Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is a safe product for most consumers. It is commonly used topically to treat skin conditions such as acne and eczema, and taken orally, it helps to control blood glucose levels and helps to keep your blood pressure under control. However, Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is unpasteurized and contains high levels of acetic acid. Consumers with special medical needs should always consult their health-care providers prior to beginning an apple cider vinegar regimen.
Acetic Acid
Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar contains acetic acid. When taken orally, acetic acid can irritate the lining of the stomach, cause heartburn or aggravate indigestion. To minimize the gastric risks, dilute 1 to 2 tsps. in 1 cup of water or fruit juice. Start with a small amount and build up to larger doses.
Medical Conditions
Apple cider vinegar is generally safe for most healthy people to use topically and to ingest. However, if you have medical conditions such as gastric ulcers, narrowing of the esophagus, chronic indigestion or heartburn, consult with your physician to see if apple cider vinegar is right for you.
Drug Interactions
Apple cider vinegar may interact with several prescription drugs. Some of the drugs known to interact with apple cider vinegar include heart medications like Digoxin, insulin taken by diabetics and diuretics, or water pills, used to treat excess fluid retentions.
Precautions
Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is raw and unpasteurized. Pasteurization heats a liquid to kill bacteria, but this process removes nutrients. The makers of Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar want users to benefit from all of the product's nutritional qualities, so they forego heat pasteurization. Kristi Monson, PharmD, and Arthur Schoenstadt, MD, of eMedTV, say unpasteurized products may potentially harbor bacteria and toxins. For this reason, consumers who are prone to infections or with weakened immune systems should consult with their physicians prior to using unpasteurized products. Also, sufficient data does not exist as to whether unpasteurized apple cider vinegar is safe to take during pregnancy. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, opt for small amounts of pasteurized vinegar, but avoid raw apple cider vinegar and vinegar supplementation.
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