Apple cider vinegar is one of the most versatile and useful items in our pantries - and it has a long list of health benefits too.
The herbal vinegar has many different beauty, domestic, and cooking uses. It’s a staple in the true sense of the word.
And while we all know some common uses of apple cider vinegar (read: delicious vinaigrettes and skin-clearing masks), you’d be amazed by what else you can do with it.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is an amazing vinegar made from crushed apples. Raw (unfiltered) apple cider vinegar is rich in many health-promoting compounds like vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and powerful antioxidants.
Because of its healthful properties, apple cider vinegar has been our go-to home remedy for the longest time. Ancient Greek records dating back to 400 BC indicate that Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, prescribed a blend of apple cider vinegar and raw honey for a variety of illnesses.
Here are 10 amazing ways to use apple cider vinegar:
- Keep Sugar Levels in Check
Drink apple cider vinegar regularly to keep your sugar levels in check. Studies show that consuming ACV after a hearty high-carb meal lowers blood sugar levels and increases insulin sensitivity by up to 34%
- Helps with Weight Loss
If you’re trying to lose weight or combating unhealthy cravings, make yourself an apple cider vinegar drink. Apple cider vinegar curbs the appetite and makes us feel full, even when we aren’t.
A few short-term studies conducted to explore this effect found that drinking ACV may help people reduce their calorie intake, get rid of belly fat, and lose weight when combined with other diet and lifestyle changes.
- Relieves Cold & Sore Throat Symptoms
Because of its powerful anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties, apple cider vinegar is said to reduce the discomfort caused by common cold and sore throat. ACV works by eliminating disease-causing germs like bacteria and viruses.
If you’ve got a cold, make yourself an apple cider drink by adding ACV and honey to lukewarm or stick to good old gargling.
Make sure you mix apple cider vinegar with water. Raw apple cider vinegar is very acidic and can cause throat burns if you don’t dilute it with water.
- Heals Sunburn & Bug Bites
Applying a weak mix of apple cider vinegar and water to sunburnt or bug-bitten skin can soothe your skin, relieve pain and reduce itching, irritation, and discomfort.
For bug bites, dilute ACV with water and gently dab onto the affected area. For sunburn, add a little bit of ACV to your cool bath or mix ACV with cold water and then spritz it onto your skin.
- Combats Dandruff
Mix one-part apple cider vinegar with two parts water, put in a spray bottle and spritz it onto your scalp to get rid of dandruff.
ACV contains many natural acids like acetic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, and citric acid. These acids cleanse our scalp and lower its pH making it harder for the yeast to survive. Yeast is one of the main reasons for dandruff, flakiness, and scalp irritation.
- Revives Dull Skin
Apple cider vinegar is rich in beneficial compounds like vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. These compounds cleanse, nourish, and rejuvenate dull skin. That’s why apple cider vinegar works wonders as a facial toner.
To give your skin a natural glow, mix 1-part apple cider vinegar with 3-4 parts water. Dab it onto your face using a cotton pad. Leave it on for 10 minutes and then wash your face and pat it dry. Repeat these steps three times a day to create your ACV skincare regimen.
- Boosts Hair Health
Make yourself an all-natural apple cider vinegar hair rinse if your hair is damaged, frizzy or greasy. An ACV rinse would rehydrate your hair and revitalize your hair while removing any leftover buildup from styling products.
To make your own rinse at home, mix 1-part ACV with 1-part water. Apply to your hair, leave it on for a few minutes before washing it out.
- Gives You Pearly Whites
Because of its potent acidic and anti-microbial properties, apple cider vinegar is often used as a tooth whitening remedy. It’s said to get rid of buildup, remove dental stains and whiten the teeth.
To try ACV teeth whitening, add a few drops of ACV to a swab of cotton. Rub the cotton swab all over your teeth, wait a few minutes, and rinse afterward.
*Make sure you add water to your ACV and rinse thoroughly - undiluted vinegar is too acidic and can damage your teeth.
- The Perfect Mouthwash
ACV has major anti-bacterial properties so you can use it as a natural alternative to commercial mouthwash. Apple cider vinegar eliminates oral bacteria and may help with bad breath. To make an ACV mouthwash, add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to 1 cup (240 ml) of water.
- All-Purpose Cleaner