Cider House Rules

The Truth about Apple Cider Vinegar

Sometimes it’s really hard to keep up with the fads and trends around healthy eating and taking care of yourself. Is drinking wine good for you? Or not? What is a Superfood really? Over the coming months, we will look at some of these ideas and try to get to the bottom of them for you – and ourselves! But today, we are looking at Apple Cider Vinegar.

Apple Cider Vinegar is made from apple cider that has been fermented, a process which helps form enzymes and probiotic properties, and contains a high level of acetic acid…helping to balance the pH and improves the body’s ability to absorb minerals from food

Apple Cider Vinegar has been credited with some pretty amazing properties. But is all the hype true? And if you are going to introduce it into your life, how do you best go about it?

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple Cider Vinegar is made from apple cider that has been fermented, a process which helps form enzymes and probiotic properties. It has a high level of acetic acid, which perhaps counter-intuitively has an alkalizing effect on the body, helping to balance the pH and improves the body’s ability to absorb minerals from food.

Which Apple Cider Vinegar is Best?

When you are buying apple cider vinegar, try and go for the murky, dirty looking ones. Whilst the bright, shiny golden ones might look more appealing, the dirty ones are actually unfiltered and still contain what is called ‘the mother’, which is where a great deal of the benefits of the vinegar reside.

What Can it Do?

There have been some pretty wild claims made about Apple Cider Vinegar, some of which are proven, some anecdotal and some completely unfounded. Here are a few things we do know:

• Apple cider vinegar helps your stomach digest food and move it into the small intestine, so it can help with bloating
• The increase in acid in your digestive system will help your stomach absorb nutrients in your food, increasing the value of the food you eat
• It interferes with the digestion of starch, reducing the impact of carbs on your calorific intake
• It slows the uptake of sugar in your blood, thereby smoothing out those ‘sugar spikes’ – just beware if you are diabetic, discuss this with your diabetes management health professional
• It balances the pH of your body, which helps maintain bone strength
• The increase in acid in your digestive system can help alleviate heartburn
• Used as a diluted spray on your feet it can reduce foot odour by killing bacteria
• As a hair rinse it will reduce dryness and increase shine

How Do I Take It?

Never use Apple Cider Vinegar undiluted – either internally or externally. Its high acid content will burn your esophagus and irritate your skin.

Dilute 1-2 tablespoons in a glass of water, and drink before eating, and don’t overdo it. More is not more when it comes to taking Apple Cider Vinegar. And keep it regular to get the best benefit. When using it topically, 1 tablespoon to a cup of water is a good dilution.

So maybe ‘an apple a day’ should be replaced with ‘an apple cider a day’. At the very least it’s worth considering. If changing your diet is something you are currently looking at and want to speak to a professional, get in touch with us and make a booking to see our nutritionist!