Apple Cider Vinegar is one of the most popular and used organic vinegar. Even though it has been gaining popularity in recent years, ACV had already made its mark as a home remedy for hundreds of years. So, how is Apple Cider Vinegar made? It is made from apple juice by adding bacteria and yeast to start alcoholic fermentation and then, secondary fermentation transforms alcohol to vinegar. Since ACV is organic and packed with raw enzymes, it does have various health benefits. However, all the claimed health benefits are not backed by scientific researches.
Does Apple Cider Vinegar Deserve The Hype?
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ACV just like other vinegar it is comprised of acetic acid, so you have to dilute it before using. You can add one tablespoon of ACV in a glass of water otherwise it can be too acidic and cause irritations and other harmful effects. Though ACV may not have all the claimed benefits, it surely has several benefits on our health. So, the question is; does Apple Cider Vinegar deserve the hype?
Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
You can’t ignore the fact that ACV is good for health and it can benefit from the various part of our body. Here are some of the scientifically backed health benefits from ACV:
Blood Sugar Regulation
ACV can play an important role to regulate and stabilize blood sugar. When we consume ACV in an empty stomach, acetic acid helps to slow down the level of sugar in your blood stream. In addition, acetic acid also helps to destroy enzymes that are responsible for breaking down starch into glucose. Thus, your body won’t get extra sugar from carbohydrates maintaining the blood sugar regulation. But, you need to know that ACV can only interfere with a small number of calories to be absorbed by your body.
Good for Heart
Apple Cider Vinegar can lower blood pressure within weekly usage. It reduces the hormone ‘renin’ which is responsible for constricting blood vessels causing blood pressure. When blood pressure is low, there is a low risk of suffering from heart disease. Adequate use of ACV also helps to remove unwanted cholesterol from different part of the body.
Helps in Digestive Health
Our stomach also produces acid which helps to digest the foods. In some cases, the produced acid may have an adverse effect on our digestive system. In such a situation, consuming the right amount of ACV can neutralize the acid and prevent you from heartburn. However, if you consume ACV when you are suffering from ulcer or stomach sores, the situation can get worse. Hence, it’s important to consume vinegar in the right way.
Weight Loss
You can’t lose weight because of a single element. There are many components that work together which helps in weight loss. ACV can’t help in drastic weight loss but it can be very helpful in planned weight loss program. ACV makes sure that fat tissues don’t accumulate in your body which helps to reduce body weight.
Helps in Detoxification
Your body is a complex system and ACV may not have the best impact in detoxification. However, ACV can help in detoxifying liver since it works to stabilize the pH of the body. This helps in blood circulation by flushing out toxins and improving natural blood filtration. ACV can also detoxify the body by breaking up mucus.
Acne Treatment
Many people believe that ACV can help in the treatment of acne and other skin problems because of antibacterial properties in vinegar. However, scientific research claims that the acetic acid in ACV can actually irritate and harm skin instead of curing it. So, is it hype that ACV is good for skin? If you mix a tablespoon of ACV in a cup of water to dilute it and use on your skin, it may not have harmful effects. But, if you use ACV in excessive quantity, it can decrease potassium levels which can hamper your body.
People have been using ACV for many years and they claim it benefits in many ways. Some of the benefits have been medically proven whereas some are yet to be researched. Thus, it’s fair to say that ACV has lived up to the hype in certain ways and some ways may have been over exaggerated.