Your Ultimate Guide to Apple Cider Vinegar

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Apples and health a match made in heaven...

Table of Content

  • What is Apple Cider Vinegar? 
  • What are the Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar?
  • What Conditions Can Apple Cider Vinegar Cure? 
  • How Should You Use Apple Cider Vinegar?
  • Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss
  • How to Incorporate Apple Cider Vinegar Into Your Life and Diet 
  • Why fermentation in ACV is Great for Your Body
  • Side Effects of Apple Cider Vinegar 

What is Apple Cider Vinegar? 

Apple Cider Vinegar also called ACV is vinegar made from fermented apple juice. Usually used in vinaigrettes, marinades and salad dressings or even as a food preservatives.

To produce ACV, you simply need to crush apples, squeeze them out to a juice, add yeast, bacterias and the juice produced is ACV.

Yeast is what ferments the cider. In recent times, Apple Cider Vinegar has been referred to as a miracle tonic and is believed to come with quite a large number of health benefits for people who use it.

Ahead, we’re going to be looking at the benefits ACV and why it’s such a powerful elixir. 

(https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/apple-cider-vinegar-weight-loss)

Does Apple Cider Vinegar Really Work?

Many people believe that Apple Cider Vinegar is loaded with health benefits that include- dealing with acne, helping with weight loss, better metabolism along with a number of other benefits.

The benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar are actually a lot more than you think, making it an something that can be a great addition to your overall diet and lifestyle. Ahead we’ll find out how well Apple Cider Vinegar really does…

A Apple day…is still true.

(https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-proven-health-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar)

What are the Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar ?

  • ACV helps to keep your heart and cardiovascular system healthy by increasing the level of good cholesterol in your body. Of course it is common knowledge that cholesterol levels have a major role to play in the health of our hearts and ACV can help to ensure that only the good cholesterol stays. 
  • Regularly consuming unfiltered ACV can help to get rid of belly fat. ACV can provide an excellent solution if you have excess pounds around your midsection.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar can help to satisfy your hunger cravings hence keeping your appetite in check. The effect of having your appetite in check is that your levels of craving for food considerably reduces. This will in turn helping to prevent the excess belly fat. 
  • Apple Cider Vinegar can help to maintain a healthy pH balance in your body and thus, enable better digestive functions. The human body is constantly working on maintaining proper equilibrium or homeostasis in order to keep everything works just right. ACV can help to ensure this as it maintains pH balance. 
  • Detoxifying your liver is another great benefit that ACV offers. This can help to improve bodily functions and enable overall good health. In addition, ACV helps to build a healthy and strong lymphatic system. This will that lymph is properly circulated. 
  • Free radicals are not a great addition to anyone’s body and can come with a number of unhealthy implications. Free radicals can cause problems like emphysema, arthritis and immune diseases.
  • Drinking ACV can help keep away these free radicals and prevent damage and stress from oxidation from kicking cell membranes and essential body tissues. This will in turn, ensure that the body stays healthy and in good shape. 
  • Apple Cider Vinegar can also enable the lowering of blood sugar levels. ACV can naturally regulate the body’s healthy blood sugar levels. This is an excellent benefit for people suffering from Type Two Diabetes. 
  • ACV can help to protect your body from harmful bacteria and pathogens like E. Coli and other unhealthy foreign bodies. The Acetic Acid present in Apple Cider Vinegar will help to prevent harmful bacteria from growing in your body. 
  • Apple Cider Vinegar can help to prevent brittleness in your bones. Apple Cider Vinegar will help to strengthen your skeletal system and help your body sufficiently absorb the calcium that it needs. This will help to prevent conditions like osteoporosis and keep your bones strong as they need to be. 
  • Apple Cider Vinegar contains anticancer properties that can help to prevent the growth of cancer cells and also prevent the likelihood of cancer. It can also help to reduce tumors.
  • ACV can help to keep premature aging at bay with its antioxidant properties. Since ACV can help to maintain pH balance, it can also help to slow down the process of aging and make you feel a lot younger. With its antioxidant properties, ACV can help to provide sufficient fluid and moisture to the body hence keeping away the wrinkling effects that come with aging and helping you to look and feel younger. 

What Conditions Can Apple Cider Vinegar Cure ?

