Natural products that help improve our health are experiencing a media renaissance. And one of the products that has quickly gained popularity is apple cider vinegar.
Countless articles in the digital world put a lot of emphasis on the benefits of this ingredient. But how much truth is there behind these claims?
Although there is still much to be studied scientifically, apple cider vinegar indeed has very beneficial properties for our health, and in the following article, we will analyze some of them.
What is apple cider vinegar and how is it produced?
Apple cider vinegar is a product that arises as a result of the natural fermentation process of apple juice.
It all starts when the apples are washed, cut, and crushed to extract all the liquid. Later, yeast is added to the juice, which accelerates the fermentation process of the sugars, transforming them into alcohol.
Once this process is completed, the classic light amber-colored cider is obtained, which has the effervescence and the characteristic bitter taste that we all know.
But for this cider to be transformed into vinegar it must be mixed with some benign bacteria which are responsible for transforming the alcohol into acetic acid.
The high concentration of this acid is precisely what gives apple cider vinegar most of its benefits. Or at least, that is what the theory in most articles published on the Internet maintains.
Although it must be made very clear that there is still much to study before reaching a definitive conclusion, it cannot be denied that chemically acetic acid has many quite useful applications.
One of the most recognized qualities of this acid within the scientific community is that acetic acid is very effective in eliminating bacteria and microorganisms.
It is precisely this characteristic that makes vinegar such a good ingredient for preserving foods such as pickles and some proteins such as fish.
But something to keep in mind about acetic acid is that its acidity concentration is so high that it can irritate the skin and intestines.
It is precisely because of this same principle that most experts point out that the best way to use apple cider vinegar is in small quantities and diluted in water.
A good way to make responsible use of this ingredient, if you want to ingest it, is to add no more than two teaspoons to a glass of water. This way you can enjoy all the antioxidants and amino acids that apple cider vinegar has smartly.
The rise of apple cider vinegar in health
If you have done your research, you will surely have noticed that many pages point out the benefits and advantages of apple cider vinegar.
Such are the benefits and virtues of this particular type of vinegar, that many people have pointed to it as a “miracle product.”
But there is nothing miraculous about this. All the characteristics that make apple cider vinegar so popular are scientifically supported.
Many of the benefits associated with this product are closely related to its high level of acidity.
This quality has made it extremely popular as a natural cleaning product since its high concentration of acetic acid gives it certain disinfectant properties.
In the world of personal care, apple cider vinegar has also gained a lot of relevance as a natural treatment to rejuvenate both skin and hair cells.
The truth is that if this product is applied in the right amounts and spread properly over the skin, its high concentration of acidity makes it very effective in removing dead skin cells, especially those that cause dandruff.
However, one of the most popular uses of apple cider vinegar today is as an ingredient that can help us lose weight.
Although it is very important to point out that some articles on the Internet are perhaps too optimistic, this vinegar could indeed be a good ally in your diet.
Well, one of the scientifically proven applications of apple cider vinegar is that it works very well as an appetite suppressant. That is to say, chemically, this vinegar helps us feel satisfied by eating the same amount of food.
There are recently published studies that even indicate that this effect is considerably enhanced if this vinegar is consumed together with vegetables rich in fiber such as lettuce or carrots.
The proven benefits of apple cider vinegar
Despite all the myths surrounding it, we cannot deny that apple cider vinegar is a natural product with many practical uses.
As long as you use this vinegar responsibly and in the right amounts, you will be able to get the most out of all its benefits.
As with any other product used to make natural remedies and treatments, the most important thing is to know its properties and apply them properly.
There is one very important fact that you should always keep in mind when working with apple cider vinegar, especially if you plan to ingest it. The best way to consume this product is diluted in water.
As we saw earlier, the high acetic acid content of apple cider vinegar could be harmful to health.
Fortunately, there is a lot of information available today regarding apple cider vinegar and its uses in everyday life.
The most effective way to get the most out of apple cider vinegar is to start seeing it as what it is: a supplement.
This means that the chemical properties of this product cannot generate important changes within our organism. Therefore, apple cider vinegar serves to reinforce the qualities of other ingredients such as natural fibers.
As we pointed out at the beginning when we talked about apple cider vinegar, many articles attribute to this ingredient properties and virtues that have not yet been proven.
However, there are many benefits of this vinegar that science has been able to prove. Among them, we have:
Lowers blood sugar levels
Many studies have tested apple cider vinegar’s ability to stabilize blood sugar levels, and the results have been quite promising.
Its effectiveness has even been proven in treatments for patients with type 2 diabetes. This has made it gain a lot of popularity as a natural treatment to keep blood sugar levels stable.
Two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar diluted in water help reduce blood sugar levels by up to 4% while fasting.
Reduce abdominal fat
It is well known that one of the areas of the body where it is most difficult to get rid of body fat is the abdominal area.
