Why Apple Cider Vinegar Should be a Staple In Your Home

Do you have ACV on your kitchen top ?

In case you didn't know what ACV stands for, this is a good read for you.

ACV is the acronym for Apple Cider Vinegar.

Vinegar is not only a concentrate derived from apples for no reason. It is for seasoning and also has been a natural remedy for centuries. Apparently the ancient Babylonians made vinegar from dates and figs and used it for both medical treatments as well as for cooking.

There are many types of vinegars that has its unique flavor profile made from various ingredients. Rice vinegar, white vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar (made from grapes) will be one of the most common ones we use today.

I have personally made vinegar from kombucha - which was just a case of a merry accident from letting the brew slip my mind and as a result from the absentmindedness, the over-fermented sugary tea turned into a bottle of vinegar... anyway!

Going back to our ACVs, apple cider vinegar is as you imagined, a vinegar made from apples and it has been extremely popular for the past few years due to claims of:

- helps with weight loss
- helps with detoxification
- helps with blood sugar regulation
- lowers cholesterol
- improves digestion
- provides immune boosting probiotics

Now, are all these claims true?

While most claims don't have solid evidences backing them up (but they are surfacing soon), there might be a science-based hack for blood sugar regulation.

According to Dhru Purohit's blog "A Super-Simple Hack to Optimize Your Blood Sugar", science seems to be doing its talk and you might be able to have your cake and actually swallow it because looks like you can tame your blood sugar level.

Here is his hack: Having vinegar before, with, or after your meal can significantly blunt your blood glucose and insulin response, which is critical for preventing insulin resistance and chronic disease.

(You can find read more details in Jessie Inchauspé's new book, How to Be a Glucose Goddess)

Is this hack limited to apple cider vinegar?

No! The reason why Jessie recommends ACV is because it tastes better when you mix it in water to drink but this will work with other vinegars like rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or any kind of vinegar that is not sweetened. (Balsamic vinegar can be sweet so check before you mix it in with your drinks!)

If you are drinking your vinegar, make sure you protect your teeth by using a straw! The acid can damage your teeth enamel and I'm telling you, it is painful and the trips to the dentist is going to be a trouble!

As this is such an easy thing you can do. I, as an adventurier, decided to give it a go so now I am testing it myself. It has only been a few days so I don't really have a measurable result, but one thing I can say for sure is that vinegar sips definitely suppress my appetite - unexpectedly.

Let me know if you are one to try new stuff? I'm curious! I had a glass of ACV water at about 3pm when I felt peckish and after the glass, my cravings disappeared.

I also tried taking vinegar (this time was rice vinegar) in a salad dressing and dipped into it first. Again, it suppressed my appetite and I ended up eating less. This is not to encourage skipping food for weight loss but certainly a helpful aid for those who eats more than they need. Perhaps that is the reason people lose weight by vinegar intake?

Now, one thing to remind you, ACV is not to be taken as a magic pill and think it counteracts with all your sugar intake! However, if you are trying to manage your blood sugar levels, you might want to give this a try and see if this works for you?

If you have some vinegar experience to share, please leave your comments below!