3 Surprising Apple Cider Vinegar Health Benefits
For centuries now, people have been using apple cider vinegar for treating various ailments. Not only is it a great natural food preservative, but it acts as a disinfectant as well. While people previously used it for preserving food items and disinfecting purposes, we’ve now realized its supports weight loss and can aid in maintaining blood sugar levels.
There are many different ways to take apple cider vinegar. While some people prefer to use it as a condiment, others drink it as is. Not to mention, you can also find apple cider vinegar gummies and capsules these days.
So whether you’d like to drink it, use it as a dressing for your salad, or take it as a supplement, this post covers all the amazing benefits you can get by consuming apple cider vinegar.
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
If you’re not sure what apple cider vinegar really is, it is similar to apple juice with one difference. During fermentation, yeast turns the natural sugars in apples into alcohol. Then, bacteria turn the alcohol into acetic acid. The acetic acid is what gives the vinegar its extremely strong smell and sour taste.
The process of fermentation produces this amazing liquid that offers numerous benefits for humans. Yeast and bacteria react with the sugar in apples for the production of apple cider vinegar.
Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
When we talk about the uses and benefits of apple cider vinegar, it is a part of many home remedies and folk medicine. The long history behind this vinegar suggests that people have been using it to treat varicose veins and sore throats.
While there is not much scientific evidence to back up these remedies, scientists are now studying the possible benefits of apple cider vinegar.
Many people believe that the foamy cloud of bacteria and yeast gives apple cider vinegar health-related properties. You can easily see the ‘mother’ or yeast cloud in vinegar bottles. One thing to note about it is that it is a probiotic, suggesting that it can help in boosting and enhancement of gut health
1. Manages Blood Sugar Levels
According to various studies and research, apple cider vinegar can help manage blood sugar and insulin levels in the body. In fact, treating Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common applications of apple cider vinegar in today’s world.
Simply put, Type 2 diabetes is a result of insulin resistance or inability that leads to constantly high blood sugar levels. One study suggests that the use of apple cider vinegar can improve insulin sensitivity by 19.3%. This is especially true for a high-carb meal as it significantly enhances insulin response and low blood sugar levels in diabetics.
Another group of researchers observed 5 healthy, non-diabetic people after they consumed 50 grams of white bread. The findings suggested that apple cider vinegar helped with reduced blood glucose by 31.4%. On the other, a study conducted for diabetes patients showed that taking 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar results in a lower fasting blood sugar level.
Not only this, but the acetic acid present in apple cider vinegar also helps to block the activity of enzymes that aids starch digestion. This way, lesser starch enters your bloodstream resulting in a lower blood sugar level.
2. Aids Weight Loss
Various studies and their findings suggest that apple cider vinegar is useful for weight loss. This is the reason many people use apple cider vinegar along with other weight loss plans such as diet or exercise.
Taking apple cider vinegar helps you feel full. As a result, you tend to eat less and consume fewer calories, leading to eventual weight loss. In one study, researchers asked participants to consume apple cider vinegar along with a diet rich in carbs. The results revealed that participants consumed 200 to 275 fewer calories throughout the day.
Another study was published in the year 2018, tracking weight loss among two groups of people. The study was conducted over a period of 12 weeks. While both groups lost weight during the given time, the group that consumed around 30 ml of apple cider vinegar showed better results and greater weight loss.
Another study among 175 obese people reveals that daily consumption of vinegar caused a reduction in belly fat and speeds up weight loss. According to the study, people consuming 1 tablespoon daily lost 2.6 pounced while those taking 2 tablespoons lost 3.7 pounds.
While the results are incredible, you must also remember that all studies are conducted over a long period of time. So, you must give apple cider vinegar time to aid weight loss.
3. Improves Skin Health
If you swear by aloe vera, moisturizers, or cool water compress for treating sunburns, you must try out apple cider vinegar at least once. Why? Well, it can be way more effective and quick to ease pain and burning.
You can add it to your cold bath or mix it with water to spray over affected areas. While there is not much scientific evidence to support its soothing properties, apple cider vinegar definitely has strong germ-fighting properties. This can help your skin counteract infections from sunburns or other kinds of skin injuries.
Another benefit that apple cider vinegar can have on the skin is its acne-fighting properties. Although the science is yet to back this up, many people dab small amounts of apple cider vinegar onto their pimples to dry them out. However, make sure you dilute it in water before applying it to your face to prevent any damage.
Research suggests that apple cider vinegar can reduce the appearance of varicose veins. You can also apply some of it in case of mosquito bites, jellyfish sting, or poison ivy to reduce irritation and discomfort.
Other Benefits
There are also a few other things that apple cider vinegar can help with.
- Helps with Dandruff: Yeast plays a big role in the development of dandruff. Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid that can balance the scalp’s pH, making it hard for yeast to survive. Spritz diluted apple cider vinegar to prevent flakes and reduce itchiness.
- Relieves Sore Throat: A lot of people use apple cider vinegar to treat pharyngitis or sore throat due to its germ-fighting properties. However, there are many different ways of consuming apple cider vinegar to relieve sore throat. You can either gargle or drink a mixture of apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, and honey in warm water.
- Reduces Body Odor: You can also use vinegar to keep smelly armpits and feet in check. It can help maintain a healthy pH balance of the skin and kill body odor-causing bacteria.
Wrap-Up
There is not enough research regarding the potential benefits of apple cider vinegar. Even then, people use it for many different purposes and swear by its benefits. You can use it to aid weight loss, control your blood glucose levels, and treat certain skin conditions. It can also effectively reduce scalp dandruff, relieve sore throat and eliminate body odor.
Sources
https://www.asweetpeachef.com/benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/apple-cider-vinegar-and-your-health