Apple Cider Vinegar: All You Needs to Know

Apple cider vinegar is the king of condiments, indispensable on all Italian tables. It is a tasty and refreshing ingredient, but are you sure you really know it? Used by Egyptians, Babylonians, and Persians, vinegar is also mentioned several times in the Bible. In ancient times, it was used for food preservation and as a revitalizing beverage mixed with water.

Among all vinegars, apple cider vinegar is the most virtuous, with strengthening, detoxifying, and antibacterial properties. It is naturally rich in vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, E, folic acid, beta-carotene, minerals, and trace elements. Additionally, apple cider vinegar helps promote a healthy intestinal flora and strengthens our immune defenses thanks to its antiviral characteristics. In short, a natural remedy with countless uses! Let’s discover it together.

Difference Between Apple Cider Vinegar and Apple Cider Vinegar

Starting from the beginning: vinegar is a fermented combination of water and acetic acid, which can be made from a variety of plants, including potatoes, rice, cereals, or fruit. Apple cider vinegar, in particular, is obtained by fermenting apples into natural sugary alcohol and then adding bacteria to convert the alcohol into acetic acid.

You might be wondering, what is the difference between apple cider vinegar and apple cider vinegar? Let’s clear up this confusion: apple cider vinegar and apple cider vinegar are the same thing. Yes, it is the same product well known for dressing salads and dishes, but also a valuable remedy for medicinal uses and an ally for hygiene and beauty.

Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits and Properties

Apple cider vinegar is a powerful remedy with various medicinal uses and beyond. It improves digestion, activates immune defenses, and is a powerful antibacterial for skin and oral disinfection. It is an excellent ally for home and personal hygiene, as well as being a valuable dietary supplement that can aid in fat elimination and weight loss by stimulating metabolism, aiding digestion, and promoting fat burning. But let’s look more closely at all its beneficial properties for our bodies.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Diabetes

Among the many beneficial elements for our health, apple cider vinegar contains chromium, a precious mineral that contributes to normal metabolism and helps maintain regular blood glucose levels.

For this reason, apple cider vinegar can be included in the diet of those with diabetes, a disease characterized by increased blood glucose levels. Its natural anti-glycemic effect is proven; just add 2 tablespoons to foods to lower the glycemic index of a meal, or take 1-2 tablespoons mixed in a glass of water. Of course, consuming apple cider vinegar should not be considered a substitute for prescriptions from your doctor.

Apple Cider Vinegar for Circulation

Apple cider vinegar also improves blood circulation, controls high blood pressure, and plays a protective role for the cardiovascular system. Stimulating blood circulation also helps in draining adipose cells, becoming a great ally for women in the fight against cellulite formation. Taken as a beverage mixed with water or applied through local compresses, it helps combat the appearance of varicose veins.

Apple Cider Vinegar in Dermatology

By reactivating circulation, apple cider vinegar also acts on tissues, giving us smoother and more even skin. Its benefits for the skin are numerous: it helps regulate pH, eliminates impurities, reduces skin spots, heals small wounds, and speeds up healing. Thanks to its antibacterial properties, it helps fight acne-related blemishes, reduces excess skin oil, and combats blackheads.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Blood Sugar

As we have seen, apple cider vinegar is a valid ally in lowering the glycemic index of our meals.

Its anti-glycemic effect reduces the entry of starch into the blood, helping us control blood sugar, making it a valuable ally for diabetes prevention and reducing the risks of hyperglycemia. Apple cider vinegar is definitely a food to include in the diet of diabetics and anyone needing to regulate blood sugar levels.

Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss

Now, let’s clarify a question that many women have been wondering about. Does apple cider vinegar really help with weight loss? Yes, apple cider vinegar is an essential food in the diet of those who want to stay in shape and lose weight.

Thanks to its properties, it stimulates metabolism, helps burn fat, stimulates blood circulation, reduces water retention, and aids drainage, facilitates digestion, and prevents food fermentation in our intestines. Plus, its satiating power helps us reduce the quantities of our food. In short, a concentrate of virtues! Of course, consumption should be daily and consistent, but a glass of water with two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar per day is enough to start a healthy and slimming habit.

