The Top 5 Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar You Didn't Know

Old goes the saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. This good old saying concerning apple has been presently replaced by apple cider vinegar because of its amazing health benefits. By the end of reading this blog, you will agree that a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar a day is the key to optimal health and you’ll be reaching out for a bottle of apple cider vinegar much more often.

What Is Apple Cider Vinegar?

While the word, ‘vinegar’ comes from the French phrase, ‘vin aigre’ which means sour wine, apple cider vinegar means the sour-tasting solution made from the fermented apples. For those who mistake apple cider vinegar to be simply an apple juice, the catch is in the word, ferment over here. The fermentation process is what makes your apple cider vinegar different from the mere juice. So, apple cider vinegar is the fermented juice of apple.

How Is Apple Cider Vinegar Made?

Vinegar is an acetic acid solution that results from the fermentation process of ethanol when yeast and bacteria are added to any food source containing carbohydrates. Apple cider vinegar is prepared through a similar fermentation process, having apples as the main ingredient.

The yeast is first added to the crushed apples and made to sit for a minimum of 30 days at room temperature. During this time, yeast turns the sugar in the apples into alcohol.

The second step involves the addition of bacterium called Acetobacter, which converts alcohol into acetic acid.

The all-natural apple cider vinegar thus obtained is acclaimed as a great source of antioxidants and contains an array of natural ingredients and polyphenol that give wonderful health benefits.

There are different types of apple cider vinegar available on the market today. Choose the one that is unfiltered, unpasteurized and unrefined like that of AS-IT-IS apple cider vinegar.

The unfiltered variety contains probiotics (a colony of bacteria), referred to as the ‘mother’, which has a cobweb appearance. The refined variety looks clear and lacks the ‘mother’. The vinegar that contains the mother is considered to be the most nutritious of the apple cider vinegar. In addition to this, it also contains prebiotic pectin, a soluble fibre that may encourage a healthy gut flora and help to reduce LDL cholesterol.

Read on to learn more about the important benefits of apple cider vinegar:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar Promotes Healthy Digestive Response

A general belief is that digestive health is a key to overall health and it is very important to care for it. The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar helps break down complex foods like protein and aids in smooth digestion. This property of apple cider vinegar is especially beneficial to someone with lower stomach acid levels who often face trouble with digestion as food stays in their stomach longer which could later lead to bloating.

Some foods like high-fat foods, carbonated beverages, spicy foods, heavy meals may trigger acid reflux. As a result of this, the stomach may not have enough acid. Apple cider vinegar mimics the acid level of your stomach to assist in better digestion of food.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar Regulates Blood Sugar Levels & Promotes Ideal Blood Sugar Response After Meals

Maintaining balanced blood sugar levels is another important factor to keep optimal health. Studies suggest that apple cider vinegar is known to have an anti-glycemic effect and can block the digestion of some carbohydrates like starch which can otherwise cause the blood sugar levels to spike. Since starch can raise your blood sugar significantly once digested, even blocking a bit of the starch helps control blood sugar levels. Well, the undigested starch serves as food to healthy bacteria in the gut.

Apple cider vinegar’s best-known benefit is in improving insulin sensitivity. It ensures your cells take up glucose more efficiently and it doesn’t linger in the bloodstream. While consuming apple cider vinegar helps reduce postprandial (after meal) glucose, it helps reduce the fasting blood glucose in the morning when taken at bedtime. 

3. Apple Cider Vinegar Provides Weight Loss Benefits

It will be wrong if I say, apple cider vinegar is the best weight-loss aid because it provides modest weight results. As explained earlier, apple cider vinegar improves your digestion and regulates acidity. Additionally, it regulates blood pH levels which leads to improved blood circulation that has a positive impact on metabolism. By playing a role in effective metabolism, it contributes to fat loss and in reducing weight. Apple cider vinegar although supports weight loss, it’s important for you to remember that the chief requisite for weight loss goal is to consume low-calorie diet and increase your physical activity levels.

4. Effectively Helps Absorb Vitamins & Minerals

Being itself a good source of vitamins and minerals; apple cider vinegar also effectively aids in the absorption of vitamins and minerals from the food source. It contains a good amount of minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorus and sodium. The potassium plays a vital role in maintaining fluid balance in the body, it offsets the excess sodium thereby regulating the blood pressure. Calcium, on the other hand, ensures better health of teeth and bones. Acetic acid, which is the active compound in apple cider vinegar not just imparts the sour flavour to it but also helps the body to effectively absorb vitamins and minerals like calcium and iron from your food in the absence of enough acid produced by your body.

5. Promotes Skin & Hair Health

Apple cider vinegar can do wonders on your skin by regulating the skin pH levels. While the commercial soap-based cleansers are alkaline (with pH levels above 7) and can leave a harsh feel on the skin, the natural apple cider vinegar is so gentle that it suits even the sensitive skin type. The pH level of apple cider vinegar is similar to the pH level of the protective acid mantle of the skin. The antibacterial properties in apple cider vinegar clear the debris on the skin and restrict the dilation of the skin pores. It keeps your skin from becoming too oily or too dry by balancing the production of sebum and helps restore a healthy glow. Apple cider vinegar is a natural detangler; it cleanses your scalp and imparts a healthy shine to your hair by giving it a silky texture.

Waiting to hear more? I am sure you would be…

Let me tell you to get a bottle of apple cider vinegar today and you’ll definitely add more to it…

Also read: Peanut Butter - A Great Nutritional Package

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