Before you take apple cider vinegar for your pregnancy-induced heartburn, check with your doctor. Even though this type of vinegar is proposed as a natural remedy for multiple ailments, it might not be tolerated or advised for pregnant women, and might make your prenatal heartburn worse. Know its benefits and inherent risks before ingesting it.
Apple Cider Vinegar Explained
While regular vinegar has been processed and pasteurized, apple cider vinegar has not been. The best apple cider vinegar products retain pieces and parts of the apple and all their associated ingredients. Organic apple cider vinegar is claimed to be full of live bacteria, potassium, acetic acid, calcium and pectin, but Dr. Joseph Mercola states that in actuality, apple cider vinegar products do not contain as much pectin and vitamins as you might think. However, he does note that apple cider vinegar has general benefits, although why this is so has not yet been fully understood.
Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits
For those who are diabetic, consuming apple cider vinegar after a meal could suppress sharp increases in insulin levels and therefore keep levels more stable. In a study conducted by Carol S. Johnston, et al., and published in "Diabetes Care" in 2004, this is exactly what happened to subjects with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes who ate a carbohydrate-loaded breakfast. Alternative medicine practitioners recommend apple cider vinegar for warts, heartburn, inconsistent bowel movements, bad breath, arthritis pain and more.
Apple Cider Vinegar During Pregnancy
Taking apple cider vinegar is not without risks. Its high acidity levels can pose problems if not taken with significant water, like damaging your teeth or throat. It might interfere with medications and prenatal vitamins, too. With it being unpasteurized, there are risks of bad bacteria and a pregnant woman's immune system becoming compromised. Additionally, it might be hard to take with morning sickness or heightened senses. Some women are nauseated by its smell and taste.
How to Take Apple Cider Vinegar
You must dilute the apple cider vinegar with water or take it in capsule form. Even the capsule should be consumed with plenty of water to wash it down. The Global Healing Center recommends that you mix 1 tbsp. of the vinegar with at least 32 oz. of water. Natura Lab suggests one capsule a half hour prior to meals three times each day, not to exceed five pills or capsules daily.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Care: Vinegar Improves Insulin Sensitivity to a High-Carbohydrate Meal in Subjects with Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes
- The Global Healing Center: The Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
- Joseph Mercola, M.D.: What the Research Really Says about Apple Cider Vinegar
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