So we’ve heard how amazing and magical apple cider vinegar (ACV) is. They go from curing sunburn and acne to helping you lose weight and prevent cancer.
The most popular brand of ACV seems to be Braggs. You can also make your own out of scratch.
The vinegar has long been loved by all types of gurus. But sadly, not many of the claims are scientifically proven. To fully benefit, you must know the myths from the facts.
Some safety tips first
Apple cider vinegar, like other types of vinegar, is like acid to your body. Don’t drink it straight up!
Instead, you should dilute it. Add one tablespoons (at most 2) of vinegar to a glass of water.
If you don’t, it’ll be too acidic for your esophagus. It’s also easy to breathe it in and send acid to your lungs. According to some people, that feels like having sunburn on your lungs. Just imagine that!
In addition, some foods can cancel out the vinegar’s effect. Others may expand it. To be safe, drink the apple cider vinegar on an empty stomach. It’s a great way to start out the day. But probably not so great of a bedtime drink!
Now, here are some amazing things that will truly happen if you drink (the diluted version of) apple cider vinegar.
1. You’ll get an acetic acid boost
The vinegar is made with a two-step process.
First, bacteria and yeast are added to the apple cider. The sugars in the apples turns into alcohol. It is then further fermented. The alcohol turns into acetic acid.
Acetic acid is a major component of ACV. The acid is often used for medical purposes. Pharmaceutical versions of acetic acid is used to ear canal conditions and others.
Some researches suggest it helps control blood pressure and unclog arteries.
A Japanese study looked at the effects of acetic acid and dietary vinegar on rats with hypertension (high blood pressure). Both were able to significantly reduce blood sugar. The researchers concluded that acetic acid is the reason for the effect by vinegar.
In another research, it was found that acetic acid increased blood flow in the colon. Other acids (butyric and propionic) did not alter blood flow. Those acids even prevents oxygen uptake!
2. You will have a better diabetic diet
Type 2 diabetes is a condition that affects millions worldwide. Diabetics are either unable to produce insulin, or they experience insulin resistance. This means cells don’t respond to insulin the way they should.
Insulin plays a major role in lower blood sugar.
Vinegar was found to improve insulin sensitivity in those with insulin resistance. Even after a high-carb meal, the participants experienced a more significant decrease in blood sugar.
It was able to reduce blood sugar when consumed in the form of salad dressing too. Another study found that just 2 tablespoons of ACV can reduce fasting blood sugar by 4 percent.
This is why many list cider vinegar in diabetic diets.
But if you have type 2 diabetes, remember to check with your doctor first! Make sure there won’t be any complications with your medication!
3. You can lose some weight
ACV is often touted as a dieting miracle. Unfortunately, this claim is riddled with both myths and facts.
The acetic acid in vinegar works against enzymes in your stomach that digests starch. This may stop you from absorbing the calories from the carbs. And this can probably help with weight loss. A handful of studies support this claim.
But no one knows yet how effective ACV is because there haven’t been enough research done.
However, there is evidence that ACV can make you feel fuller.
It increases satiety, which means you might eat less. In one study, white bread was served with 3 levels of vinegar. The higher the level of acetic acid in the vinegar, the more full the participants felt. They also had lower blood glucose and insulin levels.
This can help you eat 200 to 275 fewer calories that day!
The bottom line is, apple cider vinegar can definitely help you. There’s no harm in sipping some before each meal (if you stay within limits). But it won’t work any magic by itself.
The most effective way of losing weight is still eating healthy and exercise regularly.
4. You will lower the risk of heart disease
Cardiovascular disease includes heart disease and stroke. It is currently the leading cause of death.
There are multiple factors that can lead to cardiovascular disease. Some are genetic or environmentally-induced. Some biological factors though, may be decreased with the help of ACV.
In one study, rats were fed a high cholesterol diet. The group that also had acetic acid in their diet had much lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a type of fat in your blood that can increase risk for heart disease.
