Apple cider vinegar is one of nature’s wonder foods. But what is it, exactly? As the name suggests, apple cider vinegar is made from apples that have been fermented and then decanted. You can actually make it at home, but many people prefer to save time by buying it at a local grocer or health food store or online.
Apple cider vinegar offers the most potent health benefits when it is in its organic, unpasteurized form. Health expert Dr. Axe states that apple cider vinegar is a powerful healer, citing its twin anti-bacterial plus pro-biotic qualities for its ability to serve as a natural antibiotic for your body.
Apple cider vinegar is packed with magnesium, digestive enzymes, acetic acid (naturally occurring vinegar), potassium and polyphenols (natural antioxidants). While we won’t cover this here, it probably won’t surprise you to learn that, in addition to the many health benefits it has to offer, apple cider vinegar also makes for an economical and efficient household disinfectant!
SAFETY NOTE: Please do not drink apple cider vinegar in an undiluted state. According to Natural Living Ideas, doing this may cause burns to your esophagus. Always add 8 ounces of water to dilute the apple cider vinegar before you drink it.
15 Reasons to Drink Apple Cider Vinegar Daily
We ope you enjoy this list of 15 wonderful benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar!
#1 Drinking apple cider vinegar helps you lose weight
Who amongst us isn’t trying to do a better job of eating a healthy diet, getting better rest, staying in shape and maintaining an optimal body weight? NBC News reports that “get healthy” is the number one New Year’s resolution this year – yet again!
Drinking apple cider vinegar can help you achieve this goal. Health expert Dr. Mehmet Oz states that drinking apple cider vinegar on a daily basis can help your body to balance out blood sugar levels, decrease insulin, boost metabolism, lower fat storage in the liver and belly and burn fat.
All together, these benefits make for a potent assistant in helping you to achieve your weight loss and weight management goals. In fact, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that initial research studies (with overweight rats) have shown that apple cider vinegar in the form of acetic acid can suppress body fat accumulation.
#2 Drinking apple cider vinegar eases heartburn and acid reflux
Healthline reports that a jaw-dropping 60 percent of people suffer from some level of heartburn and acid reflux (also called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)).
If you have experienced recurring issues with either or both, you already know it is very uncomfortable! Doctors at WebMD are now linking the rising number of cases of acid reflux with rising levels of obesity nationwide.
As mentioned in #1 here, apple cider can help you with meeting your weight loss goals. As a second powerful benefit, drinking apple cider daily can also help alleviate ongoing issues with heartburn and GERD.
According to RefluxMD, while doctors still are not completely clear on how apple cider vinegar helps ease GERD and heartburn, the reigning medical theory is that it helps to balance the pH levels and buffer the sensitive stomach linings against the stomach’s own caustic acids.
NOTE: If you have been diagnosed with a stomach ulcer, please do not drink apple cider vinegar until your doctor agrees that your ulcer has resolved.
#3 Drinking apple cider vinegar can kill off an overgrowth of Candida yeast
U.S. News & World Report: Health states that up to 75 percent of women will suffer from a yeast infection at some point during their lifetime (as well as many men).
The official diagnostic term for this condition is “candidiasis,” and the name refers to an overgrowth of a very common yeast bacteria that is present in everyone – Candida Albicans.
At normal levels, Candida Albicans is harmless – even beneficial. But the modern diet of fast food, high sugar sodas and highly processed carbohydrates can feed the Candida bacteria so that it grows at faster than normal levels. When this occurs, uncomfortable health symptoms such as yeast infections, thrush (in children), mood disorders, leaky gut syndrome, chronic fatigue, IBS (irritable bowel level)-type symptoms, sinus infections and genitoury infections can follow.
Drinking apple cider vinegar daily offers your body a natural defense against overgrowth of the Candida Albicans bacteria. It does this by promoting the growth of probiotics, which are a natural enemy of Candida Albicans. Health expert Dr. Axe recommends taking one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar up to three times per day on a short-term basis to do a Candida Albicans cleanse.
#4 Drinking apple cider vinegar eases muscle cramps.
If you have ever spent the night battling leg cramps or restless leg syndrome, you already know how frustrating this condition can be. The Alternative Daily says that in addition to easing muscle cramps, it can also support fewer menstrual cramps by relaxing the muscles in the uterus.
The reason drinking apple cider vinegar works to help reduce muscle cramping throughout the body is because it is high in potassium. As the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMM) explains, potassium is a naturally occurring electrolyte that helps muscles, tissues and cells function.
Because modern diets tend to be high in sodium, many people actually have too little potassium in their bodies but just don’t know it. Muscle cramping is one way your body can let you know that you need more potassium, and drinking apple cider vinegar each day is an easy way to boost your potassium levels.
#5 Drinking apple cider vinegar instantly soothes a sore throat.
