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Chemo Moonshine | Natural Nausea Remedy

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Chemotherapy……UGH! What a nasty word in my life lately. Too many friends battling breast cancer, lupus and other horrific things. I feel helpless. What can any of us really do when a friend is at their absolute lowest moment but try to offer support?

Last year when I was going through a low dose trial of chemo meds for lupus, I found something that really helped with my nausea. Through time I adapted the recipe to where the moment any one in our family is sick to their stomach, THIS is what they crave. My very special Chemo Moonshine (there is no alcohol, its just a cute name for it). It’s good for just everyday upset tummies too!

I am far from being a recipe blogger so please bear with me and know you can play with the amounts below to adjust to your taste. I like mine more cinnamony than gingery so I sometimes sprinkle in finely ground cinnamon.

Recipe for Chemo Moonshine: A Natural Nausea Remedy

Ingredients: 

  • Apple Cider- 1 gallon, non-concentrated *do NOT use vinegar!
  • 1 cup Honey or Agave Nectar (I like to use Manuka honey for its healing properties)
  • 5 Cinnamon Sticks
  • Whole Cloves, about 2 tablespoons
  • 1-2 inches Fresh Ginger Root (peeled and chopped or sliced thinly)
  • 1 tablespoon Ground Ginger
  • 2-3 Star Anise

Directions: 

I make mine in a 32 qt stock pot with a straining insert. Pour the gallon of juice in the pot.  Add the ground ginger, cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves and fresh ginger in the pot with the stove turned to medium heat. Let it boil and then reduce the heat and let it steep covered for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it continue steeping while covered for another hour.

nausea remedy steeping

Add the honey (or agave) and let steep uncovered over low heat for another hour. Strain using the straining insert in the pot. Pour into mason jars using jelly strainers. If you don’t have this you can strain it through a strainer and store it back in the juice bottle with a little left over.

straining and storing nausea remedy

I use the 1/2 gallon mason jars because I think they look great as gifts. You can get them at Ace Hardware or online someplace like Amazon (affiliate link).

Chemo Moonshine: A fun way to present a natural nausea remedy recipe. Ginger, apple cider, cloves, honey or agave, star anise, and cinnamon help calm upset tummies.

This tastes great either heated just a little to sip warm like you would cider or tea OR over ice chips just a few sips at a time. You can freeze this into smaller jars but if you freeze it in glass make sure and leave a few inches of headroom and leave the tops off while it almost freezes. Place them on before it completely freezes.

For the label: I went to PicMonkey and uploaded a blank square as my picture. I used the Bleeding Cowboys font to create the text here and then applied a Daguerreotype frame and wrote a custom message for the friend I was giving this to. I would like to have found a jar label sticker but I just didn’t have the time. I called it Chemo Moonshine because it was a fun way to present the gift. It brings a laugh and something fun into the something as serious as not being able to keep anything down.

This particular friend, Lori, is fighting breast cancer and I hope this small comfort may make her journey just a little bit easier.

Let me know if you try this, what changes you make, and more importantly any stories of it helping someone!

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Comments

      • I am going to try and make this for dear friend has not only been through breast cancer and now is going through stage 3 colon cancer. She is having terrible nausea and am going to have her try. Hope it works for her. I will let you know.

    • Hi there, its there’s no alcohol but is apple cider not alcohol or does it burn off in cooking?, sorry just a bit confused

  3. This Chemo Moonshine got me through some very though days as I went through chemo. Thanks, Barb, and thanks for sharing your recipe. I highly recommend it for anyone having symptoms of nausea as they go through chemo.

    • Good morning Barb,

      In your recipe you say Apple Cider? Are you saying apple Cider Vinegar or just Apple Cider like juice?

      • In the post it says: “Apple Cider- 1 gallon, non-concentrated *do NOT use vinegar!”

      • Cider is pure apple squeezins’! Before they filter it and make it juice or ferment it it to make vinegar.

  6. How long will this keep? I’m assuming it needs to be refrigerated.
    And how much do you need to take and how often?

