pouring apple cider vinegar

The Benefits of Adding Apple Cider Vinegar to Your Diet

From bone broth to matcha lattes, the past few years have seen a rise of tonics as a way to boost energy and soothe ailments, but the simplest tonic to add to your diet may be apple cider vinegar. Before you start adding a morning shot of apple cider vinegar to your daily routine it’s important to understand the history of tonics and both the benefits and possible side effects.

Tonics and elixirs are anything but new. They date back to the ancient Egyptians who used combinations of plants, barks, fruits, and other products from nature to create bitters, tonics, and elixirs that fought disease, aided digestion, and cleansed the body. Here’s the lowdown on the apple cider vinegar tonic.

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Sometimes called cider vinegar or ACV by the cool kids, apple cider vinegar is simply vinegar made from apples. It’s actually pretty easy to make at home if you have apples, sugar, water, and patience—it takes a couple of months to be ready to drink.apple cider vinegar

What Does it Taste Like?

Honestly, ACV does not have a pleasant taste. It’s a wake-up shot to your system with a very acidic apple and vinegar taste. Thankfully, you shouldn’t actually drink ACV straight, but more on that later.

Lovely, So Why Should I Add Apple Cider Vinegar to My Diet?

ACV has a long history of health benefits, some of which are still thought of as old wives’ tales, but others are backed up by scientific studies. A few of the more established reasons to add ACV to your diet include: it can kill many types of bacteria, lower blood sugar, help fight diabetes, and make you feel fuller. There’s also some evidence that adding ACV to your diet can prevent indigestion, lower cholesterol, and boost energy.

woman stirring tea apple cider vinegar

Got It. So How Should I Add Apple Cider Vinegar to My Diet?

Don’t drink it straight. ACV is highly acidic and could make the enamel on your teeth erode leading to a whole host of other issues. Buy raw, organic, unfiltered, and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. You can add a tablespoon to a cup of tea or even your morning smoothie or simply add a tablespoon of it to a glass of water along with a tablespoon of either lemon or honey. Another easy way to add it to your diet is to use it your rinse your fruits and vegetables. It adds some ACV to your diet while also cleaning your produce.