  • Itchy bug bites: Apple Cider Vinegar can help you get rid of the unpleasant irritations that come with bug bites, mosquito bites, poison Ivy or even jellyfish stings.
  • Just apply a little bit of ACV to the affected spot and you’re good. You should, of course, dilute the ACV before applying to your skin and direct application of concentrated ACV may not be very favorable to the skin. 
  • Dandruff: No one likes the persistent flakes and itchiness that dandruff typically comes with. The acetic acid in ACV can alter the pH level of the scalp making it difficult for yeast (which causes dandruff) to grow or thrive on your scalp.
  • Spraying some amount of ACV and leaving it on the scalp for up to 15 minutes before washing, once or twice a week, can usually do the trick. Remember to use this in small amounts and avoid contact with the eyes or ears especially when you’re washing it out. 
  • Minor sunburn: All things being equal, minor sunburns can usually be taken care of with cold water baths. However, you can add some amount of ACV to your bath water to your bath water or just mix with cold water and apply to the affected areas for relief from sunburn. Avoid applying concentrated ACV to the skin as the acid content might cause further injury to the skin. 
  • Sore throat: You can mix a teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar with a teaspoon of honey, and a tiny quantity of cayenne pepper, stir these in a glass of warm water and gargle. This will help to provide a soothing relief from sore throat. 
  • Pimples and Acne: Dabbing a diluted solution of Apple Cider Vinegar onto affected areas can help to dry out and get rid of pimples and acne. Note that diluting is an important step in the process in order to prevent any further injury to the skin. You sure do not want any of the damaging effects of concentrated acid to stay on your face. 
  • Indigestion and heartburn: Apple Cider Vinegar can help to ease a number of digestive conditions like diarrhea and constipation as well as acid reflux and some types of heartburn.
  • Since a lack of stomach acid is believed to cause heartburn in some people, the acidic content of Apple Cider Vinegar is thought to work to save this situation. However, some people have experienced worse conditions of reflux after using Apple Cider Vinegar. See https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324034.php for how safe or not ACV can be for this condition. 
  • Foot odor: Apple Cider Vinegar can help to get rid of foot odor by balancing the pH of the skin and fighting the bacteria that causes odor. A small towel, cotton pads or even baby wipes can be dipped in a solution of Apple Cider Vinegar and water and used to clean the bottom of the feet after the solution has been squeezed out.
  • The smell of this can usually linger on for a short while after the application of ACV but will die out as the liquid dries out. 

Shoes made of materials like leather could be damaged by the acidity so you might wear these shortly afterwards. 

  • Body Odor: Apple Cider Vinegar can also help to get rid of the bacteria that causes odor at the armpits. Just like with feet, you can dip a small towel, baby wipes or cotton pads into a solution of Apple Cider Vinegar and use it to wipe the armpits.
  • Ensure that the solution is weak enough not to cause any injuries to the skin. If you have very weak or delicate skin, you might consider avoiding this entirely. 

If the fabric of your cloth is as delicate as silk, however, you might want to avoid using ACV. 

  • Hiccups: Adding several drops of Apple Cider Vinegar to a teaspoon of sugar and consuming this can help to keep away the hiccups.
  • The sour taste of the vinegar combined with the grainy texture of the sugar will come together to control the nerves at the mouth and throat which trigger hiccups. 

It is important to note that before trying to use Apple Cider Vinegar to cure any condition, consulting with your health care provider is always a smart option. 

Braggs the most popuar Apple Cider Vinegar in America
Braggs the most popular Apple Cider Vinegar in America

How Should you use Apple Cider Vinegar ?

Most suggested used of Apple Cider Vinegar have involved diluting the ACV in water before applying to the body in order to avoid causing injury to the skin because of the acidic content of ACV.

However, the exact safety ratio of vinegar to water in different uses is not known yet. 

The suggested ratio for applying Apple Cider Vinegar to the skin is 1:10 as in vinegar to water. However, if you have weak or delicate skin, the solution should be weaker or ACV should be completely avoided. 

As for internal use, a teaspoon or a tablespoon mixed in 8 ounces of water is usually the suggested ratio. However, it is not yet known how safe the dose is. 

The safest way to use Apple Cider Vinegar is probably by diluting it very highly even though it can be difficult to be sure of the true strength of ACV since the quantity of acetic acid in commercial ACV varies.

Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss

The main active component in Apple Cider Vinegar is acetic acid. This acid present in Apple Cider Vinegar can help to promote weight loss in a number of ways. Let’s take a look at those ways. 

Acetic acid can help to reduce insulin levels in the body in comparison to glucagon. This reduction of insulin can help to burn fat and enable weight loss.

In addition, ACV can help to improve the metabolism of the body and enable an increase of the enzyme AMPK. This can also help to burn far as well as decrease the production of fat and sugar in the liver. 

Acetic acid will also help to increase the manifold of genes which are responsible for reducing liver fat and the storage of belly fat.

This acid additionally has the capacity to suppress appetite leading to a reduced craving for food and a reduced intake of food leading to a loss of weight. 

Apple Cider Vinegar will help you to feel fuller hence enabling a reduced intake of calories. What’s more? ACV can slow down the rate at which food leaves your stomach making it less likely for you to quickly feel hunger and cravings for food. H

How to Incorporate Apple Cider Vinegar into Your Life and Diet 

Let’s face it, Apple Cider Vinegar doesn’t exactly taste nice and it’s not every time you want to have that drink screwing up your face.

Of course you do not want to let go of it for the benefits that it comes with and guess what? You don’t have to let go. Here are simple ways to incorporate ACV into your diet to make it tastier and easier to swallow. 

