Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits

For centuries people have been using natural apple cider vinegar as both a food and a medicine for themselves and for their pets.

Since 400BC, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, and others, have used vinegar and vinegar mixed with honey, as an energizing tonic and a healing elixir.


More recently, the health benefits of apple cider vinegar have been promoted by many well-known authors such as Dr Jarvis, Paul C. Bragg and Patricia Bragg.
D.C. Jarvis, a Vermont country doctor, noted that apple cider vinegar was a respected home remedy used by many Vermonters to successfully treat a number of common ailments and nagging aches and pains.
He was so impressed that he went on to write a book on his observations and experimentations with home remedies, especially apple cider vinegar, and its beneficial effects on both people and farm animals.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
First let me say that apple cider vinegar is a completely natural product, resulting from the fermentation of apple juice to hard apple cider followed by a second fermentation to apple cider vinegar.
This natural product retains all the nutritional goodness of the apples from which it was made plus it is fortified with the extra acids and enzymes produced during the two fermentation steps.
It's the sum of all these ingredients that give apple cider vinegar its amazing health benefits.
A compilation of many time honored home remedies used for a wide range of health problems is included in the natural healing Home Remedies section.

Apple cider vinegar benefits include many external uses as well. It can be used to sooth sunburns and insect bites, to make your hair shine, and to treat dandruff just to mention a few. Click on the Hair Care or Home Remedies section for more details on these and many more uses.

Apple cider vinegar fits in well with today's trend towards eating natural healthy whole foods, and away from the overconsumption of highly processed convenience foods, which are depleted of much of their original nutrients.

What Is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Vinegar is a product of fermentation. This is a process in which sugars in a food are broken down by bacteria and yeast. In the first stage of fermentation, the sugars are turned into alcohol. Then, if the alcohol ferments further, you get vinegar. The word comes from the French, meaning "sour wine." While vinegar can be made from all sorts of things -- like many fruits, vegetables, and grains -- apple cider vinegar comes from pulverized apples.
The main ingredient of apple cider vinegar, or any vinegar, is acetic acid. However, vinegars also have other acids, vitamins, mineral salts, and amino acids.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Cure for Everything?

While long used as a folk remedy, apple cider vinegar became well known in the U.S. in the late 1950s, when it was promoted in the best-selling book Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor's Guide to Good Health by D. C. Jarvis. During the alternative medicine boom of recent years, apple cider vinegar and apple cider vinegar pills have become a popular dietary supplement.
Look on the back of a box of supplements -- or on the Internet or in the pages of any one of the many books on vinegar and health -- and you'll find some amazing claims. Apple cider vinegar is purported to treat numerous diseases, health conditions, and annoyances. To name a few, it's supposed to kill head lice, reverse aging, ease digestion, and wash toxins from the body.
Most of these claims have no evidence backing them up. Some -- like vinegar's supposed ability to treat lice or warts -- have been studied, and researchers turned up nothing to support their use. Other claims have been backed up by studies, but with a catch: vinegar may work, but not as well as other treatments. For instance, while vinegar is a disinfectant, it doesn't kill as many germs as common cleaners. And while vinegar does seem to help with jelly fish stings -- an old folk remedy -- hot water works better.

Scientific Evidence of Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits

But there are some medical uses of vinegar that do have promise, at least according to a few studies. Here's a rundown of some more recent ones.

• Diabetes. The effect of vinegar on blood sugar levels is perhaps the best researched and the most promising of apple cider vinegar's possible health benefits. Several studies have found that vinegar may help lower glucose levels. For instance, a 2007 study of 11 people with type 2 diabetes found that taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed lowered glucose levels in the morning by 4%-6%.
• High cholesterol . A 2006 study showed evidence that vinegar could lower cholesterol. However, the study was done in rats, so it's too early to know how it might work in people.
• Blood pressureand heart health. Another study in rats found that vinegar could lower high blood pressure. A large observational study also found that people who ate oil and vinegar dressing on salads five to six times a week had lower rates of heart disease than people who didn't. However, it's far from clear that the vinegar was the reason.
• Cancer . A few laboratory studies have found that vinegar may be able to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. Observational studies of people have been confusing. One found that eating vinegar was associated with a decreased risk of esophageal cancer. Another associated it with an increased risk of bladder cancer.
• Weight Loss . For thousands of years, vinegar has been used for weight loss. White vinegar (and perhaps other types) might help people feel full. A 2005 study of 12 people found that those who ate a piece of bread along with small amounts of white vinegar felt fuller and more satisfied than those who just ate the bread.  

