I Take an Apple Cider Vinegar Shot Every Morning—Here Are All the Benefits
In a world in which every day brings a new “miracle” health hack, it can be difficult to sort the wheat from the chaff. So, when I noticed that apple cider vinegar (ACV) was having a renaissance on social media—there’s been a huge uptick in Google searches, as well as millions of views on TikTok—it felt like my duty as a health and beauty editor to fall on my metaphorical sword, see what all the fuss is about, and report back.
First of all: what is apple cider vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is a kind of vinegar that’s made in a fermentation process, which (put simply) converts crushed apples to acetic acid by way of yeast and sugar. While acetic acid is thought to offer health benefits, it is the raw, unfiltered ACV that contains a “mother” (made up of bacteria and yeast), which is said to contain the probiotics that are great for our gut.
“ACV is a powerful remedy that has been used for hundreds of years—it’s really stood the test of time,” explains naturopathic nutritionist and founder of Rejuv, Simoné Laubscher, one of the first experts to share their love of ACV with me many years ago. “ACV formulas that have the cloudy ‘mother’ are great for gut health due to their probiotic power. They also help balance blood sugar levels, support digestion and weight management, reduce cholesterol, boost the immune system, and have even been said to help with—and even improve—the appearance of acne and scarring.” So, a list of benefits that would have even the biggest well-being cynic picking their own apples to ferment.
It actually makes sense that ACV has resurfaced as a popular wellness tip. A 2021 study found that those who followed a diet rich in fermented foods—think yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, and sauerkraut—had increased microbial diversity, lower inflammation, and an improved immune response. Expert advice thereafter was to aim for six servings of fermented foods a day. Add that to our increased understanding of just how key gut health is to our overall well-being, and the result is the (warranted) ACV trend we’re currently seeing.
Why I like apple cider vinegar
I first began incorporating ACV into my food last year, when I followed an Artah Health food plan. Nutritionist and naturopath Rhian Stephenson incorporates the ingredient a lot in her nutritious recipes—always to tasty effect. While I understood it could help balance blood sugar (which I needed a lot at the time, due to a starchy, sugar-laden diet), I didn’t really understand the power it could have to impact my digestion (including helping to reduce bloating), and hunger levels
I Take an Apple Cider Vinegar Shot Every Morning—Here Are All the Benefits
In a world in which every day brings a new “miracle” health hack, it can be difficult to sort the wheat from the chaff. So, when I noticed that apple cider vinegar (ACV) was having a renaissance on social media—there’s been a huge uptick in Google searches, as well as millions of views on TikTok—it felt like my duty as a health and beauty editor to fall on my metaphorical sword, see what all the fuss is about, and report back.
First of all: what is apple cider vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is a kind of vinegar that’s made in a fermentation process, which (put simply) converts crushed apples to acetic acid by way of yeast and sugar. While acetic acid is thought to offer health benefits, it is the raw, unfiltered ACV that contains a “mother” (made up of bacteria and yeast), which is said to contain the probiotics that are great for our gut.
“ACV is a powerful remedy that has been used for hundreds of years—it’s really stood the test of time,” explains naturopathic nutritionist and founder of Rejuv, Simoné Laubscher, one of the first experts to share their love of ACV with me many years ago. “ACV formulas that have the cloudy ‘mother’ are great for gut health due to their probiotic power. They also help balance blood sugar levels, support digestion and weight management, reduce cholesterol, boost the immune system, and have even been said to help with—and even improve—the appearance of acne and scarring.” So, a list of benefits that would have even the biggest well-being cynic picking their own apples to ferment.
It actually makes sense that ACV has resurfaced as a popular wellness tip. A 2021 study found that those who followed a diet rich in fermented foods—think yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, and sauerkraut—had increased microbial diversity, lower inflammation, and an improved immune response. Expert advice thereafter was to aim for six servings of fermented foods a day. Add that to our increased understanding of just how key gut health is to our overall well-being, and the result is the (warranted) ACV trend we’re currently seeing.
Why I like apple cider vinegar
I first began incorporating ACV into my food last year, when I followed an Artah Health food plan. Nutritionist and naturopath Rhian Stephenson incorporates the ingredient a lot in her nutritious recipes—always to tasty effect. While I understood it could help balance blood sugar (which I needed a lot at the time, due to a starchy, sugar-laden diet), I didn’t really understand the power it could have to impact my digestion (including helping to reduce bloating), and hunger levels
You must be logged in to post a comment.