What I’m writing about today is nothing new. I’m talking not new in the sense of ‘trendy’ or new in the sense of ‘ancient practice.’ In case you’re not yet familiar with the benefits of this incredible liquid yet, I want to tell you what the benefits are of drinking apple cider vinegar.
What Kind of Apple Cider Vinegar Is Good To Drink?
The key to reaping the benefits of apple cider vinegar (ACV) is to drink the correct kind. Run of the mill store brand ACV is not going to have the proper nutrients. Look for raw, organic, unfiltered ACV – typically the bottle will read that is has “The Mother” inside. More on that later.
There are many brands available of this particular ACV and Bragg’s is typically the most popular. However, I’ve found the appropriate raw, organic, unfiltered type in many different grocery stores in private brands or store brands. Trader Joe’s, Costco, Wegmans, and even Aldi offer their own ACV!
The Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
Once you’ve tracked down the correct type of ACV, it’s time to learn all about it! There are many different benefits to drinking ACV, but I’ll just focus on a few here.
For starters, it aids in digestion. This is the main reason I drink it every day. It helps stimulate digestive juices (yum!) to break down food. It can even help with indigestion, gas, heartburn, and bloating.
Beyond that, ACV helps to regulate blood sugar as this study shows. It is well documented to have an anti-glycemic effect. The vinegar blocks some of the starch while eating, which (see above) tends to aid in digestion. While it is not recommended to manage blood sugar issues with ACV directly, it does seem to help balance the body’s sugar levels.
Drinking apple cider vinegar can actually help improve HDL, or good cholesterol. There are even claims that by balancing the body’s pH levels, it detoxifies the body. Research shows that it specifically helps detox the liver and can help stimulate circulation.
One of the main reasons we drink AVC in our house is because of my husband’s gluten intolerance. While researching what was potentially happening within his body, my husband stumbled on an anti-candida diet. In short, candida is a pathogen that creates a disruption of the microorganisms in your gut. Drinking raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized, organic apple cider vinegar can help eliminate candida from your body. He personally noticed a great difference once he introduced ACV to his diet, and continues to drink it daily.
There are a whole host of other health benefits associated with apple cider vinegar. In short, it’s really good for you!
How To Drink It
If you want to give apple cider vinegar a shot, there are a few different ways you can drink it. It tastes like, well, vinegar, so it’s not exactly delicious. A serving size is recommended as one tablespoon 1-3 times per day. My husband thinks I’m totally disgusting, but I drink it like a shot. I don’t mind the taste and I prefer to just ‘get it over with’ quickly. He, on the other hand, likes to dilute the tablespoon of ACV with 8 ounces of cold water. It can also be mixed into a smoothie, where it is hardly detectable. However you choose to drink it: enjoy!