For quite some time now, recently, the heath circles have been talking about Apple Cider Vinegar or ACV. One can easily say that the apple cider vinegar has gotten itself promoted from being just a kitchen staple to currently a ‘health elixir’. This tangy liquid is considered to be packed with quite potential benefits that can have beneficial effects on your well-being.
Does not matter if you are just looking to simply add a little zesty kick to your meal, or if you are looking for ways to manage your weight or to get your blood sugar levels to be stable, your go-to solution can be apple cider vinegar.
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
One needs to know and understand any item before consuming it, be it for health benefits or for any other reason. Thus, here is a little background. Apple cider vinegar or cider vinegar is simply just vinegar made with cider, i.e. fermented apple juice.
Apple cider vinegar is technically made by the process of fermenting the sugars from apples, turning those into something that is called acetic acid, which again is one of the active ingredients that contribute to the health benefits that apple cider vinegar offers. This process is about crushing up apples, mixing them up with water and yeast, and finally allowing them to get fermented over the time of several weeks, which, as a result, gives a sour liquid. This sour liquid is not versatile when it comes to cooking but it also has a plethora of health perks to offer.
The Mother of all benefits
Now, you may ask what is the “mother” in apple cider vinegar.
In apple cider vinegar, the context of “mother” is that it is nothing but the combination of the yeast and bacteria that is formed in the duration of the fermentation process of the apple juice, and can be identified by something looking quite cloudy and stringy sediment. Though, in most cases, the “mother” is removed from the end product, through certain filtration processes just to make the vinegar look more clear. However, it is the “mother” that makes the apple cider vinegar nutritious.
The cloudy substance that remains at the bottom of any unfiltered apple cider vinegar is what contains certain beneficial bacteria, proteins and enzymes. All of this contributes to the benefits. Thus, opting for organic and unfiltered variants of apple cider vinegar that would contain the proper amount of “mother” gives out the maximum benefits.
Perks to Health
Consuming apple cider vinegar in a proper manner can have quite a many health benefits:
A sweet deal regulating blood sugar
Among all the benefits that apple cider vinegar has or offers, this one of the most well-documented. It has a great ability to help in getting the blood sugar levels regulated. It has been seen that consuming apple cider vinegar, a certain amount, before having a meal can noticeably improve insulin sensitivity and maintain the levels. Apple cider vinegar is most particularly beneficial for ones who are trying to manage type 2 diabetes, and also if they want to keep their energy levels stable throughout.
For this purpose, it is best to take 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with a proper glass of water and have it at least 20 minutes before your meals. Doing this not only helps maintain a stable blood sugar level throughout the day but also avoids the post-meal sugar spike.
The slimming secret managing weight
Being on a weight loss journey makes apple cider vinegar a perfect contender in becoming your new best friend. The incorporation of apple cider vinegar in one’s diet has been observed to have increased the feeling of fullness, thus, reducing the intake of unnecessary calories.
Apple cider vinegar can be easily incorporated into a diet as a dressing in salads or even as an extra zing in smoothies. In fact, apple cider vinegar can just simply be added to some water with a little splash of lemon juice, making it a beneficial yet refreshing drink to enjoy.
Heart health hero controlling cholesterol
Apple cider vinegar also plays a great role in improving heart health by contributing in helping get the cholesterol levels low. When consumed regularly and properly, apple cider vinegar can reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, while increasing HDL or the ‘good’ cholesterol. Thus, introducing apple cider vinegar in the diet can turn out to be quite a valuable addition to a heart-healthy lifestyle.
This can be done by incorporating apple cider vinegar into a daily routine through marinates or as condiments along food items.
Nature’s cleaner with antimicrobial properties
Apple cider vinegar is pretty well known for its antimicrobial properties. It has the ability to kill harmful bacteria and pathogens, which is why it makes a great choice when it comes to food preservation. In fact, many people prefer to use apple cider vinegar, obviously diluted, as a natural remedy to treat skin infections and acne.
