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Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is getting more and more attention as its many benefits become known. It may take a bit to get used to the strong smell and taste, but once you’ve made it regular part of your routine, it’s not so bad. It provides so many great benefits to your digestive system and other parts of your body that it’s good to keep it handy and use it as directed as part of a weight loss plan, or as part of your daily quest at good health and overall wellness.
1. Reduces Hunger
Perhaps the best reason to use apple cider vinegar is because it can help you lose weight by reducing your hunger. According to one animal study, rats who were fed a diet that consisted of apple cider vinegar reduced their weight gain, so it’s not a bad thing to add to your weight loss program. Another study found that apple cider vinegar helps make you feel full after eating so that you don’t eat as much. It also helps lower glucose levels after you eat, but we’ll get to that later!
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2. Promotes Digestive Health
Raw apple cider vinegar contains enzymes that help you break down food, which can help support the digestive process. But the trick is to buy the organic, unfiltered kind. To get the most from this benefit, try drinking a glass of water mixed with ACV 30 minutes before a meal. You’ll notice that it not only helps you get to mealtime more easily, but when mealtime does arrive you’ll be less hungry for it and then digest it easier.
3. Can Be Used as a Mouthwash
Research shows that apple cider vinegar contains anti-bacterial properties. If you’re tired of the burn that comes with some popular mouthwash brands on the market, you might want to give apple cider vinegar a try as a more natural alternative. You’ll want to mix it with water and not swish it in your mouth at full strength, as it is rather acidic. What it does is naturally kill the bacteria on your tongue and inside your mouth that causes bad breath.
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4. Wart Treatment
While there is no scientific evidence to show that ACV can treat warts, it has been shown to kill harmful bacteria in lab studies. However, it may indirectly treat warts by interacting with certain acids. If you have a wart you’ve been wanting to get rid of, you can try using ACV in order to treat it before using the over the counter medications. It’s an easy enough process to use apple cider vinegar, and you may find that it’s a reliable and cost-effective way to go. You simply wash and dry the affected area, douse a cotton swab in ACV, apply to the wart and cover with a bandage to keep it in place. Let it work its magic while you sleep, and attend to it again in the morning. Repeat the process until it’s completely healed.
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5. Balances Blood Sugar
Apple cider vinegar can help you keep your blood sugar levels in check. Many of the claims made by proponents of ACV are not scientifically founded, but rather rely on anecdotal evidence to back them up. But this benefit is one that has a strong backing from the medical community, and has been shown to help diabetics manage their condition. It does so by helping to control the amount of glucose in the body, especially after you eat.
6. Can Be Used to Treat a Sunburn
Even though apple cider vinegar has a sour and acidic taste to it, it’s actually able to soothe a sunburn when applied topically. You can actually make a bath with ACV in it, which will help you treat all of your sunburned areas at once. Use cool water if you go this route. You can also provide an easier way to apply an ACV solution to your body by using a spray bottle. This way you don’t actually have to touch the sunburn, and can experience a cooling mist hitting your skin. The apple cider vinegar will stay on your skin after the water evaporates.
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7. Helps the Sinuses
Thanks to its antibacterial properties, apple cider vinegar can help treat a sinus infection. If you use it at the first sign of sinus trouble, you may be able to avoid it altogether. The method to use this as sinus relief is to add it to your humidifier so you can breathe it in, or add hot water to it so that you can breathe in the steam. The goal is breathing it in through your nose, so if it’s already stuffed up you might be too late to help matters. It’s always recommended to check in with your doctor if your sinuses are creating a bigger problem for you.
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8. Helps When You’re Tired
Taking apple cider vinegar can help boost your energy levels, and help when you’re starting to feel fatigued, or even exhausted after a workout. The reason why it helps with your energy levels can be attributed to its effect on your blood sugar, as well as the way it can boost your immune system (through improving your digestive health). Drinking a shot of ACV as a pick-me-up may work for you, and would be a more healthy tactic than reaching for the afternoon cup of coffee or an energy drink.
9. Can Make Your Teeth Whiter
Because of its pH levels and antibacterial properties, you can use ACV to whiten your teeth. You’ll want to make sure to rinse really well after using it, as the acidic nature of apple cider vinegar can be counterproductive if left on too long. It’s most effective at treating stains on your teeth, so if you have an overall yellowing of your teeth, this may be one way to go. You can use it directly just as if you were brushing your teeth with it. When you rinse, be sure to do so until as much of the acidic taste has left your mouth as possible.
