The ongoing lockdown opened its doors to a range of home remedies. While most internet users today benefit from the ghee, turmeric, and Chia seeds, Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has grown to become a popular home remedy. People have been using it in cooking and as medicine.
Apple cider vinegar has various healthful properties, including antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. Evidence suggests it may offer health benefits, such as aiding weight loss, reducing cholesterol, lowering blood sugar levels, and improving the symptoms of diabetes.
Benefits of ACV:
1) Helps lower blood sugar levels and manage diabetes - One of the most convincing applications of vinegar is helping treat type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is characterised by high blood sugar levels caused by insulin resistance or the inability to produce insulin. Various studies have revealed that ACV may improve insulin sensitivity by 19-34 per cent during a high carb meal and significantly lower blood sugar and insulin response.
2) Helps kill harmful bacteria - People have long been using vinegar for cleaning and disinfecting, treating nail fungus, lice, warts, and ear infections. It can also be a food preservative, and studies show that it inhibits bacteria like E. Coli from growing in and spoiling food. The acetic acid in ACV can kill harmful bacteria or prevent them from multiplying.
3) Aids weight loss - ACV has most recently been associated with aiding weight loss. Studies reveal that vinegar could help people shed a couple of pounds. One such study finds that taking vinegar along with a high carb meal led to increased feelings of fullness, causing participants to eat 200-275 fewer calories throughout the rest of the day. ACV may contribute to weight loss by promoting satiety, lowering blood sugar, and reducing insulin levels.
4) Boosts skin health - Apple Cider Vinegar is a common remedy for skin conditions like dry skin and eczema. The skin is naturally slightly acidic. Using topical apple cider vinegar could help rebalance the natural pH of the skin, improving the protective skin barrier. ACV could, in theory, help prevent skin infections linked to eczema and other skin conditions. People also use the diluted vinegar in a face wash or toner.
