The uses for apple cider vinegar are many — in fact, vinegar dates back to 5000 B.C. when it was used for preserving food. By 400 B.C., Hippocrates was prescribing apple cider vinegar mixed with honey for a number of various patient complaints. How’s that for traditional medicine?
Of course, today we have rigorous scientific methods to assess whether these traditionally used home remedies are useful. It turns out Hippocrates was onto something!
Although the number of studies investigating the true impact of natural remedies is far less than for patentable pharmaceuticals, there is a good amount of research that confirms apple cider vinegar can be a healthy addition to your life. (And remember, just because a study hasn’t been done to prove apple cider vinegar helps with something doesn’t mean it doesn’t help — it just means there isn’t a study on it!)
Did you notice how Hippocrates added a superfood like honey to his apple cider vinegar medicine? That wasn’t just for taste — honey has its own list of health benefits. So for a bonus health boost, get your apple cider vinegar in combination with other superfoods — and by the way, Moringa Vinga is a great way to do just that. Our apple cider vinegar superfood infusions offer a combo that appeals to your taste buds as well as your health goals. (And they all taste loads better than drinking straight apple cider vinegar!)
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
First, let’s take a look at what makes apple cider vinegar the “mother” of all vinegars.
Just as its name suggests, apple cider vinegar is made by turning apples into apple cider. Then, it undergoes a two-step fermentation process. The cider is first fermented or turned into alcohol using sugar and bacteria. It then gets fermented again, which turns the alcohol into acetic acid. Most apple cider vinegars contain 5-6% acetic acid and are alcohol-free, and that’s what gives ACV its strong, sour smell and taste — and also what provides many of the health benefits ACV gives us.
If the apple cider vinegar is also raw and unfiltered, you’ll notice the “mother” in it. The mother might look like a cloudy, stringy clump — it’s composed of proteins, enzymes, and healthy bacteria. (So don’t be afraid, even if the mother looks strange: That’s where the good stuff is!)
21 Healthy Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar [With Research & Studies]
A little bit of apple cider vinegar can do a lot. Incorporating it into your foods or drinking it can be a helpful tool in your health belt. There’s still a lot of apple cider vinegar can do we don’t know about — but here are a few benefits you can get if you start adding it to your diet.
1. GIVE WEIGHT LOSS A BOOST
Weight loss can be slow and grudging. There might be weeks where you see results fast, but there are also likely weeks where you don’t see the numbers change much. Wouldn’t it be nice to get an all-natural boost when that happens?
Apple cider vinegar might be the answer! One study found that a group of participants taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar a day while consuming 250 fewer calories lost an extra 3.8 pounds over 12 weeks, compared to the group that only decreased calories.
Another promising study shows that consuming 1 or 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar can increase the amount of weight, body fat, and belly fat loss. Yes, the group that consumed 2 tablespoons daily had better results than the group who drank 1 tablespoon daily — so drink up! (Psst! It’s easy when it tastes as good as this fun, fizzy drink!)
For more information on the complex relationship between your microbiome and weight loss, check this article out. Keeping your gut healthy with nutritious and healing foods is a great way to ensure you get the most out of your weight loss regimen.
2. COMBAT ALLERGIES
Although it’s hard to measure apple cider vinegar’s specific effect on allergies due to individual variation, some studies show apple cider vinegar has promising benefits for allergy sufferers. First, apple cider vinegar is known to reduce inflammation in those who regularly consume it. Allergies are often the result of inflamed, aggravated cells, so keeping them uninflamed and happy can help. Another study (on fish) found that adding apple cider vinegar to their diet increased the enzymes and antibodies in their mucus. If the same result is found in humans, it could confirm apple cider vinegar’s role in the battle against allergies.
And while peer-reviewed studies on this specific topic are scarce, many doctors report anecdotally that their patients experience relief from congestion, post-nasal drip, mucus, and clogged sinuses when they take diluted apple cider vinegar at the first sign of discomfort.
Combating allergies with a holistic approach isn’t new — for decades, natural remedies like honey and moringa have been used to alleviate symptoms as well as help prevent allergies in the first place. Get a double dose of botanical allergy warriors by incorporating a
supplement like Moringa Vinga into your routine: with additional ingredients like elderberry, ginger, and honey, you’ll be tackling those allergies in no time. (It also tastes much, much better than throwing back a shot of pure ACV…)
3. BRING BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS DOWN
This use is one that might have the most research supporting it — several studies have shown apple cider vinegar has a positive impact on blood sugar levels. One study, in particular, gave participants 20 grams (about one-and-a-half tablespoons) of apple cider vinegar after a meal of a bagel, butter, and orange juice. When their blood glucose levels were taken at 30 and 60 minutes post-meal, the ones who took apple cider vinegar had much lower blood glucose levels than the control group who received placebos.