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10. Can Be Used as an Acne Treatment
Research shows that apple cider vinegar contains acids that help control acne. You can use apple cider vinegar as part of a comprehensive program to treat acne naturally. The neat feature of ACV in relation to acne is that it can be used both internally and topically to help the situation. It helps to bring balance to the pH of your skin, and you can use it on your face and other areas of your body, making it great for those that suffer from acne on their back and other parts. You can also drink it and see if you notice an improvement, but using it as a sort of toner to help your skin directly seems to produce better results.
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11. Helps Reduce Heartburn
Apple cider vinegar helps to prevent indigestion. It also helps your digestive system break down your food. Whether or not it helps with heartburn will vary from person to person. If your digestive system is overactive and produces too much digestive acid, ACV will only serve to exacerbate the problem. But if your heartburn is being caused by other factors, it may be just what you need. There isn’t much backing these claims as far as scientific studies go, but it’s one of those instances where the number of positive peer reviews makes it a method worth trying.
12. Relieves Sore Muscles
This involves swabbing the area with ACV instead of ingesting it. You can also make the process easier and even more relaxing by adding it to your bath. It’s the acid in apple cider vinegar that gets the credit for the relief. It helps to relax both the skin and the muscles so you end up feeling better after soaking for only a few minutes.
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Apple Cider Vinegar FAQ
How is apple cider vinegar different from other vinegars?
The main thing that separates apple cider vinegar from others like white vinegar, wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or malt vinegar, is that it’s made with apples, whereas the others are made using other ingredients. This is what gives ACV its distinct taste, and also why it provides health benefits that you can’t get from regular vinegars. You want to look for a brand that comes from raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar to get all the active enzymes.
Will apple cider vinegar lower triglycerides?
Studies have shown that ACV can lower triglycerides. We recommend using ACV in addition to a healthy diet and exercise program for best results.
Will apple cider vinegar make you break out?
Drinking apple cider vinegar shouldn’t lead to a break out, and in fact it’s been shown to be a way to treat your acne topically, thanks to its antibacterial properties.
Will apple cider vinegar remove a mole?
Apple cider vinegar works pretty well on warts, but how about moles? There are instructions online for how to remove a mole with ACV, and there are even pictures provided to show how the process goes. Be sure to have any mole you plan on removing checked by a doctor first to make sure it’s just a mole and not something more serious. Also consider using something like Dermatend for potentially better results.
Is apple cider vinegar acidic or alkaline?
Even though you might think that ACV is acidic because of the acetic acid it contains, it’s not about what a food is made up of, but how the body responds to it and processes it once it’s consumed. As it turns out, it’s alkaline-forming once ingested, and acts the same as other alkaline foods like asparagus, broccoli, and kale. If you are creating an alkaline diet for yourself be sure to know which foods react in an acidic or alkaline way.
Is apple cider vinegar a diuretic?
Apple cider vinegar has been described as a gentle diuretic, and has been used as a treatment for urinary tract infections because of the way it helps the kidneys and bladder. There are other natural diuretics that also do a great job if you’re trying to remove excess water and sodium, like celery, ginger, and cabbage. These foods either contain plenty of water, or encourage urination to help flush the body.
Is apple cider vinegar a probiotic?
Even though it isn’t classified as a probiotic, ACV helps with the digestion in a similar fashion as probiotics. The pectin it contains helps the body break down foods, and it is often recommended to drink water mixed with apple cider vinegar 30 minutes to an hour before a meal to improve digestion. Probiotics get their name because of the bacteria they contain. ACV contains enzymes but because of its acidic nature does not have bacteria.
Does apple cider vinegar work on toenail fungus?
Research shows that apple cider vinegar contains anti-fungal properties, so you could use it to help treat toenail fungus by appying it to the area three times a day. Be sure to seek medical help if the fungus gets worse or does not clear up with the ACV use.
Will apple cider vinegar help with allergies?
ACV has been shown to help with allergies by flushing your sinuses, thus freeing them up to function properly. While it can’t prevent you from having an allergic reaction to the things you’re allergic to, it may be helpful in reducing the side effects they cause to your body.
Does apple cider vinegar spoil?
You will want to replace your apple cider vinegar often. This is because the raw, organic and unfiltered kind does not contain preservatives that prevent it from spoiling. Ensuring that you have a fresh product means that you will reap the benefits that the “mother” has to offer.
Does apple cider vinegar prevent cancer?
There is no research to show that apple cider vinegar can prevent cancer.
Can apple cider vinegar unclog arteries?
Apple cider vinegar has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease when eaten in the form of salad dressing, but there is no evidence to suggest that it can unclog arteries.
Can apple cider vinegar lighten scars?
To date, there are no clinical studies to prove that apple cider vinegar can lighten scars.