Apple cider vinegar has been used as a folk remedy since ancient times. Lately, its popularity has been increasing as more people search for natural ways to get healthier.
While apple cider vinegar may not be able to cure every ailment under the sun, it does have some amazing health benefits.
Here are 7 reasons why you should have apple cider vinegar in your home:
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1. Apple cider vinegar could help you lose weight
In one study performed in Japan, obese people who drank vinegar every day experienced reductions in body weight, body mass index, visceral fat, waist circumference, and serum triglycerides.
Another study showed that mice given acetic acid, the active ingredient in apple cider vinegar and other types of vinegar, were less likely to accumulate fat than mice given water, despite eating the same food.
2. It lowers cholesterol
Apple cider vinegar contains pectin, a type of fiber that is found in apples and other fruits and vegetables. Pectin reduces levels of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol).
3. Apple cider vinegar helps control blood sugar
Research shows that acetic acid reduces blood glucose levels. The fiber in apple cider vinegar also helps keep blood sugar under control. When people at risk for diabetes had apple cider vinegar twice a day with meals for 12 weeks, their blood glucose levels dropped.
4. It contains antioxidants
Apple cider vinegar contains beta carotene and polyphenols. These are antioxidants, substances than can prevent free radical damage. Free radicals harm your DNA and might increase the risk of cancer, heart disease and other serious medical conditions.
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5. Apple cider vinegar has healthy minerals
It contains potassium and magnesium, both of which are important for healthy bones, healthy muscles and a healthy nervous system. Potassium and magnesium help regulate blood pressure and blood glucose levels.
Research shows that a diet high in potassium reduces blood pressure, decreases the risk of osteoporosis, can slow the progression of kidney disease and can reduce the risk of death from heart disease. Increasing your magnesium intake can lower your blood pressure, help reduce your risk of developing diabetes and help prevent obesity, heart disease and stroke.
5. It’s fermented
Why drink apple cider vinegar when you can just eat apples? Well, apple cider vinegar is fermented. It forms when bacteria and yeast break down the sugars in apples, first converting them to alcohol and then to vinegar, in a process known as fermentation.
Some of the yeast and bacteria in fermented foods remain in your intestines, where they help you digest other foods. Fermented foods can prevent symptoms of food allergies, food intolerances, Crohn’s Disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
They strengthen your immune system by preventing unhealthy microorganisms from growing in your intestines, and can help prevent yeast infections and urinary tract infections.
6. Apple cider vinegar is an antiseptic
Vinegar has been used as an antiseptic for a long time. It was once used to treat plague. Many studies show that it kills harmful microorganisms.
Apple cider vinegar’s antiseptic properties make it a good choice as a household cleaner. Use it to keep your house clean and pleasant smelling without exposing yourself to toxic chemicals.
7. It will give you beautiful hair
For lustrous hair that is full of body and bounce, rinse with apple cider vinegar after shampooing. If you live in a hard water area, apple cider vinegar will prevent calcium build-up on your hair.
How to Take Apple Cider Vinegar
You can drink apple cider vinegar or take pills that contain it. If you can, buy liquid apple cider vinegar and drink it. When you buy pills, you can’t be sure how much apple cider vinegar they contain.
Before drinking apple cider vinegar, be sure to dilute it in water as the acid can irritate your throat and upset your stomach. Try diluting one teaspoon in eight ounces of water.
Be Careful
If you are taking diuretics, speak to your doctor before having apple cider vinegar. It can cause problems with your potassium levels. People with diabetes shouldn’t have apple cider vinegar without seeking medical advice first.
Additional Sources:
The antimicrobial effect of acetic acid—An alternative to common local antiseptics?, Burns
Beneficial effects of potassium on human health, Physiologia Plantarum
Highly Methoxylated Pectin Improves Insulin Resistance and Other Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Zucker Fatty Rats, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Magnesium in Hypertension, Cardiovascular Disease, Metabolic Syndrome, and Other Conditions: A Review, Nutrition in Clinical Practice
Magnesium Intake and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Men and Women, American Diabetes Association