Health benefits of Apple Cider

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is so popular in many households. While many people cannot do without apple cider vinegar, others haven’t even heard about it. In this article, we shall be looking at the many health benefits of Apple cider.

Apple cider vinegar benefits in so many ways that people don’t even know about it. Some people just use the cider for various things without actually knowing the benefit of it. Apple Cider Vinegar can be used as a cleaning agent or, as a means of adding flavour to boring dishes, and other times, it can potentially help with certain diseases.

You may have a friend who insists on taking apple cider vinegar shots in the morning for fat burning. Or you may have seen apple cider vinegar drinks in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. With the exploding popularity of the Apple Cider Vinegar, you’re probably wondering what the buzz is all about.

Well, here we are going to break it down for you.

You may also like: Health insurance companies in Nigeria

What exactly is apple cider vinegar?

First, let’s explore exactly what apple cider vinegar before we go into the health benefits of Apple cider, which is also known as ACV.

ACV is made from fermented apples and water. Like other kinds of vinegar, ACV has 5 per cent acidity.

You may notice that there are two different types of ACV available at the store. They are:

1. distilled ACV
2. unfiltered ACV

Distilled ACV

Distilled ACV looks clear in the bottle, and it may be the one you’re most familiar with because it is the most popular one.

Unfiltered ACV

The unfiltered ACV contains a cloudy substance that floats around in the mix. This is called the “mother” and is formed by natural enzymes during fermentation. No need to be wary of it. The substance usually settles to the bottom of the bottle; it’s also completely safe to consume.

Regardless of the variety, you do not have to refrigerate ACV, as it will last for a very long time. Vinegar, in general, has an almost indefinite shelf life, according to The Vinegar Institute, an international trade association for vinegar manufacturers. Even if your vinegar changes appearance (it may look cloudier, for instance), it is still okay to use it.

Health benefits of apple cider vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar has a lot of health benefits to the human body when consumed. Fans of the vinegar say that it can cure nearly everything that ails you – weight gain, digestive issues, skin woes, etc. Truth is, few studies support these uses. So, it’s best to stay realistic about it.

1. A high degree of health substances

The health results benefited in the process of producing apple cider vinegar are found in these steps:

Apples are first crushed by the producer and then exposed to yeast. When this is done, the sugar from the apples is fermented, which in turn causes its conversion to alcohol. After this, for proper and much more fermentation to take place in the alcohol, bacteria are added by the producer.

This action makes it unto becoming acetic acid. The major active ingredient in vinegar is acetic acid. That smell, strong and sour taste that vinegar is associated with is caused by acetic acid. It is widely believed, through research, that the health benefits available in apple cider vinegar are strongly linked to this acid. Five to six per cent of apple cider vinegar is made up of acetic acid.

A substance called mother is found in natural, unprocessed, or unrefined apple cider vinegar. Mother is made up of threads of proteins, enzymes, and a kind of bacteria. It is this, which makes the end product appear thick, darkly, and heavy-looking.

However, even though there are not enough studies or research to prove it without reasonable doubt, many say and accept that mother is the substance that bears most responsibility for the health benefits of apple cider.

Potassium is one of the minute elements that can be found in apple cider vinegar. Apple cider may not offer a lot of minerals or vitamins, however, amino acids and antioxidants are provided in apple cider produced by high standard producers.

Summarily, the process of fermentation of the sugar found in apples is from where apple cider is produced. Acetic acid is gotten from the fermented apple and this is the major active element in it, which is primarily responsible for its benefits to health.

Read Also: 9 herbs that are great for men’s health

2. Eradicates harmful bacteria

Pathogens and bacteria can be eradicated by the aid of vinegar. It is well known that vinegar has been used over the years by people as a disinfectant, cleansing aid, for the treatment of fungus in nails, also in the treatment of warts on the body, lice, and even infections in the ears.

Hippocrates, popularly referred to as the father of modern medicine,  engaged in the use of vinegar to clean and treat wounds in injured victims. This is a historical fact over two thousand years ago and standing today.

3. Food preservative

Vinegar is also popularly used as a food preservative. Research has shown that vinegar helps in preventing bacteria such as E Coli from effective growth and causing spoilage and decay of food.

This is noteworthy as a natural method for food preservation. Just in case you need a simple and natural way to preserve food, you can easily take to apple cider.

4. Treats skin disease

Although there is no hard evidence in studies to back up this claim, based on reports and observations of unscientific observers, it is suggested that apple cider vinegar can be used in the treatment of acne when it is applied to the skin.

5. Manages diabetes

Very convincingly today, the use of vinegar in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes has been widely known, researched, and accepted.

Due to resistance of insulin or better still, the inability of the body to produce insulin, Type 2 diabetes is one of the major health issues in the world today.

That said, those without a diabetic problem can also key into this for preventative purposes. The intake of apple cider vinegar can help keep one’s blood sugar level at the appropriate level. As it has been reported by medical researchers, a high blood sugar range is one of those things that lead to ageing and also several serious diseases.

The avoidance of refined carbohydrates and sugar is a sure, healthy, and very effective method of the normalisation and regulation of blood sugar levels in the body. Additionally, taking apple cider vinegar is also proven to have an effect that is highly beneficial to health.

