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You must have read hundreds of remedies involving apple cider vinegar. With its claim to melt away your fat and give your insides a much-needed cleanse, apple cider vinegar is considered to be one of the healthiest potions. But is it really that good? To find an answer to that let’s learn about all the potential health benefits of apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar is basically apple juice with added yeast. The yeast turns the sugar in the juice into alcohol through the process of fermentation. Then the bacteria turn the alcohol into acetic acid, giving the vinegar its strong smell and sour taste. You should know that all fermented foods have hundreds of more health benefits than their nonfermented counterparts. Similarly, apple cider vinegar has ten times more benefits than apple juice itself.
Apple cider vinegar has been a pantry staple in most parts of the world. Now it has become an essential grocery item in many Pakistani households too but have you ever tried using it for reasons other than just seasoning your salad? If not, then you soon will, after knowing all the health benefits of apple cider vinegar.
Health Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar
Following are all the health benefits of apple cider vinegar proved and backed by science
Kills Bacteria
You must have seen some uses of apple cider vinegar as a cleaning agent. Well, that is because it has the ability to kill bacteria. This vinegar has been used to disinfect wounds for ages.
If it can kill bacteria outside the body why not inside? Apple cider vinegar has been long used as an effective remedy in fighting and preventing infections. It is as effective as some strong medicines at killing Enterococcus faecalis. These bacteria occur naturally in the bowel and gut of healthy humans but can cause serious infections. It owes this property to its main component i.e. acetic acid.
Due to this particular property, apple cider vinegar is used as a natural preservative for meat and other foods. It can also be used to apply on skin to treat acne but only in diluted form and if prescribed by a dermatologist.
Aids Weight Loss
Anybody struggling to lose weight must have gotten the advice to just sipping on apple cider vinegar with water and leave all the diets. Well, apple cider vinegar does help in weight loss but not the way you think. It can only help your weight loss efforts. It can help you lose weight slightly without even a diet, but these results often take too long to get noticed.
Apple cider vinegar aids weight loss in various ways.
- It increases satiety, making you feel full easily. This leads to lower calorie consumption which is the basic requirement for effective weight loss.
- It regulates the bowel, fighting issues like constipation. Constipation can prevent weight loss in many, so solving this problem can make your weight loss efforts more effective.
- It has minimum calories, making it a perfect diet ingredient. You can add it to your salads, drinks, and marination without adding any significant calories.
Read more about ways to lose weight effectively.
Improves Heart Health
Heart disease the leading cause of death across the globe. It owes its existence to family history, inevitable medical issues, and lifestyle choices. While the first two can not be controlled, the last one can be. Heart disease due to poor lifestyle choices happens due to high cholesterol levels or high blood pressure or both.
Apple cider vinegar has the ability to control both these factors and reduce the risk of heart disease. Studies suggest that apple cider vinegar control cholesterol by reducing LDL (low-density lipoproteins (bad cholesterol)) levels and increasing HDL (high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol)) levels. These effects are most prominent if you take apple cider vinegar before a proper meal.
Apple cider vinegar also controls your blood pressure. It does so, by controlling renin. Renin is a hormone produces by the kidneys, responsible for constricting and relaxing blood vessels. Constricted blood vessels cause high blood pressure, so apple cider vinegar helps in keeping the vessels relaxed through renin.
Reduces Blood Sugar
One of the most prominent health benefits of apple cider vinegar is its ability to reduce blood sugar levels and prevent and control type 2 diabetes. It plays a significant role in the prevention and control of type 2 diabetes by increasing the insulin sensitivity of body cells. A small study conducted on just 5 people showed that apple cider vinegar reduced blood sugar by 31.4% after eating 50 grams of white bread.
Apple cider vinegar controls blood sugar in the following ways
- increases insulin sensitivity
- increases insulin function
- lowers fasting blood glucose levels
- Lowers blood sugar after a meal
Read more about foods that will help you in controlling blood sugar.
Side Effects Of Apple Cider Vinegar
One of the major side effects of apple cider vinegar is its effect on your tooth enamel. The acid in the vinegar can wear down your tooth enamel which can lead to tooth sensitivity and cavities. This effect can be lessened by using a straw and taking in the liquid directly in the throat, not allowing it to touch the teeth. Obviously, this technique can not completely prevent contact, but it can lessen it.
All the benefits mentioned are of ingesting the vinegar. Applying the vinegar directly to the skin can damage your skin. It can cause burns and irritation. So, if you see any home remedy of applying the vinegar on your skin it is better to ignore it or consult a dermatologist before doing so.
It can also burn and irritate the eyes, so it is better to use it cautiously and keep it out of children’s reach.
Conclusion
There is no denying that there are innumerable health benefits of apple cider vinegar. But keep in mind that a few tablespoons of vinegar can not do much. It is important to couple the use of apple cider vinegar with a healthy diet, recommended by a nutritionist. The diet may depend on your health goal and is often customized for each individual.
FAQ’s
1. How to take apple cider vinegar?
You can take it by adding a few spoons into warm water and drink it through a straw. It can also be added in salads and other foods while cooking or marinating.
2. How much apple cider vinegar should be used?
There is not set safe amount, but it is better to stick to no more than 3 tablespoons a day.
3. How to store apple cider vinegar?
It is best to store it in a tightly closed container, in a cool and dark environment away from direct sunlight.
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