Sinusitis Natural Remedies with Apple Cider Vinegar

Everyone who suffers from typical seasonal ailments like sinusitis knows how annoying and debilitating it can be.

But don’t worry, we have a 100% natural remedy for you! Apple cider vinegar, which has numerous health benefits, can also be used to treat sinusitis. Its actions mainly aim to clear the sinuses, reduce bacterial growth, and thin mucus, all while helping to strengthen our immune system. How can we use it? It is excellent for steam inhalation, mixing and heating half a cup of water with half a cup of apple cider vinegar, or used as a mouthwash, mixing 30 ml of apple cider vinegar in 200 ml of water. Try it to believe it!

Milia and Apple Cider Vinegar

We’ve all had them at least once in our lives: milia are white dots that usually appear around the eye area, the sworn enemies of our beauty.

They are not dangerous for our health and are technically just micro keratin bubbles, but they are still very annoying blemishes. A natural remedy to eliminate them is to cleanse the skin with a tonic based on apple cider vinegar.

So, mix half a glass of cold water with half a glass of apple cider vinegar and apply it to your face as a regular tonic, focusing on the areas to be treated.

Apple Cider Vinegar Contraindications

So far, we have seen only some of the countless virtues of apple cider vinegar, but are there any contraindications to its use? Apple cider vinegar is, of course, not recommended for those with apple allergies, but for everyone else, its use does not involve particular contraindications as long as it is used reasonably and moderately.

If taken in excessive quantities, it can cause damage to the esophagus and digestive tract, as well as cause nausea and damage to tooth enamel. Additionally, since it lowers blood pressure, it is not recommended for those undergoing treatment with antihypertensive drugs.

Apple Cider Vinegar Myths

Yes, we said it: apple cider vinegar is definitely a multitasker for our health, hygiene, and beauty. But are we sure that all the information we find online is true? There are indeed many myths circulating about it, based on information not confirmed by scientific analysis. Do you want to know some?

For example, it is attributed with a tooth-whitening power, while in reality, being an acidic substance, it can cause serious damage to our teeth’s enamel. Another myth is that it has aphrodisiac properties capable of improving intimate performance. Although we would like to believe it, this information is not supported by scientific research.

Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar

Among all types of apple cider vinegar, the most genuine is certainly unfiltered cider. The production process guarantees that all properties remain intact and not altered by more complex processing.

Unfiltered apple cider vinegar is obtained from the direct transformation of apple juice and not from the reconstitution of concentrated juice. Since it is a truly natural product, it can appear cloudy and contain sediments, but don’t worry, this is just the “mother of vinegar,” the substance that initiates spontaneous acetification. Due to these sediments, it is always recommended to shake well before use.

Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar: How and Why to Do It

Thanks to its numerous beneficial properties, apple cider vinegar is used not only as a condiment but also as a dietary supplement. It can be taken in dehydrated form, as there are various apple cider vinegar supplements available in capsules, tablets, or soluble powders, or in its natural form diluted in water.

Typically, for daily use, it is recommended to dilute 1-2 tablespoons in a glass of water to sip at meals once or twice a day. Drinking apple cider vinegar regularly is a healthy habit for those who want to stay in shape; it is a fresh and thirst-quenching drink with no added calories or sugars, helps increase diuresis, regulate blood sugar, has probiotic and antiseptic properties for our intestines, and helps deflate the abdominal area and lower limbs. A real boon!

Where to Buy Apple Cider Vinegar

If you are looking for places to buy apple cider vinegar, there are many options.

The first solution is to go to a store in your city that sells organic products, such as NaturaSì stores, or stores dedicated to traditional gastronomy products like Eataly. But even many large supermarket chains across Italy today have chosen to offer their customers apple cider vinegar, including Coop, Carrefour, Lidl, and Esselunga. If you want to play it safe, you can turn to the wide range available online. Many websites sell it: from the South Tyrolean site Pursued Tirol, to the best international choices Sidro & Cider, and for the more adventurous, the possibility of buying a DIY kit to produce your cider at home Fermentiamo.