Apple cider vinegar is referenced in numerous home remedies for just about any condition you can think of, including lowering blood pressure. However, because of its foul taste, some people opt for vinegar pills instead. You should be warned, however, that medical evidence that vinegar can lower blood pressure is lacking. Also, vinegar pills are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and may not contain the same ingredients as liquid vinegar.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is made through a fermentation process. Juice is extracted from crushed apples, then yeast is added to spur on fermentation, according to "Nutrition Forum." This forms alcohol. Then the alcohol combines with bacteria to form vinegar.
Vinegar's Effect on Blood Pressure
Standard liquid apple cider vinegar may have an effect on lowering blood pressure. According to a study published in "Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry" in 2001, rats with high blood pressure experienced an overall drop in blood pressure after having their diets supplemented with vinegar. It was thought the acetic acid content in the vinegar played a role. Similar results have not been observed in humans, as of 2011.
About Apple Cider Vinegar Pills
Since some people dislike the taste of vinegar, many prefer to supplement with apple cider vinegar pills instead. According to "Nutrition Forum," standard vinegar pills contain calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium. However, the amounts of each of these nutrients may vary from brand to brand.
Warning
Unfortunately, apple cider vinegar pills do not usually make a suitable vinegar substitute. In fact, according to a study published in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" in 2005, vinegar pill product labels often misrepresent their contents. In some cases, pills don't contain acetic acid at all, making them completely useless in lowering blood pressure. Esophageal injury is also possible with excessive consumption of vinegar pills, according to the study.
References
- "Nutrition Forum"; The Sour Truth About Apple Cider Vinegar -- Evaluation of Therapeutic Use; Beth Fontenot; Nov.-Dec. 1997
- "Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry"; Antihypertensive Effects of Aetic Acid and Vinegar on Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats; S. Kondo et al.; Dec. 2001
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; Esophageal Injury by Apple Cider Vinegar Tablets and Subsequent Evaluation of Products; Laura L. Hill, MS, RD; 2005
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