In addition to acetic acid, ACV may also contain chlorogenic acid. This antioxidant has effects similar to caffeine. It stops LDL cholesterol particles from oxidizing, shown by various studies. The oxidation of LDL particles crucial in developing heart disease.
Add this to the fact that acetic acid can lower blood pressure, it sounds pretty good! However, most experiments were done on lab rats.
The only human evidence comes from Harvard. Women who ate oil and vinegar salad dressing had a lower risk for heart disease.
The evidence is promising, but not concrete as of yet. Although, it might be beneficial to add some vinegar salad dressing!
5. You will absorb more nutrients from your food
Your stomach is usually at a pH level of 1.0 to 2.0. And now, that is really acidic. To put things into perspective, white distilled vinegar is a 2.4. Battery acid is around 1. Thankfully this acid stays in your stomach (unless there are problems such as acid reflux).
This uberly acidic environment is what sterilizes the digestive tract and kills the microbes. When the acid level falls, unfriendly bacteria may start to multiply. On the light side, this can lead to bloating and indigestion. And decreased absorption of vitamins and minerals.
In more extreme cases, it can lead to cancer.
It seems logical to try to up the acid level by ingesting some vinegar. It was also shown that dietary vinegar enhanced calcium absorption in the intestines. Again, this was experimented on our good friend, the rat. But the researchers concluded that this may even help prevent osteoporosis. So it’s still good news!
But, of course, make sure you dilute the apple cider vinegar first. Don’t drink too much acid.
6. You will have lower risk of heartburn
As mentioned above, acid for digestion usually stays in your stomach. Unless you have acid reflux. In which the muscle at the entrance of the stomach fails to close properly or at the right time. This allows the acid to escape and go up your esophagus.
This can cause the burning pain in your chest called heartburn. If you experience this more than twice per month, you may have acid reflux disease. It’s also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GRD).
Despite what you may think, various acidic drinks have been noted to prevent heartburn. Other than ACV, coffee and lemon water are also included. Why? Because when diluted with water, there’s an alkalizing effect.
But with ACV, the effects depend on the cause of your heartburn-like symptoms:
Stomach ulcers or esophagus lesions: Vinegar will only make things worse
Something you ate: Adding a bit of acetic acid will help neutralize the acid
As a precaution, make sure you ask your doctor first before adding cider vinegar to your diet if you have heartburn!
7. You will balance your body’s pH levels
Now let’s expand the aforementioned alkalizing effect.
Vinegars, by definition, are pretty acidic. In fact, in the USA, you’re not allowed to label something as vinegar unless the acidity level is at least 4 percent. But unlike others, apple cider vinegar is the one with an alkalizing effect.
Though acidic, ACV promotes an alkaline environment inside your body. This is due to how ACV is broken down and digested.
Many viruses and bacteria are unable to live in an alkaline environment.
When you don’t have enough alkaline, your body takes calcium in an attempt to become alkaline. This leeching of calcium can lead to loss of bone density and osteoporosis.
Despite contradicting claims, many people enjoy better health after switching to a more alkalizing diet. It’s definitely worth a try!
8. You will enjoy better digestion
You’ve probably heard all about probiotics. They are live microorganisms that help with digestion and destroy harmful bacteria. We know them from yogurt and other products, such as skin creams.
There are five types of probiotics in apple cider vinegar. They may or may not still be alive when you drink your cup of vinegar though.
Fortunately, there’s another part of the “mother” of ACV (that gunk at the bottom of the bottle): prebiotics.
Prebiotics, as opposed to probiotics, are a special form of fiber. They nourish the friendly bacteria (probiotics) that are already in laying in your gut.
Pectin, the prebiotic, is also what slows absorption of glucose. There have been studies that show pectin binds to cholesterol, causing less of it to be absorbed.
Most benefits from ACV are thanks to prebiotics. So make sure you shake your bottle of ACV well and scoop out the gunk at the bottom!
