Cider-vinegar & Honey Benefits

Dr. D.C. Jarvis, a Vermont physician and folk-medicine proponent, popularized apple-cider vinegar and honey as a treatment for a variety of ailments in his books "Folk Medicine," published in 1958, and "Arthritis and Folk Medicine," published in 1960. Dr. Jarvis claimed that mixing these two substances together amplified the healing power of each. There's only anecdotal evidence, however, to support his claims.

Composition

Apple-cider vinegar has vitamins A, B1, B2, C and E. It also has essential minerals including copper, iron, magnesium and potassium. Organic honey is rich in anti-oxidants. To ensure that you get all of these nutrients, choose unfiltered apple-cider vinegar and unpasteurized honey.

Popularity

Cider vinegar was used for medicinal purposes by the ancient Egyptians, according to the online version of the Daily Telegraph. Today, many alternative health-care practitioners use cider and honey as a folk remedy. But they are not considered a mainstream medical treatment.

Preparation

A popular preparation of apple-cider vinegar and honey is 1 tbsp. of honey and 1 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar in 8 oz. of water. A few drops of organic garlic juice provide additional anti-oxidants. Add 1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper if you are using it to treat a cough. Alternatively, prepare a concentrated version of one part apple-cider vinegar, one part honey and two parts water.

Uses

Some folk medicine practitioners recommend apple-cider vinegar and honey to treat arthritis, indigestion, heartburn, coughs, hay fever, insomnia and high-blood pressure. Some people apply it to the scalp to relieve dandruff. Although the combo's effectiveness for most of these conditions has been established only anecdotally, Dr. James M. Steckelberg of the Mayo Clinic says that it has been found to be an effective cough suppressant.

Tips

Substituting any other type of vinegar for unfiltered apple-cider vinegar will render it ineffective. Dr. Steckelberg cautions against giving apple-cider vinegar and honey to children who are younger than 1, because of the risk of infant botulism. It should not be used as a substitute for mainstream medical treatments.