Apple Cider Vinegar Drink With Honey and Lemon: Easy Recipe & Benefits

An apple cider vinegar drink with honey and lemon is one of the simplest ways to dilute apple cider vinegar and make its strong flavor easier to enjoy.

The basic recipe needs only four ingredients: apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon juice, honey, and water.

It has also become a popular morning drink, but there is plenty of exaggerated information online about what it actually does.

Here is how to make it, why people drink it, and what the research actually supports.

Apple Cider Vinegar Drink With Honey and Lemon Recipe

Ingredients

• 8–12 ounces water
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1–2 teaspoons honey
• Ice, optional

Directions

1. Pour 8–12 ounces of water into a glass.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
4. Stir in 1–2 teaspoons of honey.
5. Mix thoroughly and serve cold or at room temperature.

If you are new to apple cider vinegar, start with 1 teaspoon rather than a full tablespoon and see how you tolerate the acidity.

AppleCiderVinegar.com also includes a similar diluted drink in its guide to six easy Fairchild’s apple cider vinegar recipes.

What Does Apple Cider Vinegar With Honey and Lemon Taste Like?

Each ingredient does something different.

Apple cider vinegar supplies most of the acidity and gives the drink its characteristic sharp vinegar flavor.

Lemon adds a fresher citrus acidity.

Honey softens both acidic flavors with sweetness.

The result is considerably easier for many people to drink than apple cider vinegar mixed with water alone.

You can adjust the ratios depending on your taste. More water or honey makes the drink milder, while additional ACV or lemon makes it sharper.

Why Do People Drink Apple Cider Vinegar With Honey and Lemon?

There is no shortage of claims surrounding ACV drinks.

Some are based on legitimate research. Others have been exaggerated far beyond what the science actually demonstrates.

The most extensively researched component in this drink is apple cider vinegar.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Blood Sugar

Several human studies have investigated vinegar or apple cider vinegar in relation to blood glucose.

For example, a 2023 randomized clinical trial involving people with type 2 diabetes reported improvements in several blood-glucose and lipid measures after daily ACV consumption during the study period. The authors also noted that larger and longer studies are needed. View the study on PubMed.

A separate randomized clinical trial published in 2019 also found improvements in certain glycemic measures among people with type 2 diabetes consuming apple vinegar. View the study on PubMed.

This does not mean that an ACV drink treats or cures diabetes, and people taking glucose-lowering medications should discuss significant dietary changes with their healthcare provider.

You can explore more evidence-based ACV research in the ACV Library.

What About the Lemon?

Fresh lemon mainly contributes flavor and allows you to make a bright, refreshing drink without relying on artificial flavoring.

It also supplies vitamin C and other naturally occurring compounds found in citrus fruit.

However, adding lemon does not transform apple cider vinegar into a medically proven “detox” beverage.

What About the Honey?

Honey primarily gives this drink sweetness and balances the aggressive acidity of vinegar and lemon.

That can make diluted ACV considerably more enjoyable.

Honey is still a source of sugar, however, so adding more is not necessarily better.

Importantly, the CDC recommends never giving honey to children younger than 12 months because of the risk of infant botulism. CDC: Foods and Drinks to Avoid or Limit.

Does Apple Cider Vinegar With Honey and Lemon Detox Your Body?

There is no strong clinical evidence establishing this drink as a special human “detox.”

Your liver and kidneys already perform major roles in processing and eliminating substances from your body.

That does not make the drink useless.

It simply means there is no reason to pretend a pleasant mixture of ACV, lemon, honey, and water has magical cleansing properties.

A better reason to drink it is much simpler:

You like it.

It gives you a convenient way to consume diluted apple cider vinegar as part of your normal diet.

What Is the Best Apple Cider Vinegar for This Drink?

You can make the drink with several varieties of ACV.

For someone who wants a raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar with the Mother, we particularly like Fairchild’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.

Fairchild’s is made from organic apples and its bottle is labeled raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized, with the Mother, and “No Water Added.”

Because of that full-strength style, its flavor can be noticeably bold—which is precisely where lemon and honey work well.

You can see Fairchild’s full apple cider vinegar collection here.

AppleCiderVinegar.com's guide to raw apple cider vinegar with the Mother explains what “raw,” “unfiltered,” and “the Mother” actually mean.