    • When I make a batch like this I put one of the containers in the fridge and one in the freezer. I freeze directly in the mason jar so I have to make sure and leave some head room on that one. The one in the fridge lasts about a week. It’s base is apple cider so its pretty much the same thing in terms of how long it will last once open. It’s gone before a week anyway around here.

      I take it when I start feeling nausea and after throwing up in that time period you feel like you could eat anything I try to get in 4 oz. Over ice chips really helps me, even though most people say not to drink something cold on an upset stomach.

      It’s really just something that will help calm your stomach so you can take whatever amount helps you.

      • Could I pay you to sell me a couple of jars for my friend that is going through Chemo and having a REALLY REALLY hard time?

        • I pray your friend is able to find some comfort soon. Unfortunately I just don’t have the time to make and ship this. I promise it is really easy for you to do!

  8. Hi, I presume that’s non-alcoholic cider ?! In Ireland when we refer to cider it’s got plenty alcohol, this recipe would be really nice for mulled cider at halloween though 🙂

    • No alcohol. I named it Chemo Moonshine so that it would appear to be alcoholic as just something fun. I wanted a cute presentation that brought a smile to someones face.

      I don’t know if I would mull this….maybe with a lot of the ginger cut out it would work 🙂

      • Hi Barb,
        I’m from Germany & I like this receipe cause my daughter suffers crohn’s disease and some treatments, deduced from chemo against cancer (e.g. Methotrexat), causes nausea as well.
        But here in Germany we’re also just know the alcoholic apple cider. Although it’s less alcoholic I think it’s better it contains no alcohol at all. Do you think normal apple juice will work out, too? I’m a bit concerned about the acid in it…

  9. Thank you so much for posting this. I had my own journey with cancer and would love to help my friends that are going through this also. I wish there were no need for this elixir but since there is I’m grateful to you for posting it. Continue in good health. I will let you know how my friend fairs.

    • I am glad to hear that your journey maybe over. I hope it helps your friend. My heart breaks for anyone going through chemo.

  10. My husband has spent the weekend in bed suffering from chemo induced nausea. I will be making this ASAP, anything to help ease the discomfort. Thanks for sharing!

    • Oh I am so sorry to hear that! Please come back and tell me if it helps him and what you do to make the recipe your own so that others can benefit from your story.

  11. I am so excited to get the stuff together to make this! Thank you for the recipe! Chemo has been horrible and I’ve been hoping for something to help the nausea besides taking pills all of the time.

    • You’re welcome. Do you have someone you can give the recipe to and ask them to make it for you? I hate to think of you taking the energy to cook for yourself.

    • You’re welcome. Do you have someone you can give the recipe to and ask them to make it for you? I hate to think of you taking the energy to cook for yourself.

  12. I am cancer free now, but I have family that are in the fight, so I will be sharing this recipe with them. Thank you for posting this. I wish I could have found this back in 2009 when I fought cancer and finally by the Grace of God won the battle. I am going to make some anyway for upset tummies we occasionally have in my family .Thanks again and God Bless

  13. I’ve never used fresh ginger root before, therefore I’m not sure how much to use. Could you be a little more specific please. Thanks.

    • Hi Jane, it really is dependent on your taste but I consider a ginger root to be about as big as my thumb from the tip to my wrist. Hope that helps.

  14. I’m having trouble finding apple cider beyond the Martinelli’s sparkling apple cider available in the juice aisle. Any suggestions? My next stop will be Whole Foods in my area to see if they have anything. Thanks!

    • If you absolutely can’t find it just use regular apple juice. I usually find the cider right in that same area with the juice. Good luck.

    • I am making this for a co-worker going through chemo. She has been so down, she needs a boost! I found the apple cider in the fruit and vegetable area in my local store.

  15. I was wondering if anyone else who had chemo previously has had any problems with new food allergies they never had before? Especially ones causing stomach upset, etc. This sounds like a perfect drink to add to my diet. I am having tons of problems with onions, garlic, cumin, tumeric & anything in the pepper family (green, chile, etc.). Just curious if anyone else had ever heard of this problem developing after having chemo. I’m going to try this drink even though it’s been 2 years since the chemo! Thank you for posting it!

