When your joints ache and creak, you probably want relief. Will you reach for aspirin or Aleve or try a glass of a juice-vinegar mixture? Some readers are surprisingly enthusiastic about home remedies based on grape juice.
Apple & Grape Juice-Vinegar Mixture for Arthritis:
Q. When you recommend grape juice, apple juice and apple cider vinegar for joint pain, what proportions do we use of each?
A. We haven’t seen any studies of this mixture. According to folklore, though, Sam Houston drank a half-cup every day of five parts grape juice, three parts apple juice and one part cider vinegar.
No one really knows where most home remedies come from or why they work. Without actual studies, we have to admit we don’t even know whether they work, but we have heard from many readers who find that a juice-vinegar or juice-pectin combination is helpful. Back in the 20th century, the Vermont country doctor D.C. Jarvis promoted a drink containing 8 oz. of water, 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar (ACV) and 2 tsp. honey. He reported that he learned about this remedy from his patients and he claimed that it eased joint pain.
Readers Offer Testimonial on Juice-Vinegar Combo with Pectin:
Q. My husband and I are interested in arthritis remedies. We’ve been taking cider vinegar and honey in a cup of hot water to ease the pain in our finger joints.
Even so, my husband’s thumbs hurt so much he could hardly grasp anything, and I recently developed a hard painful lump on my right ring finger.
We read in your column about a solution of five parts grape juice, three parts apple juice and one part cider vinegar. Then we also read about Certo and grape juice. We decided to combine these remedies and added two parts of Certo to the apple-grape-cider mixture.
Within a couple of weeks the lump on my finger went away and the finger became less painful and stiff. It must have been the Certo. What does it do?
Pectin Against Inflammation:
A. We wish we could tell you. The Certo and grape juice remedy has been used for decades to relieve joint pain. Certo is liquid plant pectin. Home canners use it to “stiffen” jams and jellies.
There’s no scientific research on this remedy, but we’re delighted you got such relief for your joint pain. Research suggests that grape juice has anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, scientists report that modified citrus pectin counteracts inflammation in laboratory animals (Nutrients, Nov. 1, 2019).
Anyone who would like to know more about this and many other popular arthritis remedies may download our Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis.
Another reader wrote about her experience:
“My sister who has had one hip replaced twice was having days where she could not hardly move until mid afternoon because of arthritis pains. I told her about the pectin (Certo) and grape juice, and being my older sister I didn’t think she would listen but she called and said she was starting. I told her don’t expect anything overnight it will take a couple of weeks.
“In the meantime, I had been having ‘hippy’ type of flare-ups myself so I thought what is good for the goose is good for the gander and went and got my bottle of Welch’s grape juice and packet of liquid Certo and off I went.
“I have to tell you BOTH of us are feeling the results…when my sister told me she was so much better, I was like harrah harrah… she listened.”
If you would like to see how to make the classic Certo and grape juice formula or the Sam Houston drink, here is a video to show you how they are prepared. Download our Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis for written details and many other remedies for joint pain. If you experiment with a juice-vinegar mixture, with or without pectin, please let us know whether it helps you.
