11 Health Benefits of Drinking Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

In the busy modern life, we’re all looking for simple ways we can improve our health. Between taking care of our families, rushing off to work, and keeping up with all life’s errands, it can be hard to fit in time to be healthy.

One of the easier things we can do to take care of our bodies is to adjust what we eat and drink. That’s why today, I’d like to talk about drinking apple cider vinegar for your health.

There are many who speak of drinking apple cider vinegar to improve heart health, decrease sugar cravings, and stabilize blood sugar levels.
It’s becoming wildly popular in the dieting community and while many have heard of its benefits for losing weight, there are actually many other reasons drinking raw apple cider vinegar is good for your body.

Before you start taking shots of vinegar consider these things

Never drink apple cider vinegar without diluting it in water or other beverage.

• Vinegar is acidic and it can burn your mouth and esophagus and damage your teeth.
• Add  1-2 tablespoons of ACV to a glass of water to get your daily dose.
• Feel free to flavor it with honey, lemon, or another additive.

Make sure you choose a brand of vinegar that includes the mother.

• To get the full effect of drinking ACV, make sure the vinegar you are using is raw, unpasteurized, and unfiltered.
• The vinegar should be cloudy and contain small particles left over from the fermentation process.
• Braggs apple cider vinegar is one of the most common and recognizable brands.

Don’t expect miracles.

• Be open to the possibility of improving your health with ACV
• Evaluate how you feel after a week or two drinking raw ACV

If the flavor of an ACV shot is too much for you, try adding it to your food.

• You don’t have to drink it to get the health benefits.
• You can use it as a salad dressing or for pickling.

Don’t overdo it

• Too much ACV can actually have negative side effects
• Watch this video for more info about possible side effects of drinking apple cider vinegar

If you’re wondering if drinking ACV could help you, consider the following health benefits and decide for yourself if drinking ACV can assist you on your mission to be healthier.

Soothes a Sore Throat

Germs can’t survive very well in an acidic environment. As soon as you feel that a sore throat coming on, mix up ¼ cup apple cider vinegar with ¼ cup warm water and gargle every hour or so.

This can help ease symptoms and shorten the course of your illness.

Maintain Healthy Alkaline pH Level

Your body requires a pH of about 7.3-7.4 to function properly. This is very slightly alkaline on the pH scale where lower numbers are more acidic and the higher the number the more alkaline and right in the middle at 7 is neutral.

While it’s nearly impossible to actually change your body’s natural pH by eating food, you can have a positive effect on how hard your body has to work to maintain it’s natural, slightly alkaline pH.

It seems odd that an acidic drink can have an alkalinizing effect, but anything taken orally goes through changes when it is digested. Chemical reactions that occur when the body metabolizes the acetic acid in ACV change how it’s absorbed by your body, so it actually leads to a more alkaline pH.

Kills Odor Causing Bacteria

If you’re already drinking apple cider vinegar daily for health, try gargling with the solution before you swallow it down. The vinegar can help neutralize odor causing bacteria on your teeth and gums to help with halitosis (bad breath).

Because vinegar is acidic, do not use undiluted vinegar on your teeth for prolonged periods. Over time, the acidic nature of vinegar can degrade your enamel. To be safe, rinse your mouth with plain water after gargling.

Helps with Leg Cramps

1 tbsp of ACV contains 11mg of potassium which is known to help with leg cramps. Mix up 1 teaspoon of honey with 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar in a glass of warm water and then drink it down.

This will help increase potassium levels to help curb problems with nighttime leg cramps.

Prevents Indigestion

Drink a warm glass of water with a tsp of honey and 1-2 tbsp of ACV to help offset indigestion that comes with meals you enjoy but your body doesn’t.
This home remedy has been passed down for generations and many claim it works almost instantly to ease stomach pain.

Could Lower Cholesterol

Studies have confirmed that ingesting ACV did reduce cholesterol in rats, and smaller studies have found that as little as half an ounce of ACV per day could help lower cholesterol in humans.

Given the many factors that affect cholesterol, it’s hard to confirm that ACV alone can achieve significant results. But when combined with other lifestyle changes and the effects ACV can have on appetite and weight loss, it’s definitely something to consider if controlling your cholesterol is a concern.

Lowers Blood Pressure

The magnesium in apple cider vinegar helps to relax blood vessel walls which in turn lower your blood pressure. The potassium levels in apple cider vinegar also help to balance sodium levels.

These can help lower high blood pressure, and here again, you also benefit from the weight loss effects of ACV.

Promotes Healthy Blood Sugar

Apple cider vinegar has high anti-glycemic properties which block some of your body’s digestion of starch which in turn helps keep your blood sugar lower.
This can help facilitate weight loss and stabilize blood sugar levels.

Natural Antioxidant

Apple cider vinegar has many antioxidants such as catechin, gallic acid, caffeic and chlorogenic acids which can help your body run smoothly and fight against illness.

Antioxidants help our bodies fight off disease, reduce the effects of aging, and help prevent cancer.

Absorb More Nutrients

The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar will help your body take in more nutrients from your food. Consider adding some to your salad to encourage your body to absorb vitamins and minerals from your veggies.

Suppresses Appetite

If you are looking for a natural way to suppress your appetite as a means to lose weight, raw apple cider vinegar is known to help suppress hunger and increase feelings of satiety when consumed with a meal.

Plus the probiotic properties of the mother will help you keep a healthy gut which is important for maintaining a healthy weight.

Whether you are looking to suppress hunger, increase antioxidants, or hunting a healthy way to add potassium in your diet, apple cider vinegar offers lots of benefits to help you along your path to be healthier. As always, consult your physician before taking any natural steps towards living healthy to ensure drinking ACV  is appropriate for your situation.

When you’re ready to get started, try one of these apple cider vinegar drink recipes

Morning Detox Tea Recipe

Dr Axe’s Secret Detox Drink Recipe

Easy Low Calorie Apple Cider Vinegar Drink Recipe

J.J. Smith’s Berry Apple Cider Vinegar Drink

Apple Pie Apple Cider Vinegar Drink

I hope you found some helpful information about drinking apple cider vinegar in this post. I’m not a physician, and I’m not promising ACV is a miracle cure for any condition. I’m simply sharing information that might help you make a decision to become healthier a more natural way.

I am sure you have heard more ways that apple cider vinegar can be a healthy option to drink.

Why do you drink ACV?