  16. Your friend is very fortunate to have a Friend like you! Blessings to you both!!!

  17. Dear Barb…I am so looking forward to making a batch of this and seeing if it will help with my nausea. Although I am not on Chemo-therapy yet, I still get sickened from having Malignant Chronic Leukemia and Chronic IBS. What doesn’t come right back on me, goes right through me. Thank you so much for posting this, and I hope you don’t mind if I share it with my Support Group. Be Well and Bless You!! ♥

    • Thanks. Start with small doses. I hope the apple juice doesn’t make the IBS worse. Please let us know how it makes you feel so that other will know if it works for them

  18. For those who don’t want to consume apple juice because of sugar content, consider using some type of herbal tea maybe? The apple juice and honey combo really packs a sugar wallop and would be off limits to those following AIP.

  19. Thanks so much for this. I have a really sensitive stomach and frequently have nausea. I hope this helps. One question… The fresh ginger asks for 1-2 (what exactly is the 1-2… inches, knobs?) thanks again.

  20. Just wanted to say thanks for the great recipe! I just made a batch (with a few modifications for what I didn’t have or couldn’t find) for my hubby. I tried it and it tastes amazing! Hoping it does the trick for his chemo induced nausea!

  21. Just a question for you, do you think this would be helpful for pregnancy nausea? I have been very, very sick and have been taking medicine for it, but that doesn’t always help. I’m wanting to try something new and this seems like it might work 🙂 Let me know!

    • I think it would be helpful. I haven’t been pregnant in a LONG time but I remember those days. Hope you feel better soon

    • I realize you’ve probably already had your baby by now, but I’m early pregnant nauseous as well and I was thinking the same thing. What’s helped me is to drink peppermint tea with chopped fresh ginger in it (I’m a little health-nutty and use them because both are proven to help with nausea and are natural. I drink it hot as a tea, or I put peppermint essential oil drops in a water bottle and shake it up). I’m interested in trying this recipe, but will hit it hard with raw ginger and will wait for the cider to cool to a warm temp before adding raw honey to keep the raw goodness in. If someone could handle it, adding dried elderberries would make this a total power drink. I make a keep-the-bugs-away tonic with cinnamon, elderberry (SUPER high in antioxidant) and honey and take a little each day. It’s a good immune booster which would be great for cancer patients. My grandmother just found out she has very aggressive breast cancer that traveled to her lungs in a matter of weeks. She just had her first chemo and was very, very sick. I never would have thought to make this for her. Thank you for the idea!

  22. What is the *dosage* of this? Does one drink it like a cup of hot tea, or just swallow 1 or 2 tablespoons, like medicine?

  25. I spent 11 months having chemo every three weeks..I wish I would have had this to ease my nausea. After the drip chemo (I also took 6 chemo pills a day) I could not drink anything even cool. I was always dehydrated and had to go in to have fluids pushed also. I just never liked warm drinks outside of a cup of coffee…with the drip chemo I had it would cause deep pain and almost like a seizure..I had to wear gloved to get into the fridge..it was hard. Having this Chmo moonshine would have helped…it would have been like drinking a hot toddy.

    My nausea pills made me throw up..it was horrible..I was sick all the time. This Moonshine would have helped..I ate ginger candy all the time..until I would get heart burn but I was not allowed to take an antacid.

    I am going to share your recipe for others..Thank you .

    • I’m so sorry to hear about all you went through. I just did it for a few months and cannot imagine it being any worse. I hope it helps some of your friends.

  26. I’m not familiar with star anise. Where would I find it and what form is it used it the recipe?

    • This is what it looks like: http://theepicentre.com/spice/star-anise/ I use it whole. I have always just picked it up in the spice section of the grocery store. Certainly a store like Whole Foods or Sprouts would carry it. Good luck. It’s one of those things you buy and have forever 🙂

  27. My youngest brother has been diagnosed with lung cancer. He is going thru chemo and radiation 3 days a week and will start round 3 on Monday. I am new to all this ( I went thru breast cancer with 2 friends) and this type of cancer and amount of chemo. Did anyone try making it without using Apple juice due to the sugar content? What did they substitute? I would love to try and make this for him.

