Health benefits of apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is great for health as it helps prevent various ailments.

Traditionally, vinegar has been mostly used for household or cooking purposes but recently 'apple cider vinegar' has gained popularity in the health community. Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is made from apples and it is unfiltered and unpasteurised to keep the 'mother' intact. The 'mother' in ACV is present at the bottom of the bottle in the form of cloudy strings and it is full of healthy enzymes, pectin and minerals. Therefore, it becomes extremely important to shake the bottle every time before use. Let's have a look at the health benefits of ACV.

Prevents diabetes: Acetic acid, an important component of ACV inactivates the digestive enzyme (disaccharidase) that breaks down carbohydrate into sugar. Thus, it slows down the absorption of sugar from the meal into bloodstream. This prevents blood glucose levels from spiking. This slow absorption of sugar into the bloodstream helps in the management of diabetes.

Aids weight loss: Acetic acid stimulates the metabolism and affects starch digestion. It inactivates the digestive enzyme that breaks down carbohydrate into sugar. This process increases the satiety and keeps hunger pangs at bay. ACV also inhibits the accumulation of fat in the body and helps fight obesity.

Improves digestion: ACV when taken before meals stimulates the digestive juices which further help in better breakdown of food. This is due to the presence of beneficial enzymes in it. Also ACV contains pectin which provides bulk to the stools and thus, helps in easy passage of stools and prevents constipation.

Lowers cholesterol: LDL or bad cholesterol gets accumulated in the arteries increasing the risk of heart disease. Acetic acid, an important component of ACV has shown to reduce LDL or bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels thus reducing the overall risk of heart disease.

How to consume apple cider vinegar?

Dilute 1 teaspoon ACV in 1 glass of water and drink it 5-10 minutes before your meal. This can be consumed twice a day, before lunch and dinner. Replace your oil-based salad dressing with ACV salad dressing and add some pepper, garlic, parsley too to enhance the flavour.

Photo source: wikicommons

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