Apple cider vinegar is an incredible healing tool to have on hand in your home. It can be used for so many home remedies such as digestive disorders, discomforts and overall balance. It’s beneficial for detoxifying, balancing pH, cramps and so much more. It can also be used for beauty purposes, such a skincare and haircare. I always have a bottle on hand and highly recommend you do also. It’s one of the most cost effective and multi-purpose home remedies to have on hand.
There are some mistakes people make when using apple cider vinegar though, for health purposes. If you follow the guidelines outlined in this article you will get the most benefit out of apple cider vinegar and not have any odd side effects.
4 Things You Need To Know About Using Apple Cider Vinegar
1. Only Buy Quality Glass Bottled Apple Cider Vinegar: One mistake many people make is to buy any apple cider vinegar off the shelf at the store. How different could it be right? You’d be surprised. Brands like heinz create apple cider vinegar and the difference between heinz apple cider vinegar and bragg apple cider vinegar is night and day. First, heinz apple cider vinegar comes in a plastic bottle and is not organic. Bragg apple cider vinegar comes in a glass bottle and is organic. Apple cider vinegar is acidic so you want it to come in a glass bottle for one main reason. The BPA in plastic will leech into apple cider vinegar faster because the acidic nature of apple cider vinegar breaks it down easier and faster, not to mention other petroleum based chemicals in plastic that will leech into your apple cider vinegar as well. You also want your apple cider vinegar to be certified to be organic and non-gmo project verified. Heinz most likely uses vinegar from gmo corn, so avoid heinz as a general rule and search for healthier brands.
2. Ensure Your Apple Cider Vinegar Contains “The Mother”: I got some apple cider vinegar from the store the other day and it’s a quality product. It’s in a glass bottle, certified organic and non-gmo but there was one thing I didn’t notice until I got home. The apple cider vinegar had the quality standards that you want it to have but it did not contain “the mother” which is the culture that keeps the apple cider vineger more nutrient dense and even more beneficial. The “mother,” contains strands of specific proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky appearance. This type of apple cider vinegar is more beneficial and medicinally therapeutic. You’ll notice the main difference between these two is that the apple cider vinegar without the mother is lighter in color (almost yellow) and the apple cider vinegar with the mother is a dark orange or brownish in color. The bragg brand also say’s “With the mother” on the front of the label so be sure to look for those words on the label.
3. Avoid Apple Cider Vinegar Tablets: Apple cider vinegar tablets are one way to consume apple cider vinegar but I do not recommend it. After researching you’ll find that one study found that apple cider vinegar tablets contained little to no vinegar at all. On top of that the pH, nutritional variance of the tablets is inconsistent at best in comparison to the real liquid apple cider vinegar. If you are taking apple cider vinegar for weight loss, digestive health, detoxification or any health purpose, you’d be best to use the organic, liquid form!
4. Dilute Apple Cider Vinegar With Water When Consuming: One mistake many people make is to put a little bit of apple cider vinegar in a glass and just drink it straight. This is not the smartest way to go about consuming apple cider vinegar for it’s health benefits for a few reasons. First, apple cider vinegar is quite acidic, although it is alkaline forming having that much acid hit your stomach by itself could cause stomach discomfort. I have had several people contact me through my work (on facebook, blog comments or youtube) that complain that they have heartburn or acid reflux after consuming apple cider vinegar. My first question and recommendation is “Did you dilute the apple cider vinegar with water?” if not, do so. You can dilute a spoonful of apple cider vinegar with water. I recommend adding a spoonful or two to a shot glass and then filling the rest of it with water then drinking it as a shot. This will keep it concentrated but not too concentrated to the point where you may have heartburn or a burning sensation in your stomach or chest.And there you have it. Buy organic, non-gmo, glass bottled, apple cider vinegar that includes the mother.
Typically bragg apple cider vinegar is your best option. Ensure that you avoid apple cider vinegar tablets. They are much less consistent and nutritionally valuable as the real liquid apple cider vinegar. Last but not least, make sure to dilute the apple cider vinegar in water so that it doesn’t cause heartburn or any burning sensation as it is acidic in nature but alkaline forming. Enjoy the medicinal benefits of apple cider vinegar!
Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeepersmedia/16360390749
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