We’re not suggesting abandoning your diabetes medication without consulting your doctor, but if you’re prediabetic or just concerned about spiking blood sugar levels for other reasons, you might find that apple cider vinegar (or Moringa Vinga!) after a meal can help you regulate them.
4. KEEP FRESH SALAD GREENS BACTERIA-FREE
You’ve heard about those recalls for spinach, lettuce, and other greens, right? Even after washing them three times, do you find yourself concerned about any lingering bacteria?
Apple cider vinegar to the rescue! Since vinegar is a natural antimicrobial, adding a few splashes to your salad can be an extra microbe-fighting line of defense. In fact, researchers in a 2005 study tainted arugula and spring onion with Salmonella and then treated it with vinegar to see if it combatted the Salmonella. And it reduced it to undetectable levels! (Please keep washing your greens first, though, folks!)
Impress your dinner guests while keeping them healthy with a 10-second vinaigrette that’s delicious: just combine your favorite Moringa Vinga flavor with some olive oil (or other oil of your choice).
5. GET YOUR GUT HEALTHY
Although research on humans is lacking, one study found that mice who were given diluted apple cider vinegar for a month had decreased inflammation in their colon. They also had more of the “good” gut bacteria that are required for healthy digestion. Less inflammation and more of the “good guys” are two sure-fire strategies for improving your gut health.
6. HELP YOU FEEL FULL
Whether you’re trying to lose weight or not, overeating never feels good. Listening to your body’s signals that it’s sated can be a key factor in helping you avoid eating too much.
Have you ever been served bread and vinegar? Turns out, that might be the key! One study showed that consuming apple cider vinegar with bread in the morning helped participants feel full and another study found that the addition of vinegar or peanut products to a high-glycemic load meal significantly reduced postprandial glycemia. Once again, those who consumed more vinegar saw a more significant effect. So instead of some butter and jam on your toast, how about some vinegar? (Or you could do a shot or two of your favorite Moringa Vigna flavor with your carbohydrate-centric breakfast!)
7. ADD FAT-FREE, CALORIE-FREE, SALT-FREE FLAVOR
Eating healthy can sometimes feel like a drag — limiting rich oils and butter, creamy cheese, and saccharine-sweet sugars can leave our taste buds feeling neglected. If only there was a healthy flavor bomb…
Apple cider vinegar is one of the healthiest ways to add a punch of flavor to your plate. With 0 calories, 0 fat, 0 sugar, and 0 sodium, it fits into nearly every diet and can enhance a wide range of dishes.
Afraid the flavor might be a little too acidic for you? Try it in one of these foods that get a fun flair of flavor with a splash of vinegar:
- Salads (Make a vinaigrette or just splash some on!)
- Sandwiches
- Marinades (for meats, tofu/tempeh, or veggies)
- Sauces (like barbecue sauce and enchilada sauce)
- Dressings (for pasta salad or salads)
- Pickled Onions (and peppers, eggs, carrots, beets, etc.)
- Baked Beans
- Slaws
- Egg Salad, Tofu Salad, and Potato Salad
- Cooked Greens (like collards, chard, and kale)
- Homemade Mayonnaise
8. REDUCE YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
Over time, stress, genetics, and diet can all lead to high blood pressure. In turn, high blood pressure can cause heart disease and other cardiovascular complications. For this reason, it’s important to get your blood pressure under control as soon as you notice it starting to creep up.
One easy way to help with this goal is apple cider vinegar. Multiple studies have found that the ingredients in apple cider vinegar consumption can reduce blood pressure. Specifically, acetic acid, one of the main components of ACV, lowered blood pressure levels in rats in one study. Another study found that ACV can inhibit an enzyme that is known to raise blood pressure — which results in lower blood pressure levels. Especially when combined with a healthy diet, regularly consuming apple cider vinegar might be the supplement you need to help regulate your blood pressure before it causes long-lasting cardiovascular damage.
9. IMPROVE DIGESTION AND REDUCE ACID REFLUX
It might sound counter-intuitive, but if you suffer from acid reflux that’s a result of too much acid in your gut, a couple of tablespoons of diluted ACV before meals can help. The way it works: drinking some vinegar before meals increase acid in your stomach, which prevents the backflow of acid into your esophagus.
Even if you don’t suffer from acid reflux, taking some apple cider vinegar before meals can improve your digestion. With lots of probiotics (AKA “good” bacteria), it can help your stomach break down food and balance the microbiome of your gut.
So how about a delicious pre-meal beverage like this one to get your gut ready for some digestive work?
