Servings
6–8 glasses
Time
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Simmer: 15–20 minutes
- Cooling/chilling: 30–60 minutes
- Total: about 1 hour
Ingredients
- 4 cups (about 400–500 g) chopped purple/red cabbage
- 1 cup (150 g) fresh or frozen blueberries
- 5 cups (1.2 L) water
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice, about 2–3 lemons
- 2–3 tbsp honey, or to taste
- ½ tsp whole cloves, optional
- 1 small cinnamon stick, optional
- 4–6 fresh mint leaves
- Lemon slices, for garnish
- Ice cubes, for serving
- 1 cup cold water, optional, if you want to dilute it
The combination of purple cabbage, blueberries, lemon and honey is commonly used for this naturally purple drink.
Method
1. Prepare the ingredients
Wash the cabbage and blueberries thoroughly. Roughly chop the cabbage into small pieces.
2. Start the infusion
Add the chopped cabbage, blueberries, water, cinnamon stick and cloves to a large saucepan.
3. Simmer
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes. The liquid should become a deep purple color.
4. Cool slightly
Remove from the heat and allow it to cool for about 10–15 minutes.
5. Strain
Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large pitcher. Press the cabbage and blueberries gently with a spoon to extract the liquid.
6. Sweeten
While the liquid is still slightly warm, stir in 2–3 tablespoons honey until dissolved.
7. Add lemon
Once the drink has cooled further, stir in the fresh lemon juice. Lemon acidity can change the natural cabbage pigments toward a brighter purple/pink color.
8. Chill
Refrigerate for at least 30–60 minutes.
9. Serve
Fill glasses with ice. Pour in the chilled drink and garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint.
Nut & Allergen Information
Nuts: Naturally nut-free when prepared with the ingredients listed.
Dairy: None.
Egg: None.
Gluten: Naturally gluten-free, assuming all packaged ingredients used are certified/labelled appropriately.
Honey: This recipe contains honey. If you prefer, you can use sugar or maple syrup instead.
Approximate Nutrition
Per glass, assuming 8 servings:
- Calories: ~40–60 kcal
- Carbohydrates: ~10–14 g
- Protein: ~1 g
- Fat: <1 g
- Fiber: ~1–2 g
- Sugar: ~8–12 g
The exact values depend mainly on the amount of honey and how much cabbage/blueberry material remains after straining.
Q&A
Q: Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes. Frozen blueberries work very well.
Q: Can I make it without honey?
Yes. Leave it unsweetened or use a little maple syrup/sugar according to your taste.
Q: Why does the color change when I add lemon?
Purple cabbage contains natural anthocyanin pigments whose color changes depending on acidity, so lemon can make the drink appear more reddish-purple.
Q: Can I skip the cloves and cinnamon?
Absolutely. They are optional and mainly add warm spice flavor.
Q: How long does it last?
Keep it covered and refrigerated and use within about 3–4 days for best quality.
Q: Is this a detox or medicine?
It is best treated as a refreshing homemade beverage, not a medical treatment or “detox cure.” There isn’t good evidence that it treats diseases or replaces medical treatment.