Apple Cider Vinegar

This may be a little bit off the subject of vegetarianism but when it comes to becoming more healthy, this fits perfectly.  Apple Cider Vinegar is used so much for health purposes today that it is found in both the condiment aisles as well as the health supplement aisles of most grocery stores.  Apple Cider Vinegar has been recognized as a beneficial health product since 400 B.C. when the great Hippocrates, Father of Medicine, used it for its amazing health qualities.  Internally it helps support a healthy immune system, control weight, soothe dry throats, remove bodily toxins, and promote digestion and ph balance.  Externally it helps maintain healthy skin, cure acne, and relieve muscle pain.  It’s also been know to cure allergies (including pet, food and environmental), sinus infections, diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure, flu, chronic fatigue, candida, acid reflux, contact dermatitis, arthritis, and gout.

If you decide to start taking apple cider vinegar, make sure you go with the good stuff- Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar is raw, organic, unpasteurized, unprocessed, and also Kosher.  The vinegar is matured in wooden barrels, and it contains the “mother” of the vinegar, which is not contained by other brands.  If the dark, cloudy substance of the “mother” appears, you know the most important part of the apples have been left intact, and the vinegar is full of enzymes and minerals.  Commercial brands lack this due to over-processing, overheating, and filtrating the vinegar.  Consuming this “mother” substance is what brings much of the healing properties of ACV.  Another thing about Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar that make it better than the rest is the fact that it is not pasteurized.  Pasteurization destroys the nutrients and enzymes, which are an important part of the apple cider vinegar.  There’s no need to worry about its safety however, as the natural acidity of the vinegar keeps itself pure.  Bacterias such as E.Coli never have the chance to develop.

The downfall of ACV is its taste.  It’s very strong and bitter- there’s really no other way to describe it.  You’ll know what I mean once you try it for the first time.  Prepare to be surprised.  It may be easier to get down if you hold your nose.  (The smell is almost exactly like the taste.)  There are other methods of taking it though, if you find the taste unbearable.  It can be added to salads, sprinkled over popcorn, etc.  To take it plain you should mix 1-2 teaspoons with a generous amount of water, twice a day.  (Less water= stronger taste.)  If you want to lose weight, take a teaspoon before each meal.

It is also relatively inexpensive.  16 oz can be purchased for about $3.00, 32 oz for about $4.79, and 1 gallon for about $14.00.

To see the whole line of Bragg products and for more information about Apple Cider Vinegar, click here.

My experience: I’ve only been taking it for a few weeks but so far I have healthier, longer hair and nails, I’ve had no charley horses (which I often experienced), any muscle soreness goes away much more quickly, and my skin feels and looks healthier.  And that’s just the external results!  I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to be healthier.