Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is not just an old wives tale...
Apple cider vinegar and the benefits
Apple cider vinegar is not just an old wives tale and has many beneficial properties throughout the whole body. Here are just a few:
Digestive Soother
Taking 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a small glass of water 30 minutes before a meal, can increase digestive enzymes thus reducing indigestion and stomach complaints. You can also add a touch of honey if the vinegar is too pungent on its own. The pectin in the ACV soothes intestinal spasms and has antibacterial properties.
Cures hiccups
A tbsp is said to cancel out the message to hiccup by overstimulating the nerves in the throat responsible for the spasms.
Soothes a sore throat
Just mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with 1/4 cup warm water and gargle every hour or so. Most germs can't survive in the acidic environment vinegar creates.
Gets rid of dandruff
It works by reducing the acidity of the scalp. Mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with 1/4 cup water in a spray bottle, and spritz on your scalp. Wrap your head in a towel and let sit for 15 minutes to an hour, then wash your hair as usual. Do this twice a week for best results.
Apple cider vinegar can help you lose weight.
Here is why: The acetic acid suppresses your appetite, increases your metabolism, and reduces water retention. Scientists also theorize that apple cider vinegar interferes with the body's digestion of starch, which means fewer calories enter the bloodstream.
Wart Eradicator
Immerse a cotton ball in vinegar and tape it over the wart using medical tape or a plaster. Enzymes in the apple cider vinegar will kill the wart, causing it to turn black and fall off, usually within a week.
Healthy Mouth, Gums and whitens teeth
Gargle with apple cider vinegar in the morning. The vinegar helps remove stains, whiten teeth, and kill bacteria in your mouth and gums.
Helps control blood sugar
A few swigs of apple cider vinegar could help keep your blood sugar levels balanced. One study of people with type 2 diabetes who werent taking insulin found that taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed resulted in lower glucose levels by morning. Another study at the Arizona State University found that insulin resistant people who drank a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water before eating a high carbohydrate meal had lower blood sugar afterward. Scientists think the antiglycemic effect of the acid is the key.
Banish Skin Blemishes
Apple cider vinegar makes a great natural toner that can leave skin looking healthier. Its antibacterial properties help keep acne under control, and the malic and lactic acids found in apple cider vinegar soften and exfoliate skin, reduce red spots, and balance the pH of your skin. As an effective skin toner use 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water when applied with a cotton pad in the morning and before bedtime to banish acne, oily-prone patches skin, blemish scars, and age spots. Equally effective, apple cider vinegar can be added to a foot soak to expel foot fungus.
Banish rodents from your garden
Ward off all sorts of rodents by spraying undiluted apple cider vinegar around the perimeter of trees, flowerbeds, and trash bins.
Here are some recipes by Danette May that will make ACV a little more palatable:
1. Sweet and tart cranberry cocktail
The bold flavor of cranberry helps to cover up the sharp taste of apple cider vinegar. Cranberry also delivers a dose of vitamin C and antioxidants.
Ingredients
1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons pure cranberry juice
1 ½ cups water
1–2 teaspoons maple syrup
Instructions
1. Measure the apple cider vinegar, cranberry juice and maple syrup into a glass.
2. Top up with water. Add ice cubes if desired.
2. Grapefruit metabolism booster
If weight loss is your goal, grapefruit is an excellent tool for boosting the metabolism. It’s also a great source of vitamin C and antioxidants and has been show to help lower unhealthy cholesterol. Try drinking this juice before every meal to improve digestion and to encourage gradual weight loss.
Ingredients
1 cup pure grapefruit juice
1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons raw honey
Instructions
1. Measure the apple cider vinegar and honey into a glass.
2. Top up with grapefruit juice. If you prefer less sugar, use half the amount of grapefruit juice and honey, and top up with water.
3. Immune-boosting kick in the pants
If you are feeling under the weather, this mixture will kick your immune system into gear and bring you right back in no time. This is a great preventative brew for cold and flu season, or can be consumed a few times daily when you are feeling sick.
Ingredients
1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1–2 tablespoons raw honey
Thumb-sized piece of ginger root
Juice of ½ a lemon
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Hot water
Instructions
1. Grate the ginger root, then squeeze the juice from the pulp into a glass or mug. Discard the pulp.
2. Add the apple cider vinegar, honey, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.v
3. Top up with hot water — ensure the water is at a drinkable temperature, not boiling, so that the living compounds in the vinegar and honey are preserved. Stir to dissolve, and drink.
4. Optionally add 1 finely chopped or crushed fresh garlic clove for a further immune boost (not for the faint of heart!).
4. Savory probiotic juice
This recipe is a great way to include more vegetables in your diet. It also makes the apple cider vinegar more palatable.
Ingredients
2 ripe tomatoes
¼ of a cucumber
1 large stick of celery
Juice of ½ lime
1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Place all of the vegetables in a blender or juicer.
2. If using a blender, blend until smooth and then strain, so that you end up with a juice.
3. Mix in the vinegar, lime juice and some salt and pepper to taste. Optionally add a little hot sauce.
5. Mineral-rich tonic
Were you ever given blackstrap molasses as a child? This age-old remedy is making a comeback. Blackstrap molasses is one of the best sources of minerals in an absorbable form. You’ll get a good dose of iron, magnesium, manganese and calcium from this brew.
Ingredients
1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
Water
Instructions
1. Stir the ingredients together and consume.