Apple Cider Vinegar, facts & benefits !!!

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is an acidic liquid made from apples. it is manufactured in a two step process which involves adding acid forming bacteria to fermented apples.

Benefits of ACV

1. Helps manage weight & belly fat

Acetic acid in ACV is a short chain fatty acid that dissolves acetate & hydrogen in your body. ACV promotes weight loss by

* People taking ACV with high carb meal end up eating lesser calories in rest of the day.

* Lowering blood sugar levels

* Decreases insulin level

* Improves metabolism by bettering digestion

* Reduces fat storage

* Decrease insulin levels suppresses appetite

2. Kill Bacteria

* It can kill pathogens including bacteria

* Used for cleaning & disinfecting

* Treating nail fungus, lice , warts & ear infections

* Used as food preservatives (e.g. used in homemade sauces for longer fridge life)

* To some extent help treat acne to heal fast

3. Helps in fighting Diabetes

* It helps in lowering the blood sugar level in type 2 diabetes by controlling the insulin production

* Improves insulin sensitivity during a high carb meal by 19-34%

* 2 tablespoons of ACV before bedtime can reduce fasting blood sugar by 4%.

* It not only helps people with diabetes but also with pre-diabetes.

4. Soothes bug bite

Prepare a dilute solution of ACV with water and dab it onto affected area. It will help ease the sting & itching.

5. Improves skin & hair

* ACV helps clear acne & pimples

* Create a toner using 1 part ACV & 2 parts water and use regularly before moisturiser but do a spot test in case of sensitive skin.

* Rinse hair after shampoo with 1/2 tablespoon of ACV mix in 1 cup of water for healthy shiny hair, it also helps reducing dandruff.

Ayurveda's take on ACV

In Ayurveda, different substances have different effects on an individual’s digestive fire, depending on one’s constitution. Warming substances like ginger, pepper, or cinnamon stimulate agni and are friendlier to the “cool” doshas vata and kapha. Cooling foods and herbs, like pomegranate, marshmallow root, or aloe vera juice, slow or ease agni, and often benefit warm pitta dosha.

Sour, salty, and pungent tasting foods are warming and so tend to increase agni, while sweet and astringent flavors are cool and inhibit it. Bitter taste, being cool and light, supports pitta and kapha.

Also, how a food is prepared can affect how it impacts the mind. Fresh foods (sattvic) are considered more calming to the mind than fermented or spicy ones (rajasic). Foods that have spent a long while in fridges, freezers, or microwave ovens (tamasic) can deaden our energy.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, the climate we live in impacts how much warmth or coolness we can handle in our digestive tracts.

Types of ACV

1. Filtered: Filtered vinegar is clear and light brown color.

2. Unfiltered: Unflitered & unpaturized ACV has dark, cloudy sediment at the bottom.

Dosage & how to use

1. ACV can be used in salad dressing with mayonise.

2. 1-2 tablespoon diluted with 1 glass of water & add a bit of lemon juice & rock salt & drink it before meal or as a regular beverage.

3. Use organic & unfiltered ACV. Bragg's is most popular & available on amazon

Note: start consuming ACV in small dosage in starting to avoid any side affect.