 You may have heard a bit of buzz lately around apple cider vinegar, and there are many reasons it deserves to be the apple of your eye. Apple cider vinegar offers lots of health benefits and is pretty versatile. I like to include it in my cooking and baking, but it has so many other uses, including as a tonic for its potent health benefits. So what exactly is apple cider vinegar? It is quite simply fermented apple cider. By fermenting the apple cider, beneficial probiotics and enzymes are generated that your body will soak up with love! Below, I have outlined several ways you can incorporate apple cider vinegar into your diet, along with some more specifics on the benefits it can have for your health. Uses Baked goods Using apple cider vinegar in a muffin or other baked good can really help to get its texture just right. The reaction between baking soda and apple cider vinegar helps give that lift to your favourite baked goodies. Try out my Banana Nut Chocolate Cinnamon Muffins to see what I mean! Salad dressings Any salad can become so much more with that perfect salad dressing. You know the one – it’s that perfect balance. A little bit of sweet, a touch of salt, and just a soupcon of sourness. Apple cider vinegar does just the trick in giving your salad dressing that puckering acidity you need! My Creamy Garlic Dressing will take your salad from ‘meh’ to ‘marvellous’! Enhances the benefits of bone broth Adding a splash of apple cider vinegar to a homemade bone broth is a very important step. The vinegar draws the beneficial nutrients from the bones so you can get the most out of your broth. Here is a bone broth recipe for you to try! Household Cleaner Apple cider vinegar can make the perfect natural household cleaner, as it has antimicrobial properties. Combine it with some antibacterial essential oils and water for extra cleaning properties as well as a nice smell! Some great antibacterial essential oils include peppermint and tea tree oil. Health tonic Combining apple cider vinegar with a few other choice ingredients can make the perfect health tonic to give you a boost of nourishment. In a glass of warm water, simply add a splash of apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, ginger and any other flavours you desire to get a powerful punch of health!  Health Benefits Fights Candida Candida is a fungus that grows naturally in our bodies, but if your body produces too much of this fungus or you are feeding it the wrong foods, issues can arise. There has been research to show that apple cider vinegar can help fight off or reduce this overgrowth, thanks to its anti-fungal properties. Creates Blood-Sugar Balance Unstable blood sugar can create a wide range from symptoms, from hunger and thirst, to nausea, anxiety and irritability. Research has shown that consuming vinegar can help by improving insulin sensitivity. Promotes Healthy Digestion Digestion is such an important part of creating a healthy body and mind. Apple cider vinegar can be very helpful when creating a healthy environment in your digestive system. Consuming apple cider vinegar can help break down food in your stomach, especially if you have low stomach acid. Low stomach acid can cause many issues, including bloating, indigestion, nutrient deficiencies, and constipation. Also, as mentioned above, apple cider vinegar can help create a healthy environment in your intestinal tract by fighting off an overgrowth of candida. You can take a teaspoon with a bit of water to dilute it, or, if you don’t mind how strong it is, you can take it straight up! (Tip: you can rinse your mouth out with water after you consume it or drink it using a straw so it doesn’t affect your tooth enamel.) Promotes Weight Loss Vinegar consumption has been shown to reduce body weight. While other lifestyle habits and factors are very important to consider when losing weight, apple cider vinegar may be a great compliment to a weight loss process that will simultaneously provide you with a host of additional health benefits! Lowers Cholesterol There is research to show that apple cider vinegar can reduce low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and serum triglyceride levels in animals. Reduces Blood Pressure The main component of vinegar – acetic acid – has been shown to reduce blood pressure in animals. Reducing blood pressure can reduce the risk of other cardiovascular health concerns. There are so many benefits to be gained from apple cider vinegar, so be sure to include this amazingly beneficial food in your diet by trying the recipes mentioned above, or by taking a teaspoon a day, whether on its own or diluted in a bit of water. My favourite brand is Bragg. Sources: Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. (n.d.). Retrieved January 05, 2018, from http://bragg.com/products/bragg-organic-apple-cider-vinegar.html Kondo, S., Tayama, K., Tsukamoto, Y., Ikeda, K., & Yamori, Y. (2001, December). Antihypertensive effects of acetic acid and vinegar on spontaneously hypertensive rats. Retrieved January 05, 2018, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11826965 Shishehbor, F., Mansoori, A., Sarkaki, A. R., Jalali, M. T., & Latifi, S. M. (2008, December 01). Apple cider vinegar attenuates lipid profile in normal and diabetic rats. Retrieved January 05, 2018, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19630216 Mota, A. C., De, R. D., De, J., & De, E. (2015, June). Antifungal Activity of Apple Cider Vinegar on Candida Species Involved in Denture Stomatitis. Retrieved January 05, 2018, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25219289 Johnston, C. S., Kim, C. M., & Buller, A. J. (2004, January 01). Vinegar Improves Insulin Sensitivity to a High-Carbohydrate Meal in Subjects With Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes. Retrieved January 05, 2018, from http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281 Kondo, T., Kishi, M., Fushimi, T., Ugajin, S., & Kaga, T. (2009, August). Vinegar intake reduces body weight, body fat mass, and serum triglyceride levels in obese Japanese subjects. Retrieved January 05, 2018, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19661687
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