  • Mix about 1 to 3 teaspoons of ACV in warm water and add some honey to make it taste better. Drink this in the morning about 30 minutes before your first meal. 
  • Add a teaspoon of your Apple Cider Vinegar to any smoothie you’ve made or even juice and go on and enjoy it. 
  • You can use ACV for citrus sauce by mixing it with lime, honey, soy and ginger as a marinade for fish. You can also use this as a dressing for vegetables and salads. 
  • You can use ACV in your vegan quinoa sushi rolls. You can also mix it with paste, soy sauce and honey as spicing for your roasted salmon. 
  • You can add ACV to soy broth with tofu and use it as a base for soup. 
  • Adding ACV to red cabbage can also be a very great addition to the Kale and Seaweed salad 
  • Your poached eggs will love the flavor of Apple Cider Vinegar sitting right there with them. You’ll love to have that too in place of the usual vinegar. 
  • Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with lemon, garlic and tahini will also be a great addition to your food and will easily add a nice flavor. 
  • Now who says you can’t use Apple Cider Vinegar for your handy tea. Mix 2 teaspoons of ACV with root turmeric, fresh root ginger and half a lemon in a teapot. Add warm water as you would like it and enjoy. 

Why fermentation in ACV is Great for Your Body

On a general note, fermented foods are incredibly healthy and come with a lot of health benefits enabling overall well-being. Here are some of the benefits of fermented foods:

  • Fermented foods can help to heal and protect your immune system by preventing the growth of bad bacteria which could lead to autoimmune disorders including Celiac and Addison’s disease. 
  • These foods can help to increase the gut flora which strengthens digestion and helps get rid of harmful waste through the bowels.
  • Foods that are fermented are excellent with enabling detoxification and clearing out different kinds of heavy metals such as aluminum, lead and mercury and helping to hold them where they could finally be gotten rid of through stool. 
  • Fermentation can protect the guts and by doing so, protect the mind to enable a smarter and clearer mind. 
  • Also these foods can enhance skin beauty by helping to eliminate bad bacteria and toxic load as well as get rid of skin conditions like eczema, acne and psoriasis. 
  • By fermenting you enable pH balance thereby promoting overall health and wellness. 
  • Fermented foods are typically very nutritious and will fill the gut with healthy probiotics building essential nutrients like biotin, vitamins B12, B6 and K2. 
  • Fermentation also helps to stabilize blood sugar which will balance appetite and release insulin. These will respectively reduce the craving for food and reduce the storage of fat hence, enabling weight loss. 

The fermentation in ACV is therefore, great for your body for all the above reasons.

Apple Cider Vinegar is good for your skin
ACV is good for your skin and body

Side Effects of Apple Cider Vinegar

As great as Apple Cider Vinegar can be, it also comes with adverse effects if used wrongly or in excess concentration. Some of the side effects of ACV are even a direct reverse of the positive results it can have. Let’s look at some of them. 

  • Overusing ACV can damage the esophagus, stomach lining and tooth enamel because it’s high acid content. Direct application on the skin can also cause burning sensations and irritation. 
  • Apple Cider Vinegar can react to some drugs like diuretics, laxatives and insulin. ACV has straight effects on blood sugar levels as well as insulin levels. It can therefore be very dangerous to take it with diabetes or blood pressure medications. 
  • Consuming undiluted ACV orally can lead to a damaged tooth enamel causing a yellowish coloration because of its high level of acidity. In addition, ACV can also increase the levels of your dental sensitivity. 
  • Apple Cider Vinegar can also cause gastrointestinal problems like indigestion, diarrhea and heartburn especially if you’re using it for detoxification. 
  • Apple Cider Vinegar can cause low potassium levels. The high acetic acid content of ACV can cause a condition called hypokalemia which actually means low levels of potassium in your blood. This condition can cause associated symptoms like paralysis, cramps, weakness, nausea, low blood pressure, frequent urination and changes in the rhythm of the heart. 
  • Apple Cider Vinegar can decrease the mineral density of the bone making the bones brittle and weak. If you are suffering from osteoporosis, you should therefore, be very careful with the use of ACV. 
  • High usage of Apple Cider Vinegar can unhealthily lower the levels of sugar in the blood as a result of the antiglycemic effects it can have on the blood. It may also, in some cases, cause diabetic hypoglycemia and hence, stop the supply of glucose to the brain. This can cause disastrous situations like unconsciousness and coma. 
  • Apple Cider Vinegar can reduce the levels of mineral in the body by eliminating both good and bad substances from our bodies hence, getting rid of even essential nutrients. 
  • The presence of acetic acid in Apple Cider Vinegar can also lead to sore throat if overused. 
  • Overusing Apple Cider Vinegar will also cause really painful headaches which can also be accompanied by nausea. This is as a result of the detoxification which ACV encourages causing our brains to release harmful toxins. This action can usually cause headaches and nausea. 
  • Apple Cider Vinegar can cause itchy skin and acne. This is because while Apple Cider Vinegar is excellent for getting rid of toxins in the body, these toxins are eliminated through the skin and can hence, take its toll on the skin.

In all, it is essential to note that most of these side effects are caused by overuse and sometimes pre-existing conditions. It is always best to consult your health care provider in order to be on the safe side. 

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