    • I just saw that Tree Top has a reduced sugar apple juice. Would that work for you?

  28. What a fantastic recipe! My sister is going through chemotherapy, and a friend shared this recipe with me. My sister is really hooked on it, and I make a batch every other week for her. I use the Manuka honey from Whole Foods. I also include ground cinnamon as suggested. I want to address the comments about the sugar content of the apple cider, b/c I also was concerned about that. I am not directing this towards those that may be diabetic, but my sister’s oncologist told her that now is not the time to be altering her diet. He said that with the potential weight loss from chemo, do not worry right now about cutting sugars. He also pointed out that our bodies do need a certain amount of sugar for proper functioning of the brain. Therefore, I did not look for low sugar contents – I went straight with the recipe – and my sister says it’s one of the best ways for her to stay hydrated. She is trying to drink more water, but this concoction has been very helpful. I also have passed this on to others that need it or know someone who does. Thanks so much for sharing it!!

    • I’m so glad to hear that Jill! For me, I felt like the apple juice helped me feel like my blood sugar was more stable when I was so dehydrated but I am not diabetic. That was just my experience with it. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I love hearing these stories. Best wishes to your sis!

  29. This recipe was just posted on an Ovarian Cancer Facebook site. I’m so excited to have found it! I’m just starting chemo again, but this type is making me nauseous this time. I can’t wait to make this! I’ve also wanted to add cider vinegar to my regular diet and this will be perfect! Thanks so much!

  30. I ran across this on pinterest. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!! I have shared it on our Facebook wall for all our friends fighting cancer. I’m going to try to get all the ingredients this weekend and have it available at our next support group. 🙂

    Janet
    Loving Arms Cancer Outreach
    Marietta, GA

  31. Thanks for the recipe. I have a friend with Lupus and one with cancer, and my youngest daughter has a friend with it. She has had it since childhood. I think this would make a great gift and can’t wait to bless them with it.

  32. I’m not in need of this right now, but will pin it for future use. I’m thrilled for you to have such an outpouring of thanks and so many ideas and views! Thank you!

  33. I am suffering from lupus, I made this n know it will relief me from my problems but tastes n smells awful wish tablets can b made out of this soon

    • I’m really sorry its not tasting or smelling good to you right now. I know when I was going through chemo everything had a metallic taste. Maybe that is it because I haven’t run across anyone that didn’t think it tasted like apple pie. Feel better.

  34. Thank you for sharing this. It is an awesome and fun idea. I am going to make some up and give to one of my friends and have some on hand for my own family. Thank you for sharing.

  35. A friend posted this to my Facebook wall. I am currently going through chemo for non-hodgkins lymphoma. I can’t wait to try it out!

    • Sending you good thoughts as you go through this. I hope this helps you. Do you have someone who could make it for you so you don’t wear yourself out?

  36. I just made this as a Christmas gift for my mom going through chemo for colon cancer and she gets her next infusion on New Years Eve so this will come in handy. What I love most about this is that it can be served warm. I know it’s mentioned to serve over crushed ice but for some people on chemo they have a sensitivity to cold. If you don’t like coffe or tea then this is a great hot beverage. My mom has been drinking warm water and hates it but now she’ll have this! Thank you for sharing!!!

  37. My sister just found out before Christmas that she has an aggressive form of breast cancer that will require aggressive chemotherapy as well as radiation. I am so happy to have found this recipe that I hope will help her. God bless you for passing this on to help others.

  38. The day after Christmas, my only brother- 33 yrs old was diagnosed with cancer. Chemo has burned his esophagus and stomach making eating very difficult for him. My mom made up a batch of this today- he drank some before dinner and he was able to eat. Thank you, thank you, thank you. ☺️

    • That’s amazing. Thank you for letting me know. Best wishes to your brother and family right now.

  39. A friend shared this on Facebook and I’ll love to send it out to my FANmily at HappyChemo.com. Can I have permission and link back to you?

