Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
History is filled with fast-talking salesmen proclaiming that they can perform miracles, senior citizens swearing that they only survived this long because of some tonic they drank, and others who denounce all of this as pure poppycock. We as Americans tend to take things to extremes. Either something will fix everything or it’s useless. Thankfully, modern science has progressed to where we can look back at some of these concoctions and see what the real benefits are.
The benefits of apple cider vinegar has been hailed as a cure all for hundreds of years. Even Hippocrates, the father of medicine, believed in the power of apple cider vinegar back in 400 BC. Since then, people have claimed that it can do almost anything, from killing lice and easing constipation, to reversing aging and helping jellyfish stings. If there is something wrong, people might suggest apple cider vinegar. But which of these remedies are just old wives’ tales, and which are true?
Scientists have been looking into the health properties of apple cider vinegar and one of the most promising discoveries is its ability to support already normal glucose levels. This is great news for those who want to maintain their already normal blood sugar counts. Other benefits such as maintaining cholesterol and blood pressure levels already in the normal range, and support for weight loss has been seen in many studies. Now all of this research is still preliminary, so we shouldn’t run out and start drinking water bottles full of apple cider vinegar. It is a potent substance, so be sure to talk to your doctor just to double check that it’s okay before you add it to your diet.
For those of us who saw the “support for weight loss” and immediately started paying closer attention, don’t worry. Apple cider vinegar has been shown to help control appetite. Those who added it to their meals felt fuller and more satisfied than those who didn’t. By simply eating a salad with apple cider vinegar in the dressing, we can keep our food cravings at bay longer than a salad normally would. This can make a huge difference in how well we stick to our diets.
Since apple cider vinegar has been popular for a long time, there are hundreds of different products out on the market. From pills to liquid supplements, buying apple cider vinegar can be confusing if you just run to the store without any prior research. The best way to get the most from apple cider vinegar is to make sure you are buying the organic and raw version. Look for vinegar with a dark color and what looks like sediment settled at the bottom. This sediment is called “mother of vinegar” and it is what contains the living nutrients and bacteria that provide the health properties we are looking for, so before you use it, make sure to give it a good shake. Avoid the pill supplements. The same thing goes for the clear apple cider vinegar, because it has been distilled and stripped of all nutrients.
Adding apple cider vinegar to a healthy diet is not difficult. It can be used as a salad dressing, a marinade, or in place of normal vinegar in almost any recipe. Another popular method is to mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with water and honey and drink this once a day. No matter how you add it to your diet, just remember that it is a highly acidic substance and must be diluted. Don’t go overboard with it either. Drinking a bottle a day is not going to make you healthier than two tablespoons. Moderation is the way to go.
Now we each need to remember that adding apple cider vinegar to our diet is not going to cure everything. We should know by now that there is no such things as a “cure all” or “wonder drug” that will solve all of our problems. A balanced diet combined with exercise is the best way to be healthy. Apple cider vinegar will just give us a little bit of a push in the right direction.
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