10. BALANCE YOUR PH LEVELS
Even though it’s acidic, consuming apple cider vinegar has the opposite effect on your body: it’s alkalizing. Consuming a few tablespoons a day of apple cider vinegar can reduce the acidity of your body and help maintain your body’s pH levels.
11. BATTLE COLDS & SORE THROATS
Because apple cider vinegar fights bacteria, it can’t hurt to take some the next time you feel a cold coming on. Only raw, unfiltered
cider vinegar also contains the “mother,” which is a probiotic. This means that consuming it can help bolster the good bacteria in your body, which will help your immune system fight off any unwelcome invaders (like cold germs!).
If your cold comes with a sore throat, definitely try ACV. Many people find relief from gargling with diluted apple cider vinegar, possibly because it’s known to be an antimicrobial and possibly decreases the bacteria in your red, inflamed throat.
12. DECREASE CANCER RISK
While it’s tough to measure the exact effects on humans, several different test-tube studies have shown vinegar can possibly kill cancer cells — even human cancer cells.
13. DETOXIFY YOUR LIVER (& WHOLE BODY!)
You may have heard of the “apple cider vinegar detox” diet. Here’s what you need to know: just adding apple cider vinegar to your current diet could possibly be enough to help detoxify your liver! The acetic acid in vinegar is known to help improve circulation and digestion — which gets things flowing — and then could help the liver detoxify and expel all the stuff your body no longer needs.
14. ELIMINATE CANDIDA (YEAST) OVERGROWTH
Since apple cider vinegar is known to be an antifungal (that can even be used to treat athlete’s foot, by the way!), it makes sense to add it to your arsenal against Candida. Furthermore, like mentioned above, it can possibly maintain your body’s pH levels, which makes your body less enticing to Candida.
Apple cider vinegar is also known to be antibacterial. Scientists aren’t yet certain how it battles yeast in the human body, but laboratory studies have shown that ACV could prevent the growth of Candida.
15. REDUCE CHOLESTEROL
More and more Americans are finding they suffer from high cholesterol. Prescription medicines to lower cholesterol are abundant in the U.S. But apple cider vinegar might provide a natural alternative to those lipid-lowering drugs.
One study checked the harmful lipids in participants after they consumed apple cider vinegar daily for 8 weeks. Scientists found that participants’ total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides were lowered with just 2 months of ACV consumption.
But wait: There’s more!
Apple cider vinegar can do so much more than is listed here. In addition to the (internal) uses of ACV we’ve listed here, there are numerous external or topical uses, too. There’s a reason it’s been a kitchen staple for centuries.
You might not be surprised it’s good for (16) household cleaning, but did you know apple cider vinegar can be (17) added to the water when hard boiling or poaching eggs for better results? It also makes a perfect natural beauty product, as (18) rinsing your hair with it adds shine and prevents dandruff — and mixing equal parts water and ACV can create an (19) easy make up remover (dab cotton ball and swipe) and (20) facial toner to help reduce acne and signs of aging. It can even be applied to underarms for an (21) all-natural deodorant!
Give Apple Cider Vinegar A Try
The results are clear: apple cider vinegar is a health helper in a variety of ways. Why not give it a try and see what it can do for you?
If you’re turned off by the taste, don’t fret. Moringa Vinga has taken all the good stuff in organic raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and added some other functional ingredients to give you an even bigger health boost. Honey (a well-regarded superfood itself), along with other botanicals like ginger, elderberry, and holy basil (tulsi) are combined to create interesting and delicious flavor profiles that make taking your (natural) medicine easy. Here’s a peek at some of the best Moringa Vinga functional flavors:
- If you’re seeking calm, trying to fight allergies or just want some extra immunity protection, try the Elderberry & Holy Basil infusion. The moringa, elderberry, apple cider vinegar, honey, and holy basil (or tulsi) all work to keep your immune system strong, promote respiratory and sinus health, and support blood pressure and reduce feelings of stress.
TRY ELDERBERRY AND HOLY BASIL MORINGA INFUSION
- For an all-around winner that tastes great, try the Ginger & Lemongrass infusion. The ginger and lemongrass soothe digestion and in conjunction with the moringa, honey, and apple cider vinegar improve overall mobility, reduce inflammation, and promote blood sugar health and insulin sensitivity.
TRY GINGER AND LEMONGRASS MORINGA INFUSION
- Experiencing mental fog or memory problems? Whether they’re the result of aging or stress, the Spearmint & Rosemary infusion can help alleviate symptoms. The spearmint and rosemary are specially selected for their refreshing taste as well as their ability to support memory and focus, balance hormones, and improve circulation and digestion.
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