Apple Cider Vinegar is one of those things you might have heard loads about but never really known how to introduce it to your life.
The good thing about Apple Cider Vinegar – usually abbreviated to ACV – is that it contains over 90 different substances that benefit your health, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, copper and bioflavonoids.
Celeb superfans include the ageless Jennifer Aniston, who told Harper’s Bazaar in 2017 that she starts everyday with a shot of ACV.
If you’re not quite ready to drink vinegar straight, you can still get plenty of use from ACV by using it as a cleaning aid, a skincare step and more.
Here, we run down a list of how to use ACV.
Add it to hot water and lemon
Many people start their day with a cup of hot water and lemon.
By adding a spoonful of apple cider vinegar to this, you could get the added benefits of a myriad of vitamins and probiotics found in the ACV.
Add it to regular water to potentially burn fat
It is said that ACV is can aid weight loss.
Put 2 teaspoons in half a glass of water before each meal.
This will make you feel more full and could help balance your gut flora, which will regulate stomach acid.
Cure constipation
ACV will help regulate the healthy flora – or bacteria – in your gut, which in turn helps with gastrointestinal and digestive issues.
Regulate blood sugar
Research from 2004 published in the PubMed Central, a highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health in the United States, found that taking 20ml of apple cider vinegar diluted in 40ml of water, with 1 teaspoon of saccharin, could lower blood sugar after meals.
Another study from 2007 found that taking apple cider vinegar before bed helped moderate blood sugar upon waking up.
Use it as a toner for your skin
ACV can help balance your skin by getting rid of bad bacteria and oils.
The natural acids can help exfoliate the skin, brightening your complex and tackling issues like hyper-pigmentation and sun damage.
ACV is too harsh to apply directly to your skin, so make a toner diluted with one part ACV and two parts water.
You can also add different essential oils to it to tackle different issues – tea tree oil is thought to help with anti-aging, for example, as well as giving the toner a nicer scent.
Boost your immune system
Unfiltered apple cider vinegar often contain an element called the mother, a mix of yeast and bacteria that work as probiotics.
In 2018, researchers found that probiotics have an immune-boosting quality that effectively fights respiratory infections and the common cold.
Get rid of aches and pains
People who take ACV – either via drinking it or in a supplementary form – could help with aches and pains.
Along with its many nutrients, the acids in it help can help break up substances in the muscles and joints that cause stiffness and aching.
Help with cramping
ACV contains potassium and magnesium, two minerals that have been found to help lessen the pains of muscle and menstrual cramps.
Make a shampoo and conditioner
ACV is such an effective ingredient in hair and scalp care there are many expensive products out there featuring it.
However, you can get the benefit and save some money by simply mixing a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with water.
After shampooing and conditioning, pour the mixture over your hair evenly, working into your scalp. Let it sit for a couple of minutes. Rinse it out.
It is thought to help eliminate build-ups and congestions in your scalp and follicles, allowing healthier growth and getting rid of dandruff.
Get rid of nail fungus
If you have nail fungus, one of the most effective things you can do is soak them nightly in a mixture of apple cider vinegar and white vinegar.
Make a mix of two parts white vinegar and one part ACV and soak your feet for a minimum of 15 minutes.
After rinsing off, apply a soothing and hydrating oil, like tea tree or coconut.
Tackles candida (thrush)
Candida are a group of yeasts that can cause fungal infections – with thrush being the most common.
Healthline report that laboratory research found that topical application of ACV inhibited the growth of candida in a petri dish.
Though the exact effect on humans is yet to be fully proven, it is thought that applying ACV topically or ingesting it can help lower the effects of thrush and other fungal infections.
Make a salad dressing
From the inside to the out, a much simpler but still effective way to use ACV is as a salad dressing.
Tangy and tart, it is a welcome addition to most green salads.
Wash fruits and vegetables
When you want to make sure your fruit and veg is fully free from any potential pesticides or wax, wash them in a mixture of one part ACV to three parts water.
Add it to your pet’s bath to ward off fleas
From cleaning your fruit to cleaning your furry friend, adding ACV to water while bathing your pets can control fleas, ticks and worms.
And, much like it makes good haircare products for us, it can also make their fur healthy and shiny.
Make an insect repellent
An effective insect repellent can be made with equal parts water, ACV, and specific essential oils that help to repel insects, like citronella.
Clean your washing machine
Ironically, for something we use to clean our clothes, washing machines can be the last thing many remember to clean.
ACV can help keep your washing machine clean so clogs and build-ups aren’t leaving you with damp or dirty clothing at the end of a cycle.
Simply add two cups of apple cider vinegar in the compartment you would detergent and let the machine run without any clothes.
Neutralise smells in the home
ACV can sometimes be used as a deodorizer, and all you need to do is leave a bowl out on a table or in the corner of a room.
This one is a word-of-mouth tip that seems to work, having been shared across housekeeping websites including LifeHacker.
Clean your toothbrush and dentures
Because apple cider vinegar is all-natural, it’s thought that it’s a much safer alternative to harsh chemicals when cleaning dentures or toothbrushes.
Mix half a cup of water with two teaspoons of ACV to wash your brush or dentures. Make sure you give them a good rinse with water before popping either back in your mouth, though.
Make an all-purpose, natural cleaning agent
Due to the antibacterial qualities, ACV can make a great, natural cleaner for your house, tackling things like mould.
Mix one cup of water with half a cup of apple cider vinegar in a bowl or spray bottle, and get to work.
Preserve food for longer
Vinegar has long been a preserving agent for food, and ACV is no different. You can help keep vegetables, meat, fish products, and spiced fruits for longer by pickling them in a jar with ACV.
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