DavidWolfe.comYou may have heard by now about the buzz surrounding the many benefits of apple cider vinegar. If you have it in your kitchen, you are probably used to using it as a cooking ingredient. It makes, for example, a great addition to a homemade salad dressing. It’s also good in rice and other grain-based dishes. But do you know about the amazing health benefits that come along with apple cider vinegar? When it comes to apple cider vinegar, there are plenty of benefits to consider. For example, apple cider vinegar benefits include everything from curing hiccups and alleviating cold symptoms to aiding in weight loss and helping to prevent heart disease. It’s a great home remedy for many ailments, but is also disease preventative. If you haven’t already, you should definitely add apple cider vinegar to your diet. Learn more by reading the list below!
Here is just a handful of benefits of adding apple cider vinegar to your diet:
1. Helps Heartburn and Acid Reflux
Acid reflux symptoms usually begin when having too little acid in the stomach. Apple cider vinegar may be able to help remedy this situation and thereby help diminish acid reflux symptoms. This is because it is thought that apple cider vinegar can help your stomach maintain a healthy acid level by balancing pH.
To improve the acid content of your stomach, drink one tablespoon of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar mixed in a glass of water. Just be sure you dilute the vinegar–you don’t want to take it straight. This is because apple cider vinegar is extremely acidic and, if taken straight repeatedly, can burn the tissues of your mouth and throat.
2. Promotes Healthy Cholesterol
Not only does apple cider vinegar support healthy cholesterol, animal studies have shown that it can protect from arterial damage or oxidation, which is the main risk of high cholesterol. (1, 2, 3) Improving cholesterol may be able to help change the viscosity of the blood, which is linked to cholesterol levels, as well as blood pressure. If we can lower our LDL, or “bad” cholesterol level, we may also help protect against potentially fatal occurrences, such as heart attack or stroke. In essence, lowering cholesterol may help lower the risk of extremely problematic and scary health issues. Try incorporating apple cider vinegar into your diet to help lower cholesterol.
3. Can Aid in Healthy Weight Loss
Yep, apple cider vinegar can help you lose weight. The acetic acid it contains helps to suppress your appetite, increase your metabolism and reduce water retention — a great combo if you’re looking to lose a few pounds.
Try it this way!
You may be wondering how to incorporate apple cider vinegar into your diet. While you can mix a tablespoon into a glass of water, there are also other ways to reap apple cider vinegar benefits. For example, many salad dressings on the market are loaded with fat and sugar. If you’re dieting to lose weight, you’ll want to include several fresh, healthy salads, rich in dark leafy greens. Instead of drowning your salads in unhealthy dressings, try pouring a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar on them. This is a great way to keep your meals healthy all while soaking in apple cider vinegar benefits. While taking ACV straight can burn your throat and mouth, taking it with food, such as on a salad, will safeguard against these unpleasant effects.
4. Promotes Healthy Blood Sugar
Apple cider vinegar benefits include treating diabetes, as well. Studies have shown that apple cider vinegar has strong anti-glycemic properties that support a healthy blood sugar level. The vinegar actually blocks some of the digestion of starch, preventing it from raising your blood sugar. (4)
While apple cider vinegar helps or may help treat diabetes, it isn’t a cure, and shouldn’t be treated as a replacement for diabetic medication. You may wish to consult your doctor before using apple cider vinegar to help lower blood sugar. If you decide to use it, however, there are many ways you can incorporate apple cinder vinegar into a healthy diet. For example, you can use it as a salad dressing (as stated above), or try adding it to cooked chard or cooked beet greens. Delicious!
5. Has Antioxidant Properties
Apple cider vinegar contains many antioxidants to help keep your body healthy and running smoothly, including catechin, gallic acid, caffeic and chlorogenic acids. (5)
How antioxidants keep you healthy:
Antioxidants can help your body in numerous ways. They can, for example, scavenge for free radicals, which are thought to be the primary culprits behind the development of many diseases. It is for this reason that treatments like apple cider vinegar may be regarded as disease preventative. This includes diseases such as cancer, heart disease and other chronic diseases. To help prevent these diseases and to promote overall physical health, be sure to incorporate apple cider vinegar into your diet on a regular basis.
6. Improves Nutrient Absorption
It turns out that using apple cider vinegar as a salad dressing does more than just add a great zesty flavor profile! This is because the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar can increase your body’s absorption of important minerals from the food you eat. (6) Therefore, adding vinegar to your salad dressing may also help you absorb more nutrients from your leafy greens!
Your body needs your help!
Even if you don’t drink or smoke, your body still may need help absorbing the nutrients it needs. We live in a toxic environment and endure copious amounts of mental stress, both of which can contribute to inflammation. This makes it difficult for your body to get what it needs from the food you eat. You can help your body absorb more nutrients by taking apple cider vinegar.
Just two tablespoons a day can help keep your heart healthy, allow your body to absorb beneficial nutrients, and more.
If you want to start reaping apple cider vinegar benefits, here’s how:
- Don’t reach for just any apple cider vinegar on the shelf. Make sure you are buying organic raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Here’s a tip: look for the words “With the Mother,” on the label of your apple cider vinegar. This will ensure you are getting the best benefits out of your apple cider vinegar.
- If you want to drink it daily, just mix two tablespoons into a glass of water. However, you may find this method difficult, as apple cider vinegar isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. If that’s you, there are simple fixed you can employ. For example, you might try adding a tablespoon of honey to the mixture if you’d like, or lemon to add flavor. Enjoy!
- If drinking apple cider vinegar isn’t your thing, there are other options. You can add it to your salads or other dishes to make sure you’re still incorporating it into your diet. As mentioned above, it’s fantastic in cooked greens! It’s also great in rice or other grain-centered meals. Unlike white vinegar, apple cider vinegar compliments food flavor, rather than overpowering it. Experiment with different recipes to see what you like.
However, apple cider vinegar benefits don’t stop with the above list. To check out ways you can use it around the house, or as a beauty product (you can use it to whiten your teeth!), check out this article on apple cider vinegar uses.