In recent times it seems like all ills can be cured by the holy trinity: turmeric, coconut oil and apple cider vinegar. We're pretty sure we’ve all seen a coconut before and if you’ve ever spilled curry on yourself you definitely know what turmeric is, but what the heck is this apple cider vinegar thing all about? Stars like Scarlett Johannsen, Miranda Kerr and Victoria Beckham swear by it, but why? There are many reasons why people love it, so we set out to uncover what all the fuss is about.
The Bad News
Here’s the thing—there’s no hard science that apple cider vinegar is the miracle cure people make it out to be. It’s a staple ingredient in many celebrity diets, as it is believed to help weight loss. A UK study claimed vinegar can suppress appetite and aid the digestion of carb rich food (I.e. all the most delicious foods in the world). Unfortunately, a Japanese study showed that drinking apple cider vinegar had minimal effect on participants’ weight over the study period, so knocking back some ACV is probably not gonna undo those six Original Glazed you devoured at Krispy Kreme last night. While there’s no concrete scientific evidence to back up claims of apple cider vinegar promoting weight loss, a quick Google will present hundreds of testimonials of people who have used it successfully, so the jury is still out on that one. ACV is also believed to lower risks of heart disease and low cholesterol but the same Japanese study did not find this to be true.
The Good News
While it looks like apple cider vinegar won’t fix any of your major problems, there are still plenty of good, everyday uses for it. Apple cider vinegar has strong antibacterial properties which makes it perfect for a whole host of uses. It’s an effective natural disinfectant, so you can pop it in a spray bottle with some water and use it for your household cleaning or dilute it and use to rid your fruits and veges of any nasties. Gargle with apple cider vinegar to banish bad breath and scare away sore throats. It’s really important that you always mix it with water though as the acetic acid in the vinegar can damage your teeth and throat if you overdo it! ACV’s antibacterial bent also makes it a good deodorizer so if you’ve got stinky feet, wipe your shoes with a paper towel dipped in apple cider vinegar and you’ll be sweet.
Apple cider vinegar isn’t just for internal use; you can use it topically too. Dilute it with two parts water and you’ve got yourself an all-natural, chemical free toner that’ll help keep acne under control, soften your skin, reduce redness and age spots and balance the pH of your skin. Use it neat on bee, wasp and jellyfish stings to help neutralize venom and soothe the pain. It’s also good for those pesky mosquito bites we’re all plagued by in summer. If you’re struggling with dandruff or an itchy scalp, using apple cider vinegar as a hair treatment can work wonders for relieving your symptoms. It’s also supposed to give you stronger, shinier hair—score!
But wait, it doesn’t stop there! If you don’t want to use chemicals on your garden but you’re tired of battling weeds, spray apple cider vinegar on your vegetable patch to tidy things up and balance the pH of your soil. Apple cider vinegar can also be made into a delicious vinaigrette to make your kale salad just that little bit more bearable and some people even mix it into their cocktails to add a bit of a sour kick.
Apple Cider Vinegar Mother
After hearing so many wonderful uses for apple cider vinegar you’re probably fizzing to get your hands on some, but make sure you buy one with the Mother intact. And no, who not talking the mother who probably still packs your lunch everyday, we're referring to the murky, cobweb-like stuff at the bottom of the bottle. It looks gross but that stuff’s got all the good bacteria, enzymes and minerals to make sure you get the most bang for your buck.
Go on, give it a try! Who knows, you might end up looking like Miranda Kerr.
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