  40. Hi Barb, I have just made this for a friend of mine with breast cancer. I reduced the quantity, divided by 5. Wondering if it is right that it is very vinegary and sharp? How should I adjust it if not? Thank you!

    • Just to update everyone—Michelle and I talked about this privately and she had accidentally initially used Apple Cider Vinegar as the base.

      • My daughter-in-law took the recipe list to the health food store to buy the ingredients and the gal at the store told her to get Apple Cider Vinegar instead……… We had to start all over. 🙁

        • You are the second person this week that has happened to. I will write in the post when I get the chance specifically not to buy vinegar in hopes this doesn’t happen again to someone else!

  41. Thank you for posting. My dear father-in-law will be starting his chemo on Monday. He is nervous about the nausea. I am right now making this recipe and while it’s simmering my kitchen smells amazing. I can’t wait to buy another bottle of apple cider to make a second batch.

  42. I could only find Anise that’s in a dry/powder form. Is this the same thing? How much would I use?

    • You know? I have thought about remaking this with oils but I worry that someone that has that empty and upset a stomach from chemo it may be hard on them. If you were using it just for upset stomachs I would say try it and let me know how it goes.

  44. Thank you for this recipe! I know it’s kind of a lost art, but for anyone who cans this can be processed in the same way as apple juice…in a water bath for 5 minutes at sea level or 10 minutes up to 6000 feet. Then you don’t have to worry about it spoiling.

  45. I’m making this now for a dear friend that was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Thank you very much!

  46. I am not undergoing chemo but do have frequent stomach issues associated with either chronic pancreatitis or cyclic vomiting syndrome (doctors aren’t sure which). Do you think this would help with any nausea issues?

  47. I was just wondering if you can really taste the anise in this? To me anise tastes like black licorice.

    • I like the black licorice taste to it and I definitely think it helps settle the stomach. It’s not overpowering or anything though and you could make it without.

  48. Hi Barb,
    I came across this on Pinterest and am glad I found it. My mom doesn’t have cancer, thank God, but she has other illnesses that she takes tons of pills for and always has an upset stomach. I’m going to make this for her except I won’t put in the honey as she is diabetic. Maybe some Stevia instead?

    I had an ulcer and then surgery and was put on meds. I wanted to get off those if possible and after some trials I was able to, but have to be consistent with taking apple cider vinegar. Every day, mostly in the evening, I drink an apple cider vinegar cup of tea of 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, lemon juice (to taste and optional, but I like tart) and about a 1/2 teaspoon of honey (my husband likes about 1 teaspoon of honey). If I don’t get to drink the tea, the next morning I will swallow 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar straight. This has helped me a lot. I use Bragg’s apple cider vinegar and I find this at WalMart or health food stores.

    I’ll be giving this Chemo Moonshine a try for my stomach too! I’m glad one of your readers told how to can this; I can keep this in my 72 hour bag.

  49. I have Ulcerative Colitis, which is in remission because I take an immunosuppressive med & some big time anti-inflammatory meds. I also have RA. I have issues with nausea most mornings when I take my meds. So far, I have been using Diet Coke to settle my stomach. I will try this recipe ASAP, & see if I can cut down the sugar content, as I am diabetic.
    THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING UP WITH A NATURAL TREATMENT I CAN USE. Maybe I won’t dread mornings so much now!!! Kat Caperton

  50. I am wanting to make this for a friend who is going through chemo, and I don’t have Star anise. Is this essential in the settling of nausea? I will go out and buy, but wondered if it would work without it? Thank you!

    • I think that the star anise gives it a nice black licorice flavor and really helps but it can be made without it. Do you have any mulling spices? You can usually find star anise mixed in those.

  51. This sounds amazing. I’m recently weening off two medications (with such relief) how we I’ve been feeling so dizzy, nauseous, and experiencing terrible muscle aches and headache. I can wait to try this. Blessing to
    You and all your readers xo thank you!!

  52. Hi, I start chemo Thursday and so excited to see this here… Thank you so much can’t wait to try it..

  53. Thank you for this recipe! I’m going to make it for my Dad who has been battling Pancreatic cancer for 16 months. He’s done well until recently and we are now in the thick of it as they say. Hoping this will help him in someway.