However, one study showed that 175 overweight people were able to reduce a significant percentage of abdominal fat. A key point of this study is that the participants agreed to incorporate apple cider vinegar as a supplement to their weight-loss diet.
Although the results were very subtle, it cannot be ruled out that the use of apple cider vinegar made a significant difference in the experiment.
Reduces cholesterol
As we mentioned earlier, apple cider vinegar is a natural product that contains many antioxidants and amino acids.
This means that this ingredient could serve as a natural remedy to treat some heart conditions. Some experiments carried out on mice confirmed that apple cider vinegar helped reduce their cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Many heart health supplements contain a percentage of apple cider vinegar in their formula.
Helps prevent cancer
There are many websites specializing in medicine that claim that apple cider vinegar could be very useful for the treatment of cancer diseases.
Many laboratories have now conducted controlled tests on the effects of apple cider vinegar on cancer cells. Although it is still too early to draw a definitive conclusion, it cannot be denied that the results are quite promising.
Tests have confirmed that the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar is very effective in stopping the growth of cancer cells.
Oral Health
While the high acidity level of apple cider vinegar can damage tooth enamel, some experts believe it could help improve our oral hygiene.
A curious thing about apple cider vinegar and teeth is that the true benefits of this ingredient are not obtained by applying it directly to the teeth. Some websites suggest using apple cider vinegar diluted in water to sterilize our toothbrush.
However, this procedure cannot be done too frequently and it is recommended to use a dropper to have greater control over the quantities.
Antibacterial effect
There is no doubt that one of the most recognized properties of apple cider vinegar is its power to eliminate bacteria and microorganisms.
This characteristic has made this ingredient considered one of the best methods of food preservation. However, the antibacterial effects of this vinegar are not limited only to food.
This quality also makes it an extremely useful ingredient for many natural medical treatments to cleanse the skin and scalp.
What is the best way to consume it?
We cannot deny that many of the properties of apple cider vinegar make it a highly sought-after natural product.
The amazing thing about this whole issue is that every day new studies appear that open the window to potential possible uses of this vinegar.
But despite all the hype and media fascination surrounding this natural product, it is important to note that it must be handled with extreme care and applied in moderation.
It is important that no matter what you do, you never use this vinegar in its pure form to treat skin or other sensitive areas of the body.
Since the acidity level of this product is so concentrated, if applied or ingested pure, it could be harmful to health.
For this reason, experts agree that the best way to get the most out of this vinegar is to dilute small amounts of it in water.
It is also important that before implementing apple cider vinegar as a treatment for any condition, you first consult your doctor.
Because its high concentration of acetic acid could generate a chemical reaction that completely nullifies the effect of the medications instead of increasing them.
Another important point to always keep in mind regarding apple cider vinegar is that much of the information available on the Internet is not scientifically supported.
This means that many of the claims made by most Internet portals are nothing more than conjectures based on the results of a few independent studies.
We must be very aware that the media boom regarding natural treatments may be nothing more than an advertising strategy .
But this does not mean that the benefits and properties of natural ingredients such as apple cider vinegar are false. But it is true that many times the so-called “effects” are not as easy to perceive as they would have us believe.
When it comes to such delicate matters as health, weight control, or skin care, there is no such thing as a “miracle product.” Apple cider vinegar has many beneficial properties, but it is important to know how to use it properly to enjoy them.
Conclusion
For a long time, humanity has made use of the properties of many natural products to take advantage of all their benefits.
Nowadays, natural treatments are gaining much more relevance in public opinion, mainly because people are aware of the dangers of abusing synthetic substances.
This phenomenon has brought to light all the benefits and advantages of using natural ingredients such as apple cider vinegar.
And the most reassuring thing about the whole matter is that in the particular case of this vinegar, many of its properties and benefits have been corroborated by science.
But as hopeful as all the information we can find on the Internet may sound, we should never blindly believe it.
Apple cider vinegar can be a great ally when used with extreme care and administered in very small doses diluted in water. Otherwise, it could have rather negative effects.
It is precisely at this point that the information available on many blogs and websites begins to look a bit suspicious.
Everyone recommends using apple cider vinegar to improve health, tone the skin, and even lose weight. But few people point out that the results are very modest.
Well, if there is one thing to highlight regarding apple cider vinegar, it is that this ingredient should be applied as a supplement.
If you are on a weight loss diet, using this vinegar as a dressing can help you reduce some of the fat on your abdomen. But for the results to be visible, you must exercise every day and eat a balanced diet.
Apple cider vinegar can help remove dead hair cells, but you should not do this type of beauty treatment too often.
In short, we can say that treatments with natural products are effective; but to be able to enjoy their benefits, we must know how to apply them and also do our part.
+ There are no comments
Add yours