Benefits of Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar

Coffee is essential for most people to give them a kickstart in the morning. The smell of a fresh brew and the dose of caffeine is enough for most to feel that they're starting the day off right. For me, apple cider vinegar is the key to unlock my day. I love the fresh and bright flavor and how it awakens my palate. Nowadays it's impossible for me to skip it, partially due to habit, but also because I just love the taste in the morning. While I understand that many people would be turned off by the thought of having a fresh glass of vinegar water in the morning, I think after reading this article you'll be convinced to give it a try. I'm certainly not an expert by any means, but my intent here is to share with you what I have learned and what works for me. This is a product that I have been experimenting with and using for years and I hope to make this an easy introduction for you. My main objective is to share with you how amazing apple cider vinegar is for your health and how drinking it daily can help you achieve maximum benefits.

As a child, I remember watching an episode of Mr. Bean where he was hosting a New Year's Eve party for a few friends (and Teddy of course). He ran out of pretzels to serve, so instead he trimmed a few branches from a tree outside his window. He also ran out of wine, in which case he substituted some vinegar for his guests to drink. Of course it would come as no surprise that Mr. Bean had saved the actual pretzels and wine for himself. How thoughtful! After watching this episode I asked my mom if I could try some vinegar, because at the ripe old age of eight, I couldn't understand the foul reactions his guests were having. I took a swig of it and learned two things that day: my mother had a mischievous sense of humor, and vinegar was definitely something I never wanted again!

Obviously I have since changed my mind, but it didn't come all that easy. Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is definitely not for the faint of heart, but I personally think that the health benefits outweigh the gnarly taste. It did take time to get used to it, and honestly I used to just chug it as quickly as possible to get it over with. With that being said, it is genuinely now one of my favorite drinks. The flavor is something I'm drawn to and it feels so refreshing to me. Perhaps it's because I have been drinking it for so long that now my body craves it, or it may be that my palate has simply changed for the better. Either way I'm grateful that I can now enjoy this spectacular drink without any negativity surrounding it.

Apple cider vinegar is an amazing thing. It has so many benefits when taken internally and my personal favorite is that it helps me to remain full after my meals. I like to drink 1 tablespoon mixed into 24 ounces of water on an empty stomach in the morning at least an hour before breakfast. After getting into this routine, I stopped being so famished in the morning. Nowadays I can easily forget to eat breakfast because I feel so satisfied just from the ACV water alone! I recommend having another "dose" about 30 minutes prior to eating lunch. This really curbs cravings during the day and it allows the body to recognize when it's full sooner.

One note that I have to add is that you absolutely cannot drink the vinegar straight up. It must be diluted! Drinking it straight can cause throat burns and destroy the enamel on your teeth. I would further recommend that you drink the vinegar instead of buying the tablets. I personally don't think that the tablets work as well, but even so, there was a reported case where a woman got a tablet lodged in her throat and it actually burned her. Yowza!

While drinking ACV water in the morning works for me, it may not be suitable for everyone. Some people experience nausea from having it on an empty stomach, and yet others reap the benefits as I do. It is definitely worth taking the time to research on your own the effects of ACV prior to consuming it regularly. However, I'm going to be truly honest and tell you that I don't really care a whole lot about what science has to say on this topic. There are many journals that say it has great benefits, and there are also many others that contradict that statement. It's honestly a toss up with this one so I literally have to go with my gut. However, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't do any research on this. I'm just one who doesn't exchange generationally passed down knowledge for modern scientific research. Bearing that in mind, here are some articles for you to peruse, and I encourage you to keep digging beyond this.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24781306

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26176799

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29091513

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31140380

https://www.nature.com/articles/ejcn201089

https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.long

I strongly believe that much of the information we need comes from those born in generations of common sense and practicality. For example, the older women in my family have used ACV regularly for years, and there are also countless others who can attest to its benefits. I trust older generations because they had the knowledge that seems to have been lost to today's world. Sometimes I think we are so bent on proving things that we tend to step out of our natural intuition. Science doesn't have all of the answers all of the time. I think the best example of this is that most people trust their grandma's loving home remedies to make them better, and not the doctor. A good way to do things is to look at the history of something and use that knowledge when examining scientific research. This is a good step to engage in critical thinking because it provides a balanced approach. One that appeals to science, and one that appeals to intuition, instincts, and passed down knowledge. With that being said, let's take a look at some of the benefits.

Increased fullness and reduced calorie intake

Drinking apple cider vinegar can result in reduced calorie intake by promoting fullness, slowing stomach emptying, and by providing the body with appetite-suppressing effects.

Reduced fat storage and increased fat burn

The acetic acid in ACV helps to protect the body from weight gain, increases the expression of fat burning genes, and also increases the amount of fat burning genes in the body.

Improved insulin sensitivity

A study done by the ADA found that people with type 2 diabetes who added vinegar along with a high-carb meal improved their insulin sensitivity by 34%.

Weight loss

For the reasons above, many people do experience weight loss when adding ACV to their diet. Because it increases fullness and satiation, many find that they eat less during the day. The fact that ACV slows stomach emptying allows for people to remain fuller for a longer amount of time.

While apple cider vinegar may not be a cure-all, it certainly is a food superhero. The incredible benefits of taking it internally have been known and passed down for generations. As a modern society that struggles with health and weight problems, I believe it is imperative that we take heed from the past and give these methods a try. Our quality of life has certainly been on the decline. I believe it goes hand in hand with the way we've adopted modern medicine, and far removed ourselves from ancestral home remedies that healed people for generations. While drinking ACV may not be for everyone, I ask that you simply give it a real fighting chance. Allow yourself the freedom of change and let your body discover itself again and regain its health. As the wise Mark Twain once said, "The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not." So let us all say cheers to an unwanted, unliked glass of apple cider vinegar water that we'd rather not have.