Apple cider vinegar: Expert shares recipe for weight loss drink
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Apple cider vinegar is popular around the world, but nowhere more than Japan. In Japan, the practice of drinking ACV dates back to 1200 BC. Japanese warriors believed drinking ACV would boost their energy and help keep them in good health, so they drank it regularly. The Romans continued this practice after figuring out that vinegar also kills bacteria and germs in water. But the true masters of ACV are, and have always been, found in Okinawa, southern Japan. It is often told that the Okinawa family tradition of special vinegar drink recipes handed down through generations is why the residents of the city live longer than most people. There’s got to be something to it, as the life expectancy for Japanese people is 90 while in the UK, it’s just 81. In addition, there’s more than 400 people aged 100 or over living in Okinawa to this day.
Nine incredible health benefits of ACV
Helps improve digestion
Fermented foods, including unpasteurised ACV, contains healthy, gut-friendly bacteria that helps keep your digestive system ticking properly.
Cider vinegar can also help with problems like indigestion or heartburn as it neutralises stomach acid, while the acetic acid fights off harmful bacteria.
Supports your immune system
Studies have found that healthy bacteria, including those found in ACV, can help you recover sooner if you do get sick, reports Holland & Barrett.
ACV’s antibacterial properties can reportedly fight off pathogens in the body, such as E-Coli, staph infections and Candida albicans.
Healthier hair
If your hair is dry, brittle or you have an itchy scalp, using unfiltered ACV instead of your normal shampoo and conditioner could do wonders for your hair.
Research has found that using high alkaline shampoos leads to breakage of the hair and overall dryness.
The acetic acid in ACV is thought to help lower hair’s pH balance to combat dryness and frizziness.
Better skin and better nails
Thanks to its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, ACV is used as a natural treatment for healthier skin and nails.
ACV can be applied as a toner to help balance skin pH and has an exfoliating effect that smoothes and softens.
For rough, cracked heels and mild fungal infections, ACV is often used as a foot soak.
Reduce your blood sugar level
Some studies, according to Holland & Barrett, have found the properties in ACV could be beneficial when it comes to blood sugar.
The acetic acid blocks the enzymes in the body which help to digest starch. As a result, blood sugar levels don’t fluctuate as much after eating starchy foods like bread or pasta.
Drinking four teaspoons of ACV before a high-carb meal could be the trick to stop your blood pressure soaring.
A 2017 review of studies published in Diabetes Research & Clinical Practice suggested having vinegar with meals can reduce fluctuations in insulin and blood sugar after eating.
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Get rid of dandruff
ACV’s anti-fungal properties can tackle oil buildup or excessive amounts of a yeasty fungus called malassezia – two of the main causes of dandruff.
Boost the amount of nutrients you consume
ACV is a nutrient cocktail, containing magnesium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, amino acids, antioxidants and only three calories per tablespoon – a real winner.
Helps in weight loss
Research has found that ACV could be helpful in losing weight in some people.
In terms of how it works, it is thought ACV makes you feel fuller and so prevents people from overeating.
Improved heart health
ACV lowers triglycerides, which cause fatty plaque to build up along your arteries.
The apple vinegar also contains a fibre called pectin which is present in apples, and vinegar and can help neutralise the bad cholesterol.
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