What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Other names: cider
vinegar, ACV, acetic acid
Apple cider vinegar is a type of
vinegar made by the fermentation of apple cider. During this process, sugar in
the apple cider is broken down by bacteria and yeast into alcohol and then into
vinegar. Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid (like other types of vinegar)
and some lactic, citric and malic acids.
Unlike white vinegar, apple cider
vinegar is a light yellow-brown colour and is often sold unfiltered and
un-pasteurized with dark, cloudy sediment called mother of vinegar (consisting
mainly of acetic acid bacteria) settled at the bottom of the bottle.
Unfiltered and un-pasteurized apple
cider vinegar is sold in health food stores, online and in some grocery stores.
Although other types of vinegar --
such as white vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar and rice wine vinegar
-- are used mainly in cooking, apple cider vinegar is used primarily for health
purposes. Hippocrates was said to have used it as a health tonic and American
soldiers are said to have used it to combat indigestion, pneumonia and scurvy.
But it wasn’t until the book Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor’s
Guide to Good Health, written by D.C. Jarvis, M.D., was published in 1958
that the medicinal use of apple cider vinegar took off. Jarvis recommended
apple cider vinegar as a cure-all, explaining that it was unusually rich in
potassium (compared to other food sources, it is not). He said that mixing the
apple cider vinegar with honey, a mixture he called “honegar,” enhanced the
healing power of the vinegar. Jarvis also wrote that apple cider vinegar could
destroy harmful bacteria in the digestive tract and recommended as a digestive
tonic to be consumed with meals.
Although the year it was released it
didn’t attract much attention, the following year, Folk Medicine became a bestseller and stayed on the
bestseller list for months. According to Time
magazine, it sold more than 245,000 copies in a single week and
received many testimonials by people who felt they benefited from the apple
cider vinegar and honey mixture.
In the 1970s, apple cider vinegar
became popular once again, this time by proponents who had read Jarvis’ book
and suggested that apple cider vinegar along with kelp, vitamin B6 and lecithin
could help people lose weight by speeding metabolism and burning fat at a
faster rate.
Home Remedies with Apple
Cider Vinegar
- Diabetes
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of
apple cider vinegar’s possible health benefits is its effect on blood glucose
levels. Several small studies suggest that vinegar (both apple cider vinegar
and other types) may help to lower glucose levels.
For example, a preliminary study by
researchers at Arizona State University, published in the journal Diabetes Care, examined people
with type 2 diabetes. Study participants took either two tablespoons of apple
cider vinegar or water with one ounce of cheese at bedtime for two days. The
researchers found taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar at bedtime had
a favourable impact on blood glucose levels the next morning. Prior to the
study, the average fasting blood glucose level was 137 mg/dL. It decreased by
2% with the cheese and by 4% with the vinegar, a statistically significant
difference. In people with a fasting glucose level above 130 mg/dL prior to the
study, the vinegar reduced glucose levels by as much as 6%. The study was very
small and the duration was short, so more research is needed.
Other studies have found that vinegar
can lower the post-meal rise in glucose. The acetic acid in vinegar is thought
to slow starch digestion and reduce the glycemic
index of
starchy foods. For example, a small study compared the effect of vinegar with
white bread on blood glucose and insulin levels. Researchers found that those
who took vinegar with white bread had lower post-meal blood glucose and insulin
levels and it also appeared to increase satiety ratings.
-
Apple cider vinegar has become popular as a “fat-burner” and as a natural appetite suppressant. In fact, there’s even an apple cider vinegar diet, which involves taking one to three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar or apple cider vinegar pills before each meal.
- The earliest proponent of apple cider vinegar for
weight loss was Jarvis, who wrote that people who consumed apple cider
vinegar regularly would burn fat instead of store it. Although some say
that the pectin, enzymes, vitamins, or potassium may help with weight
loss, there is no reliable research showing that either apple cider
vinegar or the combination of apple cider vinegar, kelp, vitamin B6 and
lecithin can influence metabolic rate or the help us “burn fat” faster
than we normally would.
One small study in 2005 found that
those who ate a piece of bread with a small amount of white vinegar felt more
full and satisfied than those who ate the bread alone. It’s possible that
vinegar may affect satiety by lowering the glycemic index of carbohydrates
eaten at a meal. More research is needed.
- Alkaline Acid Balance
Some alternative practitioners
suggest apple cider vinegar as part of a diet to restore alkaline acid balance.
