MUMBAI: Apple cider vinegar is a popular home remedy. People have used it for centuries in cooking and medicine. Many people claim it can relieve a wide range of health complaints, but you may wonder what the research says. Apple cider vinegar has various healthful properties, including antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. Here are some health benefits:
High in healthful substances: Apple cider vinegar is made via a two-step process. First, the manufacturer exposes crushed apples to yeast, which ferments the sugars and turns them into alcohol. Next, adding bacteria further ferments the alcohol, turning it into acetic acid — the main active compound in vinegar.
Acetic acid gives vinegar its strong sour smell and flavor. Researchers believe this acid is responsible for apple cider vinegar's health benefits. Cider vinegars are 5–6% acetic acid. Organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar also contains a substance called mother, which consists of strands of proteins, enzymes, and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky appearance. Some people believe that the mother is responsible for most of its health benefits, although there are currently no studies to support this. While apple cider vinegar does not contain many vitamins or minerals, it offers a small amount of potassium. Good quality brands also contain some amino acids and antioxidants.
Can help kill harmful bacteria: Vinegar can help kill pathogens, including bacteria. People have traditionally used vinegar for cleaning and disinfecting, treating nail fungus, lice, warts, and ear infections. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used vinegar to clean wounds more than 2,000 years ago. Vinegar is also a food preservative. Studies show that it inhibits bacteria like E. coli from growing in and spoiling food. If you're looking for a natural way to preserve your food, apple cider vinegar could help. Anecdotal reports also suggest that diluted apple cider vinegar could help with acne when applied to the skin, but there doesn't seem to be any strong research to confirm this.
May help lower blood sugar levels and manage diabetes: To date, one of the most convincing applications of vinegar is helping treat type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by high blood sugar levels caused by insulin resistance or the inability to produce insulin.
However, people without diabetes can also benefit from keeping their blood sugar levels in the normal range, as some researchers believe that high blood sugar levels are a major cause of aging and various chronic diseases. The most effective and healthiest way to regulate blood sugar levels is to avoid refined carbs and sugar, but apple cider vinegar may also have a beneficial effect.
May aid weight loss: Perhaps surprisingly, studies show that vinegar could help people lose weight. Several human studies show that vinegar can increase feelings of fullness. This can lead to eating fewer calories and losing weight. For example, according to one study, taking vinegar along with a high carb meal led to increased feelings of fullness, causing participants to eat 200–275 fewer calories throughout the rest of the day.
Furthermore, a study in 175 people with obesity showed that daily apple cider vinegar consumption led to reduced belly fat and weight loss.
May boost skin health: Apple cider vinegar is a common remedy for skin conditions like dry skin and eczema. The skin is naturally slightly acidic. Using topical apple cider vinegar could help rebalance the natural pH of the skin, improving the protective skin barrier.
On the other hand, alkaline soaps and cleansers could irritate eczema, making symptoms worse. Given its antibacterial properties, apple cider vinegar could, in theory, help prevent skin infections linked to eczema and other skin conditions. (Agencies)
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