Apple cider vinegar is a natural tonic that offers many benefits when taken before meals. ACV is a popular home remedy to treat sore throat and other issues.
If you plan to include apple cider vinegar in your diet, read this post at the end.
Benefits of Taking Apple Cider Vinegar Before Meals
#1 For Blood Sugar Management
Apple cider vinegar is a kitchen staple that is considered a natural way of controlling blood sugar levels, especially for individuals with insulin resistance.
Consuming ACV before meals helps in decreasing the stomach emptying rate. This way, the blood sugar spikes stay under control.
What’s more? Regular consumption of apple cider vinegar improves insulin sensitivity, which allows the body to remove more glucose from the bloodstream. As a result, it decreases blood sugar levels.
You can avail of these benefits simply by consuming ACV in small doses. Take four spoons of apple cider vinegar before a meal to control your blood sugar level. Don’t forget to mix apple cider vinegar with water before consuming it.
It’s important to note that apple cider vinegar is not known to lower blood sugar levels significantly, but it lowers blood sugar spikes.
#2 Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS is a hormonal condition that results in abnormal menstrual cycles, ovarian cysts, high androgen hormones, and insulin resistance.
A study has revealed that women with PCOS consuming ACV have improved their hormonal levels and more regular periods.
Add a small dose of ACV to the water to make an effective dose for PCOS.
#3 For Weight Loss
ACV is also known to help people willing to lose weight. Regular doses offer a feeling of fullness. In addition, it reduces the amount of food you eat in a day.
It’s believed that consuming apple cider vinegar with water for some time can help reduce weight. On average, one can reduce 1.2 to 1.7 kg.
You can simply add the recommended dose in water and drink it before your meal. You should include apple cider vinegar with other diets, exercise plans, and lifestyle changes to see better results.
#4 For Improved Digestion
Regularly consuming apple cider vinegar also helps with digesting protein-heavy meals. It is possible because cider vinegar can increase stomach acidity, which helps the body to create more pepsin.
Consume one to two tablespoons of ACV with water to improve digestion. Avoid consuming cider vinegar with water in large quantities.
#5 For General Awareness
Regularly consuming apple cider vinegar before meals also helps with fighting heart disease. It also decreases the chances of developing cancer cells.
#6 Keep Skin Young
Human skin has a natural pH balance, which can get disturbed due to increased pollution. So, the results are unsatisfactory when you use beauty products on disturbed pH skin.
You can restore the skin pH level by using a cup of diluted apple cider vinegar to wash the face. After rinsing the face, leave the mixture on the skin for about 15 to 30 minutes.
By regularly following this process, your skin has a balanced pH level. In addition, drinking apple cider vinegar can eliminate dead skin cells. Lastly, apple cider vinegar helps you fight aging spots on the face and body.
Things to Remember When Consuming Apple Cider Vinegar
Remember these things when adding apple cider vinegar to your daily routine:
#1 Do not Consume in Large Doses
It is rarely recommended to consume apple cider vinegar in large doses. If you have just started consuming apple cider vinegar, you must understand how your body reacts to it. If you ever feel a burning sensation or upset stomach, try reducing the amount.
#2 Do Not Brush Your Teeth Right After
After consuming ACV, avoid brushing your teeth. That’s because vinegar is strong enough to war away the tooth enamel, which can cause severe cavities. For this reason, you must wait for some time before brushing your teeth.
#3 Do Not Drink It After Consuming Food
Drinking apple cider vinegar after consuming food is a big no because it’s not healthy. In the worst case, it can delay the digestion process, which can make you uncomfortable. After taking your food, you can wait about 20 minutes to drink cider vinegar.
It’s better to drink apple cider vinegar before taking your meal because it increases the ability to consume food.
#4 Avoid Inhaling It
Apple cider vinegar has a strong smell, which can cause a bad reaction in the nose or eyes. It can even cause major harm to your lungs. So, it is never recommended to inhale apple cider vinegar.
#5 Don’t Forget to Dilute It
You can cause great damage to your teeth by drinking apple cider vinegar. You must always consume it after diluting. But even diluted vinegar can cause great damage to your teeth as it is extremely acidic.
That’s why it is advised to use a straw for drinking the apple cider vinegar mixture. This way, the cider vinegar does not come in contact with the tooth enamel.
#6 Do Not Drink it Before Bed
Consuming apple cider vinegar before bed has various philosophies, but generally, it is not advised. Consuming ACV before bed can harm the esophagus.
Maintaining a 30 minutes gap between drinking apple cider vinegar and sleeping is recommended.
#7 Do not Apply it Directly to the Skin
Applying apple cider vinegar directly to the skin can do more harm than good. As apple cider vinegar is acidic, you must always dilute it to decrease its acidic nature. After diluting, you can apply it to the skin, but do not leave it for a long time.
How to Consume Apple Cider Vinegar?
#1 Trouble Digestive Roughage? Add ACV to Salad Dressing
Do you have digestive issues? Add apple cider vinegar to your regular salad dressing—Mix ACV with Dijon mustard over simmering. Then add olive oil to make a healthy salad dressing.
Cider vinegar has antibacterial properties that help with normal gut issues. In addition, it has probiotics that can help with overall healthy digestion.
#2 Need Natural Energy? Sip ACV Tea
You can skip the coffee and drink tea with apple cider vinegar in the morning to boost energy.
Combine 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Mix everything in a glass of warm water and enjoy.
#3 Sore Throat? Mix ACV with Honey
You can mix apple cider vinegar with honey if you have a sore throat. This mixture can help you suppress your cough and soothe the irritated throat in no time.
Conclusion
Apple cider vinegar is a great tonic that helps with weight loss and managing PCOS symptoms. With regular consumption of ACV, you can reap its benefits. But don’t consume it without diluting it, as it can have severe reactions.
Large doses of ACV can cause a reaction. First, you need to see how your body accepts ACV. If you feel a burning sensation, try lowering the dose.