Should You Drink It in the Morning?

You can, but you don't have to.

There isn't a magic hour when apple cider vinegar suddenly becomes effective.

Some people enjoy an ACV drink as part of their morning routine. Others prefer it around meals or simply whenever they want it.

Consistency, tolerance, and your overall diet matter more than an arbitrary time on the clock.

Can You Drink Apple Cider Vinegar, Honey and Lemon Every Day?

Some people incorporate diluted ACV into their diets regularly, but more isn't automatically better.

Apple cider vinegar and lemon juice are both acidic.

The American Dental Association notes that repeated exposure to acidic foods and beverages can contribute to dental erosion. Read the ADA overview of dental erosion.

For that reason:

• Always dilute apple cider vinegar.
• Don't hold or swish the drink around your mouth.
• Consider rinsing your mouth with plain water afterward.
• Avoid constantly sipping an acidic drink over many hours.
• Stop if it causes persistent stomach, throat, or dental discomfort.

Drinking straight apple cider vinegar is unnecessary.

Cold Water or Warm Water?

Either works.

Cold water creates a crisp, refreshing drink.

Warm—not boiling—water helps honey dissolve quickly and can make the drink feel more like tea.

This is mainly personal preference rather than a meaningful nutritional difference.

Easy Variations

Once you've made the basic drink, several additions work particularly well.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon, Honey and Ginger

Add freshly grated ginger or a few thin ginger slices.

Ginger gives the drink extra heat and works naturally with lemon.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Honey, Lemon and Cinnamon

Add a small pinch of ground cinnamon.

Don't overdo it; a little goes a long way.

Sparkling ACV Lemon Drink

Mix the ACV, lemon, and honey with a small amount of still water first, then top it with sparkling water.

It becomes something closer to a homemade vinegar refresher.

If you'd rather buy a prepared version, AppleCiderVinegar.com also carries Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar Refreshers with ginger, lemon and honey.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much apple cider vinegar should I put in lemon and honey water?

For a simple drink, try 1 tablespoon of ACV in 8–12 ounces of water. Beginners can start with 1 teaspoon.

Can you mix apple cider vinegar, honey and lemon together?

Yes. The combination makes a simple sweet-and-sour ACV drink. Diluting the vinegar in a full glass of water also makes it much easier to drink than straight vinegar.

Can I make it without honey?

Absolutely.

Honey is primarily there for flavor and sweetness. Leave it out if you prefer an unsweetened drink.

Is apple cider vinegar with honey and lemon good for weight loss?

It should not be treated as a weight-loss miracle.

ACV has been studied for several metabolic outcomes, but no drink can substitute for an overall calorie-appropriate diet, physical activity, sleep, and other fundamentals of weight management.

Does apple cider vinegar with lemon and honey burn belly fat?

There is no good evidence that this particular mixture selectively “burns belly fat.”

Claims that one drink targets fat in a specific part of the body should be viewed skeptically.

Do I need apple cider vinegar with the Mother?

No.

You can make this recipe with filtered or unfiltered apple cider vinegar.

If you specifically prefer traditional raw, unfiltered ACV, though, a product containing the Mother is an option.

The Bottom Line

An apple cider vinegar drink with honey and lemon doesn't need miracle claims to be worthwhile.

It's simply a refreshing way to combine diluted apple cider vinegar with the brightness of fresh lemon and enough honey to balance the acidity.

Start with:

8–12 ounces water + 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar + 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1–2 teaspoons honey.

Adjust it until you find the balance you enjoy.

If you want to experiment with different types of vinegar, brands, recipes, and evidence-based ACV guides, explore The ACV Library.

And if you're looking for the raw, organic ACV we recommend for a bold version of this drink, explore the Fairchild’s Apple Cider Vinegar collection.

Sources

• AppleCiderVinegar.com — Six Easy Fairchild's Apple Cider Vinegar Recipes
• AppleCiderVinegar.com — What Is Raw Apple Cider Vinegar With the Mother?
• PubMed — 2023 randomized clinical trial on ACV and type 2 diabetes
• PubMed — 2019 randomized clinical trial on apple vinegar and glycemic measures
• American Dental Association — Dental Erosion
• CDC — Foods and Drinks to Avoid or Limit