No one likes having a sore throat! But during traditional “sick seasons” each year such as the spring and fall allergy seasons and winter’s cold and flu season, many people end up suffering from a sore throat.
Reader’s Digest (RD) cites drinking apple cider vinegar as one of the top remedies to soothe a sore throat, citing research that shows the germs causing your throat tissues to become aggravated and sore will not survive when confronted with apple cider vinegar’s powerful anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
The recipe recommended is to combine one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with one teaspoon of salt in at least 8 ounces of warm water that you drink several times per day. If you want, you can remove the salt and add a bit of honey instead.
#6 Drinking apple cider vinegar improves insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as many as 29 million people in the United States may be suffering with diabetes. Even more concerningly, the American Diabetes Association Diabetes Journals (ADA) reports that the incidence of diabetes is expected to continue rising nationwide.
But there is also good news, which is that apple cider vinegar has shown positive results when taken orally by insulin sensitive or insulin resistant research participants. This research not only proves that apple cider vinegar can be a useful addition to a comprehensive diabetes management program for people with type 2 diabetes, but also shows promise to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes in some people.
Web MD states that, unlike diabetes type 1, which happens when the body does not have any insulin, diabetes type 2 develops when the body becomes less able to make and effectively use its own insulin.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes type 2 or you have a family history of this disease, adding apple cider vinegar to your daily healthcare regimen may stave off or even prevent the disease from manifesting!
#7 Drinking apple cider vinegar each day helps lower your blood pressure levels.
According to Healthy and Natural World, as many as one-third of people worldwide may be struggling with high blood pressure. High blood pressure, or hypertension, can be serious or even fatal and can cause anything from stroke to heart attack to kidney disease to dementia, as reported by Hypertension Canada.
Earth Clinic reports that drinking apple cider vinegar each day tops its list of home remedies for lowering high blood pressure naturally.
The dosage you need can vary depending on how much help you need to lower your blood pressure. Earth Clinic advises starting out at the lowest dose and observing the results, then increasing your daily intake as needed until it produces the results you are looking for.
The recommended starting dose is from one teaspoon to one tablespoon in a glass of water one to three times per day. As the Chicago Tribune points out, one reason apple cider vinegar can help naturally lower blood pressure is because it also helps with weight loss, and the two are positive correlated.
But it is apple cider vinegar’s naturally high potassium levels that are the true miracle cure for high blood pressure. This is because potassium naturally detoxes the body from excess toxins, sodium and other blood pressure-raising pollutants.
#8 Drinking apple cider vinegar daily fights back against seasonal allergies.
Underground Health Reporter states that drinking apple cider vinegar to combat seasonal allergies is a time-honored home remedy that dates back a century or more!
It can do this due to its natural anti-biotic and antihistamine properties. As you may already be aware, your body’s immune system will produce histamines in its effort to combat seasonal allergens like mold, mildew and pollen. The histamines are what cause your allergy symptoms to manifest – this is your body’s way of signaling that it is at war with the allergens.
But apple cider vinegar has natural antihistamine as well as anti-viral, anti-biotic, anti-bacterial, anti-allergen and anti-fungal properties. So it can pull double duty to prevent the symptoms caused by the histamines while also effectively quelling the allergens that are causing those symptoms.
#9 Drinking apple cider vinegar daily can restore and heal your skin.
Sunburns, poison ivy, eczema, acne, bug bites, fungus, age spots, warts….apple cider vinegar can help to heal your skin of each of these ailments and more. As Women’s Health Magazine states, apple cider vinegar is also a naturally restorative treatment for both skin and hair, restoring the shine, youthful glow, moisture balance, pH balance, residue on hair and more.
If you get razor bumps, bruises or dandruff, topical application of apple cider vinegar (just soak some ACV into a cotton ball and apply it to the affected area) in addition to taking it in orally by drinking it can really boost its healing abilities.
Another great benefit of taking in apple cider vinegar daily is that it is a powerful deodorizer for bad breath, body odor, foot odor and more. Apple cider vinegar works to dispel these odors because of its natural antiseptic properties. It simply neutralizes the bacteria responsible for the odors – problem solved!
#10 Drinking apple cider vinegar daily is a great whole-body detoxification treatment.
Eat This, Not That cites apple cider vinegar as one of the best natural detox agents available today and offers a wonderful assortment of detox recipes that include apple cider vinegar, including detox ACV lemonade – yum!
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), drinking apple cider vinegar can reduce serum triglycerides, body weight and fat mass towards the goal of preventing metabolic syndrome (a risk factor for heart disease, diabetes and stroke).
By helping your body to naturally detoxify itself, you can prevent all kinds of serious health issues that might otherwise be life-limiting and require expensive medications with unpleasant side effects. In contrast, apple cider vinegar has no side effects (so long as you take it with at least 8 ounces of water) and produces results quickly.
#11 Drinking apple cider vinegar each day will naturally whiten your teeth.
