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Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you are probably well-aware of the cultural health phenomenon that is apple cider vinegar. Everyone from celebrities to naturopaths has been touting its benefits as a household cleaner, healthy gut elixir, and natural beauty product. You may think there’s nothing left to say about this astonishing liquid. However, when you think about it…how much do you really know about
ACV?
Not all ACV is created equal
If you’ve ever perused the vinegar section of your local grocery store, you’ve most likely seen two types of apple cider vinegar. There’s the clarified version that looks just like white vinegar with a slight brownish tint to it, and then there’s the other kind with strange-looking sediment resting on the bottom. So what exactly is this weird floating stuff and why would you want it in your vinegar?
The floating stuff is also known as
“the mother” and is an essential component of ACV. ACV is created through a two-step fermentation process involving yeast which is added to apple juice to break down the natural sugars and turn them into alcohol. Next, bacteria turns the alcohol into acetic acid. This
bacteria is what we call the mother and is where all of the beneficial enzymes and probiotics are contained.
Unfortunately, many people are turned off by the mother and assume that the clarified version is healthier. In reality, the distilled ACV should only be used for cleaning and other external uses. There is simply no health benefit in ingesting it.
ACV should always be diluted
Never drink ACV straight. Many health enthusiasts recommend starting your day off with a shot of pure, undiluted vinegar. Though this is a quick way to get it into your system and is helpful if you detest the rather potent smell, it can be extremely harmful in the long run. Like other kinds of vinegar, ACV is highly acidic and can erode your teeth enamel and damage your stomach lining if consumed in large quantities or taken as a shot. Always mix into dishes or enjoy as a warm tea along with 10 parts water to one part vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey. Drink this tea through a straw to help bypass your teeth and always rinse your mouth out with water after drinking.
AVC could help with weight loss…but not on its own