The theory behind the alkaline
diet is
our blood is slightly alkaline, with a normal pH level of between 7.35 and
7.45. Our diet should reflect this pH level and be slightly alkaline. All foods
we eat, after being digested and metabolized, release either an acid or
alkaline base (bicarbonate) into blood. The foods that people tend to overeat
–- grains, meat, dairy products -- all produce acid.
Proponents of the alkaline-acid
theory believe that a diet high in acid-producing foods leads to lack of
energy, excessive mucous production, infections, anxiety, irritability,
headache, sore throat, nasal and sinus congestion, allergic reactions and makes
people prone to conditions such as arthritis and gout. Despite being an acidic
solution, some proponents of apple cider vinegar believe it has an alkalinizing
effect on the body, which is why one to two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in
water is recommended as a daily health tonic. Although it's a popular remedy,
the effectiveness of the remedy and the theory haven't been researched.
A home remedy for
dandruff is to mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with 1/4 cup water. The vinegar
solution is thought to restore the restore the pH balance of the scalp and
discourage the overgrowth of Malassezia furfur, the yeast-like fungus thought
to trigger dandruff.
The vinegar mixture
is usually poured into a spray bottle and sprit zed on the hair and scalp,
avoiding the eye and ear area. A towel is then wrapped around the head and left
on 15 minutes to an hour. After that, the vinegar can be washed from the hair.
Alternative practitioners often recommend it once to twice a week for dandruff.
- High Cholesterol
A 2006 study found that rats fed
acetic acid (the main ingredient in vinegar) had significantly lower total
cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Large, human trials are needed to see if
the same results occur in humans.
- Acid Reflux
Apple cider vinegar in water is a
popular home remedy for acid reflux. It's based on a theory by some alternative
medicine practitioners that heartburn and reflux are actually symptoms of
insufficient stomach acid caused by aging, poor diet or overusing antacids or
other medications. Alternative practitioners usually rely on laboratories that
conduct alternative tests to assess stomach acidity prior to any treatment.
Critics say that insufficient stomach acid, or hypochlorhydria, isn’t a common
condition and that it isn’t a known cause of acid reflux or heartburn.
Apple cider vinegar isn’t recommended
as a home remedy for acid reflux or heartburn, because it may damage the
delicate lining of the digestive tract and it could possibly worsen the
problem. If you have acid reflux or heartburn, see a qualified health
practitioner for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Apple cider vinegar is a home remedy
for acne. A typical application is one part apple cider vinegar to three parts
water and the solution is dabbed onto the pimple. Although some people swear by
it, caution should be used because there have been case reports of skin damage
and burns from using full-strength vinegar on the face.
Preliminary studies suggest that the
acetic acid in vinegar may help to lower blood pressure. How it might work is
unclear, although studies suggest that it may increase levels of nitric oxide,
a compound in the body that relaxes blood vessels, or it might inhibit an
enzyme called angiotensin-converting enzyme from producing angiotensin II, a
hormone that causes blood vessels to constrict or narrow.
Side
Effects and Safety Concerns
Undiluted apple cider vinegar, in
liquid or pill form, may damage the esophagus and other parts of the digestive
tract. Apple cider vinegar drinks may damage tooth enamel if sipped.
One case report linked excessive
apple cider vinegar consumption with low blood potassium levels (hypokalemia)
and low bone mineral density. People with osteoporosis, low potassium levels
and those taking potassium-lowering medications should use caution.
People with allergies to apples
should avoid apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar tablets may
become lodged in the throat or esophagus and cause serious damage to those
tissues.
Vinegar applied to the skin may cause
burns and scarring.
Excessive doses of apple cider vinegar
have been found to cause damage to the stomach, duodenum and liver in animals.
The quality of apple cider vinegar
tablets varies. A 2005 study compared eight brands of apple cider vinegar
supplements and found that the ingredients didn’t correspond with the
ingredients listed on the packaging, and that the chemical analysis of the
samples led researchers to question whether any of the products were actually
apple cider vinegar or whether they were just acetic acid.
Possible Drug Interactions
Theoretically, prolonged use of apple
cider vinegar could lead to lower potassium levels, which could increase the
risk of toxicity of cardiac glycoside drugs such as Lanoxin (digoxin), insulin,
laxatives and diuretics such as Lasix (furosemide).
Because apple cider vinegar may
affect blood glucose and insulin levels, it could theoretically have an
additive effect if combined with diabetes medications. Apple cider vinegar may
also lower blood pressure, so it may have an additive effect if combined with
high blood pressure medications.
Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary
measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article.
Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility
lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT
INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice
of your own doctor.
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