“I am totally fine with my yellow, stained teeth,” said no one, ever. Everyone wants to have a beautiful smile that they can show off proudly. But even with new over-the-counter or prescription teeth whitening remedies being released every day, still there are many people who still don’t feel they are able to achieve their whiteness goals.
Not only will drinking apple cider vinegar each day naturally whiten, lighten and brighten your teeth, but it will also contribute to better overall oral and dental health by detoxifying and sanitizing your mouth tissues, gums and teeth.
According to Colgate, you can make your own at-home natural teeth whitening remedy by combining two parts apple cider vinegar with one part (or less) baking soda. Colgate dentists suggest gargling with this solution daily.
Once you have achieved your whitening goals (or even while you are using the gargle solution) you can also drink apple cider vinegar each day to naturally detoxify and lighten teeth color.
NOTE: Here again, as the Dental Geek cautions, it is VERY important to dilute the apple cider vinegar in at least 8 ounces of water, or you run the risk that the high acid content in the ACV will weaken your tooth enamel.
#12 Drinking apple cider vinegar soothes an upset stomach.
Gas, pain, bloating, upset stomach….these are symptoms every person experiences at some point in life. When they occur, all your attention shifts to your stomach until the discomfort subsides.
But the waiting period can be awful. By drinking apple cider vinegar, you can give yourself near-instant relief from an upset stomach and the accompanying side effects, according to Reader’s Digest.
Apple cider vinegar in beverage form heads right to the source of the issue – your stomach. It then proceeds to coat your stomach, protecting the tissues from the potent stomach acids themselves. And then it sets to work neutralizing any bacteria, fungi or other germs or toxins that may be contributing to your discomfort.
While it is at it, apple cider vinegar restores optimal pH balance in your digestive tract, according to The Health Wyze Report.
#13 Drinking apple cider vinegar helps to resolve constipation and diarrhea.
Constipation and diarrhea can happen to the best of us. Many times, you will never know exactly what caused either issue to manifest. It could have been a germ, bad food, stress, IBS or any number of other things.
But what you really want to know is what will resolve your symptoms as quickly as possible. For this, apple cider vinegar stands ready to help. Home Remedies for Life states that apple cider vinegar acts as a type of gentle natural laxative to get sluggish bowels moving. At the same time, the pectin in apple cider vinegar helps to absorb and use the fiber already in your digestive tract to move things along.
Food Matters explains how the same pectin can also coat the lining of the colon to protect against further absorption of toxins or bacteria that may be contributing to a case of diarrhea. This both eases symptoms and speeds up your body’s ability to heal itself from a case of diarrhea.
#14 Drinking apple cider vinegar each day can lower high cholesterol.
Authority Nutrition states that drinking apple cider vinegar happens to have a natural antioxidant called chlorogenic acid. This particular antioxidant can bind to LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in the body to protect against oxidation, which creates plaque buildup in the arteries and can set the stage for the onset of heart disease.
CureJoy reports that the natural flavonoids in apple cider vinegar can also effectively scavenge for free radicals that could otherwise prompt atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries of the heart).
Because drinking apple cider vinegar daily can both reduce plaque formation and buildup and also lower triglycerides (fat particles circulating in your bloodstream) naturally, this treatment is viewed as one effective means of helping your heart and circulatory system naturally cleanse, detoxify and strengthen itself of the bad cholesterol that leads to heart disease.
#15 Drinking apple cider vinegar each day can boost your immune system function and kill cancer cells.
After reading through this list of all the ways that drinking apple cider vinegar daily can fight disease, detoxify the body, treat various ailments and strengthen health, it likely will not surprise you to learn that apple cider vinegar can also provide your body with a big boost to immune system function.
According to health expert Dr. Mercola, one of the best times of day to drink apple cider vinegar for all of these health benefits and more is at night.
But regardless of the time of day it is most convenient for you to drink your daily serving of apple cider vinegar, when it comes to boosting immune system function, you will have its anti-microbial properties to thank for the results. Research studies have not only highlighted positive immune system response in already healthy patients, but there is a particular benefit to be reaped if your immune system is suppressed by allergies or disease.
Dr. Mercola also cites studies showing that taking apple cider vinegar daily can kill cancer cells by as much as 62 percent in a variety of cancers, including breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer and colon cancer.
Conclusion
If you haven’t already headed out to the store to pick up some organic, raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (or, alternately, starting brewing your own batch at home), you are probably chomping at the bit to get going.
But before you do, just remember the safety notes in this post about the best way to drink apple cider vinegar. By taking the time to pick out (or brew) the most potent apple cider vinegar and then diluting your apple cider in at least 8 ounces of water, you deliver it to your body in the form that is most usable and effective for your personal goals.
Do you have a personal experience of drinking apple cider vinegar and experiencing positive, powerful health results? If so, we would love to hear and share it!
