So what’s the deal with ACV and why are we obsessing over it now? Will it come and go like kale and chia seeds? Hopefully it doesn’t go too quick—ACV might be one of the health answers you’ve been looking for. With it’s antioxidant and supposedly healing properties, is it worth time out of your day to try?
Although there has been no concrete research published suggesting ACV does the things that people say it does, personal testimonies have been able to give ACV it’s kitchen credit. ACV has been noted to kill bacteria inside and outside the body, lower blood sugar (and potentially fight diabetes), help you feel full, prevent heart disease, prevent cancer, prevent acid reflux, improve absorption of nutrients and many other health benefits that make it seem to be a miracle substance.
After hearing so much about ACV recently, mostly from my mother who is a holistic nut, I decided to try it out for myself. It is impossible to say if I think it is helping me prevent heart disease or cancer (I’ll update this article in about twenty years), but I have noticed its effect on my appetite. What I found on the internet, which I’m really hoping is reliable in this case, suggests to add one tablespoon of ACV to a cup of water and drink it before a meal. Supposedly, it makes you feel full sooner than you normally would. This is due to the presence of pectin in ACV that helps to reduce blood sugar and insulin levels.
Personally, I’m not trying to lose weight and my fast metabolism keeps my weight from ever fluctuating, so I have no idea how well this stuff really works in regards to weight loss. However, I have noticed its effect in reducing my appetite. I guess I would rather eat half the pizza than the whole pizza, just to feel better about myself. But really—I consume a tablespoon every morning before breakfast and I have recognized a noticeable difference in how much food I feel that my body needs.
In addition to benefits through consumption, ACV also has topical uses. There are claims that it aids with acne, skin allergies, nail fungus, bug bites and an overall appearance of youthful skin. I tried applying ACV on my face once and literally burned my skin so terribly. So if you’re going to try that, have some common sense and water it down first, as you would for oral consumption.
If you want my advice, I would recommend trying it out. The risks and negative health benefits are minimal, unless you’re taking like, ten shots a day. My ACV of choice is Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, it seems to be more “natural” than the other brands out there. Hey, one tablespoon only contains about 3 calories, so what do you really have to lose?