous independent and major media including USA Today, ABC, and NBC among many others.

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Reader Interactions

Comments (327)

  1. Sara Russ via Facebook

    Mar 2, 2014 at 2:48 pm

    It looks like a DELICIOUS marinade!!

    Reply
  2. Dawn McKinney via Facebook

    Mar 2, 2014 at 2:39 pm

    Just bottled mine up last night, and am dehydrating the pulp.. I also made a batch with turmeric!

    Reply
  3. Clay Sturm via Facebook

    Mar 2, 2014 at 2:29 pm

    just made its way through our house for the past two weeks. all three kids and one pregnant momma with it. healthier diets definitely helped us all avoid pneumonia and other issues that come up with it- lauren

    Reply
  4. Debbie Eisa via Facebook

    Mar 2, 2014 at 1:44 pm

    I have made this twice so far and did it with the Moons. I add some fresh Turmeric root along with all the other goodies. It’s a little bit of a shock to the system on the first taste and I’d love to share the video of my Husband when he tried it, but he’d be unhappy with me…shucks, cause it was funny! Before I forget, I wore gloves and had a fan going because for me, I needed good ventilation.

    Reply
  5. Crystal Kornmeyer via Facebook

    Mar 2, 2014 at 1:37 pm

    I made some last month with this recipe from this post. My dad is actually coming to pick some up for my mom today because she’s sick right now.

    Reply
  6. Jennifer Walton via Facebook

    Mar 2, 2014 at 1:06 pm

    I never get the flu shot but the last time my husband and kids got the flu, I had been taking this everyday for a week, then took 3 times a day while they were sick…got a little bit of an upset stomach but that was it…I usually get exactly what they get x 10.

    Reply
  7. From Fatty to Fabulous and Everything in Between via Facebook

    Mar 2, 2014 at 12:52 pm

    I didn’t get the flu shot this year….dumb me. Then I got the flu. My fiancé had just got hurt at work and was immobile and I have a 4 1/2 year old who is very active. I found a recipe very similar to this and took it 4 times a day. Cut the white foods and sugars. I was OVER the flu in 4 days. Gods good grace and common sense prevailed.

    Reply
  8. Leslie Lancaster

    Feb 23, 2014 at 5:19 pm

    The first site I searched when my son told me he had a headache and didn’t feel well was your site. I’m going to make this tonic this week. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge

    Reply
  9. mark welch

    Feb 6, 2014 at 3:45 pm

    This tonic works great ,After fermenting for 2 weeks I take the strained solids and put them in the dehydrator. when dried the spices seem to have lost it’s heat so I add crushed red peppers ,a little salt then ground up in a coffee grinder and it makes the best spice for almost anything.

    Reply
  10. Brian

    Jan 29, 2014 at 5:15 pm

    Thank you so much for your loving sharing of your experience. I’m really jazzed – I made the master tonic last night and it’s ‘marinating now. I used a pound each of onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, horse-radish and ginger and figured some things out for myself for when I make it next time. Horse-radish CAN be grated in the food-processor; I used it to slice it. The ginger is better sliced, too fibrous to grate with the food processor. I have an odd question. I only tamped the mix down/ stirred to release air bubbles with plastic handled rubber-spatula and stuffed the components in the jar in layers with majority of the garlic as the last layer and Jalapeno before that. I have a bit of of a blue almost turquoise tinged dis-coloring ‘blooming’ from the garlic. Has anyone else seen this? I’m not concerned that it’s something I should be worried for – I know there are a few dishes which are prepared just for this slightly shocking effect. Thank you again, I’m delighted to count you as such a wonderful resource!

    Reply
    • Rebecca

      Oct 24, 2014 at 6:36 pm

      I noticed the same purple blue on garlic. It lessens after a while. I know the same thing happens when pickling or fermenting garlic. Its normal.

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