The Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar

If you’ve spent time in the world of alternative medicine, you’re almost certainly familiar with apple cider vinegar.

It is great as a naturopathic treatment for diabetes, and so much more.

I’m Dr. JJ, a naturopathic doctor in Toronto, and I frequently recommend apple cider vinegar in my practice.

On this blog, we’ve covered a variety of different topics related to optimal health.

Sometimes we spotlight certain nutrients, like biotin, magnesium, or zinc.

Others, we look at different health concerns, like insomnia, fatty liver disease, or celiac disease.

Today, it’s neither – apple cider vinegar isn’t a nutrient or a disorder, but it can still be a great part of your health routine.

So, let’s talk about apple cider vinegar.

What Is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is a type of vinegar made from crushed and fermented apples, yeast, and sugar.

It’s often used as an ingredient in cooking in dishes such as salad dressings, pickles, and marinades.

It is typically light brown in color, and is unpasteurized and unfiltered, containing a sediment cloud made up of bacteria.

This bacteria cloud helps produce acetic, lactic, and citric acids.

Apple cider vinegar also has malic acid, but that’s naturally occurring in apples, rather than being produced by the bacteria.

For centuries people have used apple cider vinegar for a wide variety of home remedies.

Health Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar

Acetic acid is apple cider vinegar’s primary active component, which gives its strong smell and flavour.

Researchers believe it is this acetic acid that is responsible for its health benefits.

Organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar contains a murky cloud of proteins, enzymes, and friendly bacteria.

It doesn’t have much in the way of specific vitamins, but some of the higher quality apple cider vinegars will have amino acids and antioxidants.

As well, vinegar can kill some strains of bacteria, which is why it’s often recommended as a safe alternative to harsh home cleaners.

Let’s take a look at its benefits.

1. Apple Cider Vinegar For Diabetes Management

If you have type 2 diabetes, it’s because you have chronically high blood sugar levels.

This leads to your body not being able to properly make use of insulin anymore.

Studies have shown that apple cider vinegar can help you lower your blood sugar after a meal, which is an important marker for type 2 diabetes.

That’s when used alongside diabetic medications, supplementation, and a healthy diet, however.

It shouldn’t replace these.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar For Heart Health

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in Canada.

But in most cases, it’s preventable.

There are a number of risk factors for heart disease, including a cholesterol imbalance.

When you have too much “bad” cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) and not enough “good” cholesterol (HDL cholesterol), it can be a risk factor for heart disease.

Preliminary research suggests apple cider vinegar may help with that.

However, more research is needed before we can jump to conclusions.

RELATED: IV Therapy For Hypertension

3. Apple Cider Vinegar For Weight Loss

If you’re looking for a weight loss solution, apple cider vinegar can help.

There are many different factors at play when it comes to weight management.

There’s nutritional science, of course, but that’s not the only variable at play in our diets.

For example, there’s diet psychology – why do we eat what we eat from a psychological perspective?

As well, are we confusing hunger signals for thirst signals?

Are we eating because we’re actually hungry, or to fulfill another need?

This can get complicated.

However, there are a few different reasons why apple cider vinegar may help with weight loss.

It can increase satiety – the feeling that you’ve had enough to eat – which can discourage you from overeating.

As well, it helps manage your blood sugar as mentioned above, so you don’t have to deal with those intense blood sugar spikes.

And it helps manage your insulin levels, which will further regulate your blood sugar.

How Do You Use Apple Cider Vinegar?

If you’re looking to add apple cider vinegar to your life, there are a few ways to do it.

It goes great as an ingredient in salad dressings, for example.

It tastes great, but it also has the added benefit of being able to kill salmonella or E coli that happens to be on your leafy greens.

Studies have shown that it can act as a natural sanitizer.

You can also just drink it if you like, though some people find it too harsh.

If that’s the case for you, it’s a good idea to dilute it.

If you can’t stand the taste, however, you can take it in capsule form as well.

Are There Risks With Taking Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic.

That’s probably not a surprise at this point, since we’ve spent the whole article talking about its acidic content.

But it’s easy to forget that acidic foods can irritate your esophagus and eat away at the enamel on your teeth.

This is another reason why it’s a good idea to water your apple cider vinegar down.

It’s also a good idea to drink it with a straw, so it gets as little a chance to touch your teeth as possible.

It might also make you feel nauseated or cause GERD (acid reflux), so if that’s the case for you it’s best to avoid it.

That tends to be worse if you take it on an empty stomach though.

Apple cider vinegar can have a negative interaction with certain medications as well, so make sure you speak with me before adding it to your routine.

Are There Different Types Of Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is made through fermentation, the same process that creates alcoholic beverages.

In fact, it’s one of the stages of fermentation.

When you ferment a batch of apples, it starts by becoming sweet cider – the type you might have enjoyed at your local apple orchard as a kid.

As it continues, the bacteria in the fermentation process will eat the sugars, turning them into alcohol.

That becomes hard cider – the type you might enjoy at your local apple orchard as an adult.

Let it keep going, and the alcohol breaks down into acetic acid – now, it’s apple cider vinegar.

At the store, you’ll generally get clear, pasteurized apple cider vinegar.

However, it’s the raw, unfiltered stuff that has the most health benefits.

Do your best to track that down – it’s usually available at most health food stores.

The darker your vinegar, the more antioxidants it tends to have, so watch for the darker stuff.

Questions? Ask Dr. JJ!

Are you dealing with one of the above health conditions, and wonder if apple cider vinegar is right for you?

If so, I’m Dr. JJ, and I can help.

Book your appointment with me, Dr. JJ, today.