Ancient Greek physician and one of the founders of Western medicine Hippocrates regularly prescribed apple cider vinegar as an remedy for coughs and colds. Hippocrates drank a daily dose of vinegar to promote his own longevity. Roman soldiers and Japanese Samurais mixed a cocktail of vinegar and water for energy bursts throughout the day.
Apple cider vinegar has been a resource since the ancient 5000BC when Babylonians used fruits to craft wine. Today, grocery stores carve out shelf space for apple cider vinegar next to balsamic and white vinegar, and in the health and vitamin aisles.
Apple cider vinegar has long been used as a natural remedy.
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Apple cider vinegar is closely related to alcohol, due to the chemical relationship established in the fermentation process between alcohol and vinegar. Vinegar is alcohol that has been exposed to oxygen. During the apple cider vinegar fermentation process, bacteria and yeast from apples break down to sugars that then convert to alcohol. In the final fermentation, the alcohol becomes vinegar. Some apple cider vinegar is refined, distilled and pasteurized, while other apple cider vinegar is left unpasteurized.
Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar contains a dark, amebic substance known as mother. Mother is the residual pectin and apple residues that are leftover following the fermentation process. Health experts identify mother as the most nutrient rich part of apple cider vinegar. The mother is the most unprocessed and nutrient complex element of apple cider vinegar. The high acidity of apple cider vinegar discourages the 0-157 strain of E.Coli bacteria from surviving in the vinegar.
Preliminary medical trials indicate that apple cider vinegar may promote health. Research indicates that apple cider vinegar ingestion lowers insulin in type 2 Diabetics, high cholesterol, heart health, cancer and promotes weight loss. According to a 2004 study published in Diabetes Care, the American Diabetes Foundation’s publication, ingesting apple cider vinegar before a meal assuages insulin and glucose spikes that may occur after a meal. Apple cider vinegar may also have internal benefits including boosted immune system health, digestion and pH balance, and it may remove toxins from the body. External benefits of apple cider vinegar include healthy skin, elongated bodily youthfulness, and post-exercise muscle pain relief.
Medical trials indicate that taking daily apple cider vinegar regiments may support specific health concerns, and ancient anecdotal narratives suggest the usefulness of apple cider vinegar for promoting health and energy. The current medical information on apple cider vinegar concludes that apple cider vinegar consumption may be beneficial, however, the studies offer only preliminary insight into the effectiveness of a daily apple cider vinegar regiment.
