How is apple cider vinegar made?
The process involves yeast and bacteria responsible for the fermentation. Yeast added to the fruit turns the sugars contained in the apples into alcohol. Adding bacteria further ferments the alcohol, turning it into acetic acid. After about four weeks of the process, we get a slightly unsettled, amber liquid that smells like apples and has a very positive impact on our health.
What vitamins are found in vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar contains a lot of vitamins, pectin and enzymes. The most important vitamins it contains include:
- vitamin A – it is good for our vision, immunity and tooth enamel
- vitamins B (B1, B2, B6) – they are responsible for the correct functioning of the nervous system (they lower the nervous tension), and for our well-being
- vitamin C – it has a positive impact on our cardiovascular system, among other things
- vitamin E – it lowers the bad cholesterol levels
- vitamin P – it normalises the blood pressure
Can you lose weight fast when you’re drinking apple cider vinegar?
Even though the apple cider vinegar is mainly known as the magic ingredient that will help you lose weight in no time – I hate to break it you, it’s another urban myth. It is, however, worth mentioning that researchers have proven that drinking at least one spoonful of apple cider vinegar a day does support the weight loss process. Respondents lost up to 1.7 kg within 3 months.
In addition, consuming apple cider vinegar can have long-term positive effects. Research shows that vinegar lowers the blood sugar level, supports and boosts the immune system, improves concentration and memorization.
The vinegar can also be used externally – rather than consume it, we can simply use diluted vinegar on a given area of our body to get a specific result. A vinegar rinse will add shine to your hair, and if you use it on your face as a toner, it will reduce the amount of sebum. What’s interesting, apple cider vinegar mixed with water (one to two spoonful of vinegar to a glass of water) is excellent if you suffer from sore muscles.
Vinegar and muscles
There may be many reasons behind the painful muscle cramps during or after a workout. Usually, muscle cramps are caused by insufficient hydration of the body, mineral deficiency or such a minor thing as the wrong warm-up. Drinking a glass of a mixture consisting of water and a spoonful of apple cider vinegar before or after a workout is a lesser known method to relieve pain during muscle cramps. It is the acetic acid found in that mixture that reduces the muscle cramps by lowering the level of lactic acid that accumulates in the muscles during the exercise.
There are many reasons why muscle cramps occur. An incorrect pH level of our body is one of them. Apple cider vinegar seems to be an excellent solution if you have such issues. The acids it contains reduce the cramps and bring your pH levels back to normal.
There are many substances that contain acetic acid so why is apple cider vinegar so effective?
To answer this question, you first need to understand how our muscles work. An organ called the Golgi tendon organ plays a key role in the functioning of our muscles and it has an extremely important sensor function – it senses the weight of a given object, which prevents using excessive force, for example, when lifting objects.
The Golgi tendon organ transmits that information to the nervous system, and the nervous system uses a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine to forward it right to the brain. Apple cider vinegar has a positive effect on those neurotransmitters, more specifically, it increases their quantity.
Does vinegar affect the insulin levels in your body?
Apple cider vinegar improves the insulin sensitivity levels. But what does it have to do with muscles? It is insulin which decides whether the calories from your meal will be sent to the muscles or stored as the fatty tissue. According to research, if you consume 30 ml of vinegar during a meal, your cells are able to increase their insulin sensitivity by as much as 34%.
Is it a one-size-fits-all solution?
Despite its multiple benefits, too much apple cider vinegar can be bad for you. With apple cider vinegar, it’s best to follow the rule “less is more”. Do not exceed the recommended dosage and remember always to dilute it in water. Incorrect or direct consumption can cause stomach ache or heartburn, and even damage your tooth enamel.
Also, people with chronic digestive system conditions, particularly those who have problems with their liver or stomach, should not use apple cider vinegar because of its acid reaction. The same applies to people who take blood-sugar lowering medicines because combined with vinegars those drugs can lead to hypoglycemia.