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Apple Cider Vinegar Is Magic In A Bottle
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Through the ages, people have always searched for a cure-all, an elixir to bring health and vibrancy and rid whoever drinks it of disease. There’s nothing in the world as easy as popping a pill or drinking some magic potion, which is why the idea of such a treatment has always seemed so seductive. Indeed, it is seductive enough for pharmaceutical corporations to spend billions of dollars to develop such products for particular conditions (and millions more to market them).
But what if we told you that something close to a magic elixir has existed for thousands of years and has been used by cultures all over the world? That you don’t need a prescription for it? That it costs only about as much as a meal off the dollar menu at McDonald’s?
It’s not magic at all. We’re talking about apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar is produced when the juice from apples is allowed to ferment twice. The first fermentation results in hard apple cider, which is fun in ways this article will not go into detail on. The second fermentation produces apple cider vinegar, a substance which has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes and can be used for many other applications as well.
Why is apple cider vinegar so healthy?
Apple cider vinegar works best as a preventative tonic, but it can be used as a traditional home remedy for certain conditions as well. The benefits of adding apple cider vinegar to your diet are manifold, so let’s break down why it’s such a miracle product.
1. It restores PH balance in your body
Your pH balance is the ratio between acidity and alkalinity. The ideal pH range for the human body is between 7.35 – 7.45. The modern Western diet is, unfortunately, very acidic, and as a result pushes our pH levels too far toward the acidic end of the spectrum.
High acidity in the body has been linked to chronic fatigue, upset stomach, and a smorgasbord of other health problems. Drinking some apple cider vinegar can help restore your body’s alkaline levels and bring your pH levels into a healthy range.
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2. Apple cider vinegar is a pre-biotic
One of the greatest things about drinking apple cider vinegar is that you will benefit from its natural pre-biotic properties. This means that consuming it will help replenish your gut with beneficial bacteria that will improve your digestion. This is especially beneficial for those who may have damaged their gut biome with antibiotics.
3. It has natural anti-inflammatory properties
Apple cider vinegar has antioxidants which combat harmful free radicals in the body. This can help relieve inflammation and the plethora of health issues linked to it.
4. It prevents kidney stones
Kidney stones can be excruciatingly painful. Apple cider vinegar’s alkaline properties can help reduce the acidity in blood and urine, which leads to crystallization. This leads to the formation kidney stones.
5. It may help you lose weight
Apple cider vinegar helps curb your appetite, so you feel full longer and don’t experience the urge to overeat. It also raises your metabolism so you won’t put on weight easily. However, it’s not an instant cure for obesity. Drinking some vinegar isn’t going to make you lose 20 pounds overnight. It should be included as part of a healthy lifestyle and diet focused on losing weight.
How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Health
The simplest way to use it is to simply mix it with water and drink up. Blend 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with an 8-oz glass of water and enjoy. It should have a somewhat tart taste.
Apple cider vinegar also blends well with shakes and cocktails for detoxing.
Try this cocktail if you are undergoing a cleanse:
- 1-2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 tbsp of lemon juice (or squeeze two wedges out and drop them in the jar)
- 1 cup of water
- A pinch of cayenne pepper (adjust to taste, but be warned: This stuff is VERY strong!)
- 1 tbsp of raw honey
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How to Pick the Right Apple Cider Vinegar
Now, pay very close attention to this next part because you won’t gain any of the health benefits listed above if you buy the wrong kind of vinegar. You want raw, unfiltered apple cider with “the mother” included.
There is A LOT of cheap, filtered apple cider vinegar which is basically junk. Real, raw apple cider vinegar is unfiltered, cloudy and has a dusty sediment at the bottom called “the mother.” This is where all the beneficial microbes in apple cider vinegar reside. If this is filtered out, you’re only getting a fraction of the potential benefits.
Good Apple Cider Vinegar Checklist:
- Has “The Mother” (this will be clearly indicated on the label)
- Raw
- Unfiltered
- Unpasteurized
- Organic
- Comes in a glass bottle (plastic bottles may contain harmful BPAs)
Low Quality Apple Cider Vinegar Checklist:
- Is clear with no sediment at all
- Comes in cheap plastic bottles
- Sells for as little as $1.
Good apple cider vinegar also costs a little more. Prices should start at about $4 for a 16 oz./365 ml bottle. Still, that’s mighty cheap when you consider the number of health benefits.
READ ALSO: 10 Surprising Uses for Vinegar
Thousands of years of folk remedies involving apple cider vinegar weren’t just invented out of nothing. Pick some up today and see if this doesn’t make a difference in your energy levels and overall health.
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Anto
Aug 9, 2016 at 6:54 pm
I just don’t like drinking it is all. I don’t like that acid on my teeth for one thing, my enamel’s already pretty worn after 69 years of chewin.