Suddenly everyone now swears by apple cider vinegar. There’s hardly anyone who does not think that ACV, apple cider vinegar, is the best thing after sliced bread. But is there any merit to these claims? Is ACV actually that amazing?
Well, the claims are true. In fact, ACV is by no means a modern discovery. For centuries, humans have used apple cider vinegar as a natural remedy for all kinds of ailments. Modern humans are the ones playing catch up this time as apple cider vinegar has been around for generations.
But besides its obvious health benefits, apple cider vinegar also finds uses in other areas of life and living. From beauty to cooking to household uses, apple cider vinegar is a must have. Here are some of the amazing benefits of apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar is great for people with type 2 diabetes.
There’s actual scientific evidence that apple cider vinegar can help people living with type 2 diabetes specifically.
A study published in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism revealed that two teaspoons of ACV taken together with a meal with a high level of complex carbs helped to reduce a spike in blood sugar after the meal by 20%.
Another study also revealed that taking ACV before a meal actually helps to boost insulin response as well.
Both of these effects are important in the management of type 2 diabetes.
Apple cider vinegar can also help you on your weightloss journey.
If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ve probably been advised to take some ACV. Does it actually help? Well, turns out it does.
Apple cider vinegar is very low in calories and also has a satiating effect. That is, it can help you feel full. Studies have shown that consuming a little quantity of apple cider vinegar before your meal may help you consume fewer calories, lose weight, and even help you achieve a slimmer waistline.
Still, it is important that ACV is not taken alone as a miracle weight loss drug. Taking ACV must be accompanied with the appropriate dietary changes, else there won’t be results.
Another benefit of apple cider vinegar is in aiding digestion.
Taking ACV can help take care of digestive issues such as heartburn and bloating. It also helps to improve your digestion overall by helping your stomach produce more acid.
For your food to digest properly and for nutrients to be correctly absorbed, your stomach needs to provide the right amount of acid. But sometimes, there isn’t enough acid and when that happens, food won’t be properly digested neither would the nutrients in them be absorbed by the body.
These conditions lead to digestive issues like heartburn and bloating. Sometimes, they even lead to something worse.
However, ACV can easily remedy the situation by triggering the body to produce more acid.
Besides improving digestion, apple cider vinegar is also potent against harmful bacteria.
If you have to deal with pathogens, any kind of pathogen at all in any part of your body, apple cider vinegar is a trusty ally for such situations. For centuries, ACV has been used to clean, disinfect, and treat lice, ear infections, warts, and nail fungus.
Even Hippocrates himself, father of modern medicine, over 2000 years ago used vinegar to clean wounds when taking care of his patients.
Away from the medical space, vinegar also kills pathogens in food as well, this is why it is also used as a food preservative. From research, we know that apple cider vinegar can inhibit the growth of E.coli bacteria on food. So, if you need a means to preserve your food naturally, ACV is a good choice.
The fifth benefit of apple cider vinegar we will be talking about is its anti-cancer properties. You’ve probably heard that apple cider vinegar can reduce your risk of cancer and maybe you’ve chucked it up to one of those things people say. But some test-tube studies have shown that vinegar can actually kill cancer cells.
In some other observational studies, it’s also been established that there is a relationship between the consumption of ACV and a decreased risk of esophageal cancer.
Though there isn’t sufficient evidence to say definitely that taking ACV will reduce your risk of cancer or cure it, the studies look promising.
Please, do make sure to see your oncologist and only do what they recommend if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer. Also, don’t forget a healthy lifestyle and healthy dietary choices are the best ways to lower your risk of getting cancer.
Six, apple cider vinegar is great for your hair and skin.
If you want beautiful, lustrous hair and great skin, then apple cider vinegar should be your friend. There are so many things apple cider vinegar can do for your hair and skin.
It can help you treat and prevent acne, dry skin, and eczema thanks to its antibacterial properties.
It’s great for sunburn.
It has fantastic anti-aging properties.
It can help you work through those hair tangles and reduce the frizz while at it.
ACV also treats dandruff and seals your hair cuticles so your hair retains its moisture.
And there’s more…
Naturally, your skin is somewhat acidic and it needs to maintain that pH to function well. Applying ACV topically can help to restore the natural pH of your skin, thereby, improving its function as a protective barrier.
We go a little more inward now to the heart.
Heart disease is a leading cause of death around the world and there are several risk factors for that condition. But according to research, apple cider vinegar can help to improve a number of these risk factors for heart disease.
For now, this research has only been conducted on animals. But according to animal studies, apple cider vinegar can help to lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels both of which are risk factors for heart disease. In rats, as well, apple cider vinegar has been shown to reduce blood pressure which is a risk factor not only for heart disease but for kidney problems as well.
Whether or not apple cider vinegar is helpful for preventing heart disease in humans is yet to be seen. But it’s definitely great news for our furry babies, isn’t it?
Away from the heart to the throat now, apple cider vinegar is an ancient and famous home remedy for treating sore throats.
Because ACV has antibacterial properties and sore throats are caused by bacterial infection, treating sore throat by taking a few spoons of ACV actually works. Typically, you’d dilute in water and then gargle it before spitting out.
There’s no science supporting the claim that ACV helps with sore throat but many people swear by it and say it works for them. So, you might want to try it. It might work for you. Just make sure that you dilute it sufficiently because apple cider vinegar is quite acidic. If you take it without diluting it first, it could burn your throat.
And now to the mouth. Did you know that apple cider vinegar can serve as an effective alternative to commercially made mouthwashes? Well, it can. Again, it boils down to the fact that apple cider vinegar has antibacterial properties.
As a mouthwash, therefore, ACV may help to eliminate bacteria that cause bad breath and tooth decay.
The evidence supporting how effective ACV is as a mouthwash is not sufficient as of now, though. But there’s no reason not to try it.
Just remember that ACV is highly acidic which means that it could damage your teeth if you take it undiluted. So, make sure you dilute it first before you swish in your mouth. Usually, the measurement is one tablespoon of ACV in one cup or 240 milliliters of water.
Apple cider vinegar also helps as a cooking condiment.
Many chefs and cooks use apple cider vinegar to make their marinades, especially when making steak marinades. Apple cider vinegar is known to give meat a great sweet and sour flavor that’s hard to beat.
And if you really want to knock it out of the park, then combine ACV with soy sauce, cayenne pepper, onion, and wine to make one heck of a steak that your guests will never forget!
Finally, apple cider vinegar is packed with all kinds of substances with great health benefits.
Now, apple cider vinegar is made in two steps.
First, the crushed apples are mixed with yeast which ferments the apples so they can produce alcohol. Afterward, some bacteria is thrown into the alcohol so that it ferments it further, turning it into acetic acid, the active ingredient in vinegar.
It is this acetic acid which gives vinegar its strong flavor and smell and is also responsible for most of ACV’s health benefits.
Additionally, you might have seen some apple cider vinegars advertised as coming “with the mother.” This “mother” typically refers to strands of enzymes, proteins, and good bacteria.
When ACV comes with the mother, it typically gives the ACV a somewhat turbid appearance and there are those who believe that ACV with the mother is more healthy than ACV without.
What we do know is that it is a great source of potassium, antioxidants, and amino acids, all of which have amazing health benefits for your body.
