Apple Cider Vinegar Uses in Real Life
Apple Cider Vinegar Uses in Real Life
Apple cider vinegar or ACV is a by-word in home remedies and health regimes. People trusted ACV even back in the days and it was during the time of Hippocrates that it was utilized to provide relief for various kinds of illnesses as well as to battle infections. To this day, apple cider vinegar continues to play an important role. Some people consider it as a miracle cure for almost anything. It is said to be great for the skin, hair, and even in weight management. But how true are all these claims in actual application?
The Wonders of Apple Cider Vinegar
Weight loss is associated with the consumption of ACV. When enjoying your meals with vinegar, it tends to give you that feeling of fullness that can last for hours. As a result, it prevents you from eating too much. It was found in a study that those who had vinegar with their meals consumed lesser calories at 200 to 275 for the day.
Apple cider vinegar is also very useful in reducing and regulating blood sugar levels. Because it has acetic acid, the absorption of sugar in the blood stream can be slowed down. This was shown to be true in a study conducted at the University of Milan. The blood sugar level of the subjects dropped by 34% after they drank a gram of acetic acid found in olive oil. They did this before they ate 50 grams of white bread and it had a significant effect. In comparison, if they just ate the bread without having the acetic acid first, a sugar spike in their blood stream could have occurred as is usual. Sugar spikes are dangerous for the body when they happen often. It can lead to the development of Type II Diabetes.
It has been proven that ACV can help cut down the risk of heart ailments. A number of researches have been done on how vinegar can reduce blood pressure and this study was started out with rats. A healthy conclusion has similarly been reached in another study when rats were given Apple Cider Vinegar to consume and their triglyceride and cholesterol levels were reduced. There still has to be more actual research application on humans but, there is already an observational study which revealed that women who ate up on vinegar-based salad dressings reduced their chances of suffering from heart diseases.
At home with Apple Cider Vinegar
ACV is also great to use externally. It can be a powerful cleaning agent that you can use in the house to freshen up surfaces. You can also mix it up with lemon juice and utilize it when you wash your fruits and veggies. It will clean them up and get rid of any traces of Salmonella. When you quickly gargle on ACV, its antibacterial properties activate and it swipes your teeth clean of gunk. It cannot be expected to whiten your teeth though because its too acidic. So just use straight apple cider vinegar in your mouth to a minimum as it can harshly erode your teeth’s enamel.
As a beauty solution, ACV’s antimicrobial properties can help clean up acne. However, there are no scientific studies yet to back up this claim so you have to proceed with caution. This has only been recommended via personal testimonials. You can also try to apply ACV to soften your hair. It can help remove the excessive build up from your hair care products. However, there are no studies that can confirm this as of now.
Proper Use of Apple Cider Vinegar
Should you opt to give ACV a shot, there are important guidelines to follow. For one, ACV should never be taken straight if you are going to put it in your mouth. A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar should be mixed with 8 oz. of water or more. It has to be diluted because the taste and the smell is not that pleasant. Acetic acid, as mentioned earlier, can be extremely harsh especially in high concentrations. The same has to be done for external uses. Besides, adding lemon juice or water will not only render it a super cleaner, but you can also make it go a long way. Braggs is a brand of ACV that’s quite popular. It is organic, non-processed and unfiltered. It has this so-called “mother” found at the bottom of the bottle which is a hazy substance that gives rise to the good bacteria and the enzymes that activate apple cider vinegar’s healthful benefits.
Finally, ACV can prove to be beneficial for you but as you noticed, not all of its claims have scientific evidence so you got to take extra care when using or consuming it.
