Raw apple cider vinegar and it's health benefits

Lately there has been a lot of talk about raw organic apple cider vinegar and all the different health benefits it can provide. It is packed with lots of vitamins, pectin, beta-carotene and minerals. There are other health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) like weight loss, arthritis, detoxification, cholesterol level, diabetes, diarrhea, depression, asthma and cancer. While many of the folk medicine uses of vinegar are unproven, a few do have medical research backing them up. (1) Some studies have shown that apple cider vinegar could help with several conditions, such as diabetes and obesity. (2)

For centuries ACV has been use by many for its health benefits. In 400 B.C. Hippocrates the father of medicine, used it for its natural cleansing, healing, and energizing health qualities. The ancient Babylonians use it before him and the Samurai warriors in Japan drank it for strength and power. It’s been traced to Egyptians as far back as 3000 B.C. Julius Caesar’s army used ACV tonic to stay healthy and fight off disease. The Greeks and Romans kept vinegar vessels for healing and flavoring. It was used in Biblical times as an antiseptic and a healing agent and is mentioned in the Bible.  In Paris in the Middle Ages it was sold from barrels by street vendors as a body deodorant, healing tonic and a health vinegar drink. Christopher Columbus and his crew on his voyage to discover America in 1492 had their vinegar barrels for prevention of disease as well as the soldiers in the American Civil War. ACV has been used for thousands of years not only for its health benefits, but also as a cleansing agent to remove bacteria, germs, odors, and even stains and spots.

Apple Cider Vinegar is made from nutritious organically grown apples and retains many of the fruits’ beneficial components because raw apple cider vinegar is not pasteurized.  In its two fermentation processes, it produces enzymes and life giving nutrients that make apple cider vinegar the powerhouse it is. The word vinegar comes from the French, meaning "sour wine." ACV also has other acids, vitamins, mineral salts, and amino acids. The main ingredient of apple cider vinegar, or any vinegar, is acetic acid.

Raw Apple Cider vinegar is different from clear vinegar. ACV is one of Mother Nature’s most perfect foods. This murky brown vinegar, with the sediment in the bottom of the bottle, is the “mother of vinegar”. It is made from fresh, crushed apples which are then allowed to mature naturally in wooden barrels, as wood seems to "boost" the natural fermentation. Natural ACV should be rich, brownish color and if held to the light you might see a tiny formation of "cobweb-like" substances that we call the "mother." Usually some "mother" will show in the bottom of the ACV bottle the more it ages. It never needs refrigeration. You can also save some "mother" and mix it in to work in other natural vinegars. There's a pungent odor when you smell ACV and sometimes it's so ripened it puckers your mouth and smarts your eyes these are natural, good signs of ACV. The “mother” is made up of living nutrients, and bacteria. That’s the sediment you see settled in the bottom of the bottle.

Clear vinegar has none of the benefits of raw organic apple cider vinegar. Through its processing and distilling, it destroys the powerful enzymes and distills out the life-giving minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, natural organic fluorine, silicon, trace minerals and pectin as well as many other powerful nutrients. Distilling also destroys the natural malic and tartaric acids which are important in fighting body toxins and inhibiting unfriendly bacteria. Clear vinegar has been stripped of everything beneficial through its distilling process and can be detrimental to your health when ingested. (3)

The medicinal use of ACV started to become popular when the book by D.C. Jarvis, M.D. was published in 1958 entitled Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor’s Guide to Good Health. In the book Dr. Jarvis recommended Apple Cider Vinegar as a health tonic. The book became a bestseller a year after being published.

Apple cider vinegar has progressed from a folk remedy to a modern age medicine that helps in many health aliments
Some of the health benefits of ACV are:

• Arthritis: Relieves the pain in the joints and also helps slow down the progress of the arthritic condition.
• Weight loss: ACV helps to break down fats so that your body can use them rather than store them.
• High cholesterol levels: The pectin content and amino acids found in apple cider is effective in neutralizing the bad cholesterol level in the human body.
• Body metabolism: Apple Cider Vinegar speeds up the metabolism of the body.  It supports appetite control, and helps burn fat in the body.
• Detoxification: ACV helps the body detoxify and cleanse the entire digestive system. One of the most significant health benefits of apple cider vinegar is that it cleans the blood in the oxidation process.
• Diabetes control: The dietary fiber in ACV is extremely beneficial for maintaining proper blood glucose levels. (4) A 2007 study of 11 people with type 2 diabetes found that taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with an 8 oz glass of purified water before bed lowered glucose levels in the morning by 4%-6%.
• Skin Care: ACV aids in restoring the glow of the skin.
• Hair Care: Helps control dandruff and balance the pH level of the scalp.
• Diarrhea: The pectin content in ACV helps treat diarrhea by forming bulk fibrous matter. The pectin also forms a protective coat for soothing the colon lining.
• Depression: ACV could help to fight the melancholic state by means of detoxifying and cleansing the liver.
• Relief from asthma: Drinking ACV helps relieve chronic asthma.
• Fighting cancerous growth: ACV is not known to cure cancer. However, a few laboratory studies have found that apple cider vinegar may be able to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. (5)
• Jelly fish stings: It has been effective in soothing Jellyfish stings when poured directly on the sting.

To make the Apple Cider Vinegar health tonic you take 1- 2 teaspoons of organic vinegar in an 8 oz glass of purified water. I recommend Bragg organic Apple Cider Vinegar (picture above) to sweeten it a bit you can add 1-2 teaspoons of agave nectar or stevia.  It is very important that you brush your teeth or rinse your mouth to get rid of the residue after you drink the Apple Cider Vinegar health tonic. The residue that stays on your teeth can damage the tooth enamel.  I don't recommend taking ACV tablets because they can get stuck in your throat causing serious injury to your esophagus.  If you decide that you want to try this health tonic talk to your doctor first. Your doctor can also make sure that the apple cider vinegar won't affect other health conditions or the effectiveness of the medicines you take.  If you start drinking ACV health tonic, use it for a few months then stop drinking it for a few months. If you can get over the taste of apple cider vinegar, you will find it to be a beneficial remedy in healing the body.

Resources: 1-2 2007 University of Arizona study on Apple Cider Vinegar , Journal of the American Dietetic Association, July 2005; Hill, L. 2006, Medscape General Medicine, Korkmaz, A. Pediatric Dermatology, January/February, 2000 Ostman, E. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 5- University of Texas M.D. Andersen Cancer Center: "Complementary/Integrative Medicine Therapies: Apple Cider Vinegar." White, A. 4- Diabetes Care, November 2007

Note:  The information in this article is intended for educational purpose only.  It is not intended directly or indirectly to give medical advice, diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  Consult your medical practitioner before taking any dietary supplement.