Raw, organic apple cider vinegar is unfiltered, unheated, unpasteurized and made of fresh apples. Drinking one or two glasses a day has reported health benefits for your digestive and immune systems. A typical apple cider vinegar drink mixes 1 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of water. Apple cider vinegar has a pungent smell and sour taste, so try diluting it with natural sweeteners such as agave, honey or stevia as needed.
Heartburn Relief
There is no research to support the folk remedy that apple cider vinegar relieves heartburn, but there is science behind why it potentially could. Chewing gum has been shown to curb heartburn, as it stimulates saliva production and dilutes the stomach acid, and apple cider vinegar aids digestion by stimulating the flow of enzymes and saliva in the mouth. The common link here is increased saliva production, not making it a big leap to assume that consuming a moderate amount of apple cider vinegar could have the same effect on heartburn.
Improves Insulin Sensitivity
Data collected in a study by the Department of Nutrition at Arizona State University found that apple cider vinegar can greatly improve insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant subjects directly following a meal rich in carbohydrates. That means that if you have Type 2 diabetes and are sensitive to insulin --- or you are not diabetic but sensitive to insulin --- drinking apple cider vinegar after eating carbohydrates could significantly improve your insulin levels. The study found that insulin-resistant subjects also experienced improved glucose levels.
Helps Feeling Satiated
There's no concrete evidence that drinking apple cider vinegar will cause or aid weight loss, but research has shown that drinking apple cider vinegar can increase satiety, which keeps you feeling fuller longer. Researchers at the Department of Food Technology, Engineering and Nutrition at Lund University in Sweden found that ingesting between 2 and 3 tbsp. of vinegar was associated with increased satiety. While there's no correlation between satiety and weight loss, it's possible that the effect of feeling fuller longer could stave off idle snacking.
Skin Toner
In addition to improving your insides, the antiseptics in apple cider vinegar give it cosmetic benefits as well, including the ability to tighten and tone pores. Simply combine one part apple cider vinegar with three parts water and lightly dab this homemade skin toner onto your face with a cotton ball as you would with regular store-bought toner. If the acidic scent is too overpowering for you to apply to your face, try adding green tea to the water before mixing it with the vinegar.
References
- Skinacea: Acne Treatments -- Apple Cider Vinegar Toner
- "Nutrition Journal"; The Botanical Integrity of Wheat Products Influences the Gastric Distention and Satiety in Healthy Subjects; Joanna Hlebowicz, et al.; April 2008
- Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar; An Apple Cider Vinegar a Day; Patricia Bragg N.D. Ph.D.
- American Diabetes Association; Vinegar Improves Insulin Sensitivity to a High-Carbohydrate Meal in Subjects With Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes; Carol S. Johnston, Ph.D., et al.; January 2004
- MayoClinic.com; Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss: Effective? Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss Seems Far-Fetched. Does It Work?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
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