While the results of these studies are promising, they are all preliminary. Many were done on animals or on cells in a lab. The human studies have been small. Before we will truly know whether vinegar has any health benefits, much larger studies are needed.

How Should Apple Cider Vinegar Be Used?

Since apple cider vinegar is an unproven treatment, there are no official recommendations on how to use it. Some people take two teaspoons a day (mixed in a cup of water or juice.) A tablet of 285 milligrams is another common dosage.
Apple cider vinegar is also sometimes applied to the skin or used in enemas. The safety of these treatments is unknown.

What Are the Risks of Apple Cider Vinegar?

On the whole, the risks of taking occasional, small amounts of apple cider vinegar seem low. But using apple cider vinegar over the long term, or in larger amounts, could have risks. Here are some things to keep in mind. 

• Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic. The main ingredient of apple cider vinegar is acetic acid. As the name suggests, it's quite harsh. Apple cider vinegar should always be diluted with water or juice before swallowed. Pure apple cider vinegar could damage the tooth enamel and the tissues in your throat and mouth. One study found a woman who got an apple cider vinegar supplement stuck in her throat suffered lasting damage to her esophagus. In addition, vinegar has been known to cause contact burns to the skin.
• Long-term use of apple cider vinegar could cause low potassium levels and lower bone density. If you already have low potassium or osteoporosis, talk to your health care provider before using apple cider vinegar.
• Apple cider vinegar could theoretically interact with diuretics, laxatives, and medicines for diabetes and heart disease.
• If you have diabetes, check with your health care provider before using apple cider vinegar. Vinegar contains chromium, which can alter your insulin levels.

• Potassium

  Apple cider vinegar is rich in potassium, an important mineral responsible for metabolizing sugar into glycogen. It also assists with soft-tissue formation, prevents tooth decay, upper respiratory tract infections and asthma. Sufficient amounts can protect against heart disease and strokes.

  
  

  Purifier

  Apple cider vinegar acts as a detoxifier, purifying the blood and cleansing vital organs. By breaking up mucous and fatty deposits in the body, apple cider vinegar prevents excessive of alkaline in the urine. It also neutralizes toxic substances, cleanses the intestines and digestive tract, which in turn prevents diarrhea and reduces the risk of food poisoning.

  Colon Cancer

  Research carried out in 2008 highlighted the positive effect apples have on colon health. Dr. Dieter Schrenk conducted a test examining changes to fecal matter exposed to pectin and apple juice extracts. He noted a rise in the compound butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid produced in the lower colon, thought of as a colon cancer preventative. The pectin in apple cider serves as fiber, encouraging regular bowel movements. Although apple cider vinegar and water won't cure colon cancer, consuming it regularly can be a preventive measure.

  Hypertension

  The consumption of large quantities of animal fats can affect the quality of blood, making it thick and viscous in consistency. This can put unnecessary strain on the heart, causing it to pump harder to keep the blood circulating. High blood pressure is a consequence and can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Apple cider vinegar oxidizes blood, and its high potassium levels can prevent this condition by thinning the blood, making it easier to transport around the circulatory system, which in turn will lower blood pressure.

  Diabetes

  Apple cider vinegar can significantly lower glucose levels, making it beneficial to diabetics. A study carried out by Carol S. Johnston at Arizona State University examined the physiological effects of apple cider vinegar on diabetics, comparing the results with diabetes medications metformin and acarbose. Although the study indicated a need for further investigation, the data collected noted positive effects apple cider vinegar had on insulin-resistant and type 2 diabetes subjects.

  Weight Loss

  Subjects taking part in the Arizona State University study experienced weight loss as an unexpected side effect. Theories behind the reasons vary, although apple cider vinegar appears to suppress the appetite, increase metabolism, reduce water retention and aid digestion. All of these aspects can lead to weight loss over a period of time.

  Menstruation

  Women experiencing cramping and prolonged and heavy periods can benefit from taking apple cider vinegar with water. Its properties regulate the clotting factor in blood, lessening the duration of menses and amount of blood lost. This can improve the quality of life, preventing anemia, a condition common with women prone to excessive menstrual bleeding. Potassium and calcium contained in apple cider vinegar also relax the smooth muscle fibers of the uterus, reducing cramping associated with painful periods and ovulation.

  
  

Cooking with apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is an amazingly versatile cooking ingredient. It adds a tangy taste to many drinks and deepens the flavors of numerous foods. Its important to note that vinegar is a major ingredient in most condiments. Mayonnaise and tomato ketchup account for more than 10% of the vinegar production in America.
Check out the Cooking with Vinegar section to discover a number of tricks and tips to improve a variety of common recipes that will save you time and energy, and to find several recipes that include apple cider vinegar as a major ingredient