For application on skin, it is best preferred to dilute the apple cider vinegar in a 1:3 ratio with water, i.e. 1 part vinegar to 3 parts of water, before gently applying it with the help of a cotton ball on the affected areas. Though apple cider vinegar is natural, it is better to first do a patch test to check for any unwanted reactions, for safety measures.
Treating tummy troubles as a digestive aid
Another benefit of apple cider vinegar is that it can help solve or deal with digestive issues such as bloating and indigestion. Apple cider vinegar can soothe the stomach, as the acetic acid it holds is known to promote a healthy digestion, by the means of increasing stomach acids that further aid in the breaking down of food in a more effective manner.
1 whole tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, again mixed with water, before a meal can contribute to improving digestion and alleviate any discomfort.
A natural toner for skin health
Since apple cider vinegar is known to have an acidic nature it can easily be taken into consideration to seek help restore the natural pH balance of the skin. It is very effective as a toner for acne-prone or oily skin. The antibacterial properties of apple cider vinegar help combat acne-causing bacteria.
Here again, diluting the apple cider vinegar with equal parts of water and putting it in a spray bottle, makes it an easy to make DIY toner that refreshes the skin with every spritz after cleansing.
Fun appearances by apple cider vinegar
There are quite a few way in which you can add apple cider vinegar into your diet:
Zesty Salad Dressings
Avoiding any store-bought dressings with loads of preservatives is best when making a salad. Instead, it is both easy and way healthier to just whip up a homemade salad dressing using apple cider vinegar as the base ingredient. Nothing fancy, but just some usual ingredients like olive oil, honey (or maple syrup) and Dijon mustard with a little salt, pepper and a splash of apple cider vinegar can do its best job in elevating any salads.
Flavourful Marinades
Apple cider vinegar also turns out to be an excellent ingredient in making marinades for meat and vegetables, since it has a tenderizing ability alongside adding flavour. Mixed with simple ingredients such as ginger, garlic and some herbs, the flavour of apple cider vinegar can take it a long way.
Refreshing Beverages
Hydration is very important. And what is better is when sparkling water and fresh fruit slices like lemon and cucumber get spinned up with apple cider vinegar, to not only hydrate but to refresh as well. This fun concoction would not feel like having straight up vinegar yet will give all the benefits.
Smoothie Booster
Having a good smoothie is always healthy and adding just a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to it can give the health benefits a little boost. If it is a fruit smoothie of, like, berries or bananas, then the tanginess of apple cider vinegar would pair extremely well.
Baked Goods
Reacting well with baking soda, to create carbon dioxide bubbles, apple cider vinegar helps in getting the baked goods rise well. Thus, giving perfect fluffy pancakes and moist cakes.
Precautions
Though there are so many health benefits to using apple cider vinegar, there are also certain things to be kept in mind:
Dilute before drinking
It is extremely necessary for the apple cider vinegar to be diluted before consumption or used to protect teeth, throat and skin from its acidity coming into contact directly.
Consult your doctor
If there are any existing health conditions or concerns, or one is taking medications (especially diabetes medications), consulting a doctor or any healthcare professional is crucial prior to incorporating a large amount of apple cider vinegar in the diet.
Start slow
Starting the consumption and use of apple cider vinegar in small quantities helps in building a tolerance. This tolerance increases gradually with time. Thus, it is best to start off with a small amount like a tablespoon.
Conclusion
The hype about apple cider vinegar is not just a trend, but certain facts. It is a very versatile ingredient that is packed with potential benefits that majorly contribute to enhancing health conditions, but only when used correctly. Be it for improving digestion or getting blood sugar levels in balance or maintaining weight, embracing this tangy elixir is a great option.
It is both easy and fun, incorporating apple cider vinegar into your lifestyle. The only thing to keep in mind is that everything has a way of being done, so that it runs smoothly without any harm. Following the right information and direct is all it takes to be healthy.
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