Advantages of apple cider vinegar for insulin levels

1.  In the application of vinegar, there can be a 19–34% increase in insulin sensitivity during meals containing high carbohydrates and a very notable lower blood sugar and insulin reaction. This is revealed by a small study.
2. Among five people in good health, another study deduced that there was a 31.4% reduction in blood sugar levels with the use of vinegar. This was after a meal of 50 grams of white bread.
3. Another small sample study in persons with diabetes was seen to have proven that two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar consumed not long before going to bed caused a 4% reduction in fasting blood sugar by dawn the next day.

Several other types of research and studies were done in humans have shown that appropriate levels of vinegar consumption can lead to a significant improvement in insulin function and also bring down the ranges of blood sugar after meals.

6. Weight loss

Certain studies have shown that weight loss can be achieved through vinegar intake, however surprising this may seem. Details of this study reveal that the use of vinegar can cause a feeling of being full.

This feeling is one which can cause a person to eat less and thus leading to loss of weight. Information from one study states that the intake of vinegar side by side with a meal that contains a high level of carbohydrates can lead to one having a steady rise in the feelings of fullness. The reaction to this feeling was that those who participated in the study consumed between 200 to 275 lower calories to the end of that day.

Again, in a separate sample study of one hundred and seventy-five persons who were obese, it was tested and proven that daily consumption of apple cider vinegar led to a significant reduction in stomach fat and loss of weight.

The testing samples took to the following and this was the resultant effect:

– An intake of one tablespoon –12 mL– of vinegar caused a weight loss of 2.6 pounds, that is about 1.2 kilograms

– Intake of two tablespoons–30 mL–of vinegar led to a weight loss of 3.7 pounds, which is 1.7 k kilograms

It must be noted that this study took about ninety days to be completed. Because of this, the overall changes in the individual’s body weight due to the intake of vinegar can be said to be moderate.

Having this at the back of the mind, an increase or reduction in the intake of specific foods or ingredients does not always have very significant effects on body weight. A long-term plan and pattern, which includes diet and lifestyle, have a more noticeable effect on the change on an individual as it has to do with losing weight.

Summarily, the contribution of apple cider vinegar to loss of weight is that it causes one to feel satisfied, it reduces and lowers the level of blood sugar and also reduces the levels of insulin in the body. Only around three calories per tablespoon is contained in apple cider vinegar. This is obviously very low.

Also Read: Health hack: Easy ways to eliminate or control bad breath

7.  Heart of animals

Globally, one of the main causes of death is cardiogenic diseases. There are so many factors, biologically, that is directly associated with the possibility of heart problems and diseases. Studies suggest that the application of vinegar can improve heart health. Albeit, a larger percentage of these researches were performed on animals.

According to the studies done in animals, it is suggested that apple cider vinegar leads to a lowering in the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride. These and more heart disease risks can be significantly affected by vinegar.

Vinegar is shown to affect the reduction of high blood pressure. This research was done in rats. High blood pressure is known to be a major cause of cardiovascular and kidney problems.

8. Boost in skin health

Apple cider vinegar is known to be a common cure for several conditions of the skin such as dry skin and even eczema.

Naturally, the human skin is a tad acidic. The use of apple cider vinegar can aid the skin to a semblance of its natural measure of pH thereby causing an improvement and strengthening of the protective skin barrier. This seems to be in contrast to the use of soaps and alkaline cleansers, which could lead to further irritation of eczema, worsening the issue.

Apple cider vinegar can guard against some infections of the skin such as eczema and others, taking into account its antibacterial content. This is in theory.

Some while using their face wash or toner add to it and mix apple cider vinegar with it. The thought that supports this act is the fact that vinegar can eliminate bacteria and also helps in the prevention of spots.

9. Stomach upset

Many people have spoken about the use of apple cider vinegar to calm a rumbling stomach. In cases of food difficulty in the digestion of food or a combination of food that has led to an unsettling bowel, vinegar is known to be a quick remedy for such. Just like the use of magnesium trisilicate and the like, vinegar has a calming effect on the stomach.

Apple cider dosage and how to use it

1.  The simplest way to fix apple cider into your daily consumption and intake is to add it to your food when cooking or food preparation. For instance, simply add it to your salad dressings and mayonnaise.
2. Secondly, some would prefer to put it in water and consume it like a beverage. Some take it in dosages of 1–2 teaspoons, while others choose 1–2 tablespoons a day, diluted in a glass of good quantity of water.
3. Advisably, start with small amounts of intake. Excessive vinegar intake has unfavourable side effects.

Read Also: Apple announces subscription-based streaming service, Apple TV Plus, credit card and more

Conclusion

There are so many health benefits of apple cider vinegar, as we have seen in the post above.

Just right above, you will see a section that shows you how to use this apple cider vinegar to gain access to its health benefits.

However, it is advisable to start with small amounts of intake. Excessive vinegar intake has unfavourable side effects.

Finally, the post is for information purposes only and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation. Use your discretion at all times. If taking medication, make sure you consult your doctor before starting the use of apple cider vinegar to be sure it is safe for you.