Yes, believe it or not, the same stuff your grandmother used to make you drink when you had a cold, or what your great Aunt used to kill weeds in the garden, is powerful enough to regulate blood sugar – better than many conventional therapies.
But, don’t trust us… trust what science has to say about one of Mother Nature’s most healing foods.
Apple cider vinegar is one of the most potent ‘all-purpose’ tonics around. Among its huge array of health benefits, multiple studies have found that it may help lower blood sugar levels.
The traditional uses of apple cider vinegar are vast. To name just a few, it has been used to:
Ease digestion
Aid in flu prevention
Reduce inflammation
Regulate pH balance
Alleviate allergy symptoms
Ease nausea and heartburn
As a staple in detox regimens
For a number of skin conditions, including reducing acne and smoothing wrinkles
One study, (http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/30/11/2814.full) conducted at Arizona State University by Doctors Carol S. Johnston and Andrea M. White, PhD, surveyed 11 people afflicted with type 2 diabetes. The researchers found that taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar right before bed lowered the blood sugar levels of these individuals by 4 to 6 percent by morning.
Another study (http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.full) led by Dr. Johnston gave subjects, some with insulin resistance and some without, 20 grams of apple cider vinegar and 40 grams of water. Results showed that the after-meal blood sugar levels of the subjects with insulin resistance lowered by 34 percent when they drank the apple cider vinegar.
Dr. Johnston says, “scientific studies over the past 10 years show benefits from vinegar consumption. It’s inexpensive and can be easily incorporated into the diet. Used in combination with diet and exercise, it can help many people with type 2 diabetes.”
Yet another study (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10702577), performed at Tokyo University in Tokyo, Japan, discovered that the acetic acid found in vinegars inhibits the activity of carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, including sucrase, mastase, lactase and amalase. This inhibition results in select sugars and starches passing through the digestive system without being digested, having less impact on blood sugar levels.
Don’t miss out on these other awesome benefits of apple cider vinegar:
Sunburn
Ouch… love the sun but hate the burn? Soak a clean cloth in apple cider vinegar and apply to skin – it will instantly soothe your skin and help the burn to heal faster.
Sore throat
No one like a sore throat – ease the pain naturally. Add about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a glass of warm water, and use it to gargle. Then (for adults), swallow one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
Heartburn
Stop the burning pain in your chest before it begins. Add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water (about six ounces), and drink before meals to ease heartburn.
Mouthwash
Commercial mouthwash contain ingredients that only mask the bacteria that cause bad breath, not kill them. Combine about a teaspoonful of apple cider vinegar with ¼ cup of water, and use as a mouthwash after you brush. This will destroy harmful (and odor-causing) bacteria in your mouth and help break down plaque.
Deodorant
Sick of conventional deodorants that are full of chemicals? Splash a bit of apple cider vinegar into your palms, and rub under your arms. This will help to kill bacteria, and keep body odors at bay. Mother’s secret is out of the bag!
When choosing an apple cider vinegar, make sure to select one that is organic and unpasteurized, as the pasteurization process can destroy many of the health benefits. Organic, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar may have a cobweb-looking solid floating inside; this is known as mother of vinegar, and is a natural cellulose produced by the vinegar bacteria.
The cloudy and somewhat cobweb-like structure that you may see in raw ACV is endearingly referred to as the mother, because of its life-giving properties. As the vinegar ages, the mother becomes more pronounced, and if you hold the vinegar bottle to the light you can almost always see the makings of the mother – usually suspended close to the bottom of the jar. In the mother are valuable nutrients and beneficial bacteria that make unprocessed ACV so special.
Raw ACV should also have a strong aroma and make you pucker when you taste it. These signs, along with the visible appearance of the mother, are good indications that your ACV is of high quality.
Some of the beneficial ingredients in raw, organic ACV include:
Potassium: promotes cell tissue and organism growth, and helps prevent brittle teeth and hair loss
Iron: important for blood health
Magnesium: vital to heart health
Enzymes: boosts chemical reactions in the body
Malic acid: protects vinegar from viruses, bacteria and fungus
Acetic acid: slows the digestion of starch
Calcium: builds strong bones and teeth
Pectin: helps regulate blood pressure and cholesterol
Ash: maintains a healthy alkaline state in the body
Now, we bet you are curious to learn more aren’t you? If you are impressed so far with what apple cider vinegar can do for you…. we have more to share.
Check it here for 81 more scientifically proven reasons to use apple cider vinegar every single day!
