Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) and All Its Benefits
There are no official guidelines on taking vinegar internally. Some people take one to two teaspoons a day, mixed with a glass of water, before meals or in the morning, and they report benefits from doing so. The risk of taking small amounts of vinegar is low, and studies suggest that it may have real health benefits.
• Diabetes
Vinegar is known to be an anti-glycemic and has a beneficial effect on blood sugar. It is thought that the acetic acid in vinegar can lower blood sugar by preventing the complete digestion of complex carbohydrates, which is accomplished either by accelerating gastric emptying or by increasing glucose uptake by body tissues. One theory is that vinegar may inactivate some of the digestive enzymes that break carbohydrates down into sugar, thus slowing the conversion of complex carbohydrates into sugar from a meal into your bloodstream. This gives your body more time to extract sugar from your blood, preventing your blood sugar from spiking. Many studies also support the use of vinegar as a treatment for diabetes.
• Heart Health
Vinegar promotes heart health in several ways. As explained in the Journal of Food Science: “Polyphenols such as chlorogenic acid, present at high levels in cider vinegar, could inhibit LDL oxidation and improve health by preventing cardiovascular diseases. One study showed that vinegar could reduce cholesterol in laboratory rats, while another study on rats found that their blood pressure could be lowered by the acetic acid contained in vinegar. Vinegar is also known to lower triglyceride levels and VLDL levels (the harmful form of cholesterol) in animal studies.
• Weight Loss
Vinegar can help with weight loss, as it seems to have an anti-obesity effect by increasing satiety and reducing the total amount of food consumed. For example, when volunteers consumed a small amount of vinegar with a high-carbohydrate meal (a bagel and juice), they consumed less food for the rest of the day. The reduction amounted to about 200-275 calories per day, an amount that could lead to a monthly weight loss of up to 680g. In addition, separate studies have found that taking vinegar with bread not only reduced glucose and insulin responses, but also increased satiety levels. The level of satiety was directly related to the acetic acid content in vinegar.
• Sinus Congestion
Apple cider vinegar helps break down and reduce mucus in your body, helping to clean out your sinuses. It also has antibacterial properties, making it useful against infections. Here’s what to do:
1. Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to a cup of warm, filtered water, then stir until well mixed.
2. Pour some of the mixture into your palm (make sure to wash your hands first), then sniff it up one nostril at a time. Plug the other nostril with your other hand. Repeat on the other side.
• Sore Throat
The antibacterial properties of apple cider vinegar can also be helpful for sore throats. Gargle with a mixture of about a third of a cup of apple cider vinegar mixed with warm water, as needed. You can also use undiluted ACV for this purpose:
1. Sip a small amount of undiluted apple cider vinegar.
2. If you can tolerate it, repeat several times a day.
3. Keep an interval of 30 minutes between each sip. Make sure to drink water after each dose.
• Acid Reflux and Other Digestive Issues
Acid reflux is generally caused by a lack of acid in the stomach. You can easily improve the acid content of your stomach by taking a tablespoon of unfiltered raw apple cider vinegar in a large glass of water daily. The pectin in apple cider vinegar can also help soothe intestinal spasms. Additionally, apple cider vinegar not only efficiently stimulates digestive juices that help break down food, but it also contains healthy acids such as isobutyric, acetic, propionic, and lactic acids that can control the growth of unwanted yeasts and bacteria in your stomach and throughout your body.
• The stimulation of liver detoxification
Studies have shown that ACV plays a role in liver detoxification and can stimulate circulation. It also has healing properties that can affect the skin and blood and eliminate harmful environmental toxins in the body. ACV can also clean the lymph nodes and promote better lymphatic circulation, which can contribute to improving the immune system response.
• Candida overgrowth
The presence of an excess of Candida bacteria, a natural yeast in your body, is linked to many different health problems, including yeast infections, fatigue, poor memory, depression, headaches, sugar cravings. Candida overgrowth usually occurs when the body is too acidic due to excessive consumption of processed foods or sugar, or if there are not enough good bacteria in your system. Because ACV is fermented with beneficial yeast, it can serve as a prebiotic for healthy bacteria, essentially aiding in the development of good bacteria.
To your good health!