  54. Thank you so much for posting recipe ! I made a batch today for a friend and pray it will help her as she endures chemo .

  55. Thank youuu sooo much for this recipe. My sister found it online. Thank God!!! And sent me the info.
    I’m undergoing chemo for breast cancer and the side effects are killing me. I made it last night and started drinking it this morning. Let me tell that moonshine not only tastes delicious but it works!!! I’m so happy that you posted this. Thanks again. I like it so much that I also made a jar with more honey than cider and lots of ginger and spices but didn’t boil it. I going to leave it on the counter and have a tablespoon or two as a snack when I’m craving sweets. THANK YOU!!!

    • You have no idea how your comment made my day. I am so happy it is helping you. Be well and much love to you as you go through chemo.

  56. Hi Barb, I happened to run across this post while browsing Pinterest. I have shared it with our Community at http://www.WhatNext.com We hope you’re doing well with your journey! Drop in and talk with some of the patients and survivors, you can also put the RSS feed of your blog on our site through your home page at whatnext.

    Thanks for the post.
    Greg Pierce
    3X Survivor
    Community and Social Mgr
    WhatNext.com

  57. My daughter has a condition that causes her to have nausea daily. It has really helped her. Thank you for your recipe.

  61. Can I use regular apple cider (where you mix water and the powder?)
    I am very excited to give this as a gift to a good friend who is going thru chemo right now. Thanks so much!

  62. I’m thinking of trying my Instant Pot (pressure cooker) for this, have you any idea of a suggestion on time for the conversion? I know after the honey/agave goes in I will not be using the pressure part, but I wonder about the before….

    • Hmmm….I don’t know. I love my InstantPot but there is something special about this simmering on the stove. No idea how to convert it. Sorry.

  64. Hello! I’d love to make this for a friend who is about to start chemo. However, she lives quite a distance away. If I put the cinnamon etc into muslin tea bags, would it work if she microwaved the apple juice and infused the ingredients? I want it to be as hassle free as possible for her.

    Thanks!

  65. Could you make the recipe in half for the first time? I not much of a cook and I don’t have the large pot. I would like to try to make a small batch to see if my sister-in-law likes it. Would it work to try it or do you have any other suggestions? Thanks

  66. I just made a 1/4 batch of this. It is really strong. Do you dilute it to drink it or drink it straight? I am not sure I could drink it straight even though I drink apple cider vinegar daily.

  67. I know this is an old post, but my MIL is currently going through Chemo and radiation and is having such a hard time with the nausea that she wants to give up. I just went and got all of the ingredients so I can make this for her this evening! When I was at the store I did buy both Agave nectar and honey – any idea which would be better to use? I know it’s preference, but since I’m making it for her – my preference doesn’t count! Thank you for posting this and fingers crossed this helps her – we can’t let her quit!

  68. If you are taking chemotherapy you have cancer and cancer feeds off of sugars of any kind so I wouldn’t recommend this concoction.

  69. Thank you so much. My husband will start Chemo and Radiation soon, I plan on making this to have on hand.

  71. Thank you so much for this recipe!! I made it for today for my SIL who’s ended week 1 of chemo/radiation and she loved it! Not only did it make our house smell like the holidays, it really soothed her! I used 2QT Apple Juice and reduced the rest of the ingredients in 1/2 (except the cinnamon sticks). I brewed it for 10 min in the Instant Pot and it was perfect!!!

  72. Can you taste the cloves much? I can’t go the taste of them and in recipes usually decrease greatly or delete altogether.

  73. if i cannot buy the apple cider anywhere, can i just apple juice? if so which one cloudy or non cloudy

  74. Oh my gosh! This recipe is amazing. I just made it for my husband who is doing immunotherapy for his metastatic melanoma. The last infusion left him very nauseous so I’m hoping this helps. I tasted a few sips as I was bottling ot up for the fridge and freezer and was thrilled with how yummy it was. The bonus is my house smells like Christmas. Thank you again!