Is Apple Cider Vinegar A Prebiotic Or A Probiotic

Are The Gut Benefits Of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar All Hype

It’s definitely overhyped, but no, it’s not all hype… There are two very good reasons raw apple cider vinegar has gained its superstar status for promoting digestive health.;Here they are, and how to best add this put-on-a-pedestal vinegar into your daily regimen.;

But first…

The Importance Of Gut Health

Maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal system is good for a persons well-being. One way to do this is through keeping the right balance of;good and bad bacteria living in your gut.

The right balance between good and bad bacteria helps keep diseases at bay. Studies say that 80% good bacteria and 20% bad bacteria can help our body function properly.

The good bacteria in your digestive system can boost your overall immune system, improve digestion and metabolism, vitamin and mineral absorption, and help your body eliminate toxins.

Bad bacteria can lead to irritation and inflammation, which is unhealthy. It can also affect your immune system, cause skin conditions, acid reflux, and constipation and diarrhea. Poor gut health may even lead to diseases like Type 2 Diabetes, liver disease, cancer, diabetes, auto-immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and even mental issues.

Low Calorie Apple Cider Vinegar Beverage

This drink is made by mixing 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of honey in a glass of cold sparkling water. It instantly refreshes you and can be a great alternative to unhealthy sodas and calorie laden fruit juices.

Honey has long been known for its powerful antioxidant properties. You can enhance its weight loss and immunity boosting powers by mixing it with apple cider vinegar. This refreshing and energizing drink will help you stay on track with your weight goals, particularly during the colder months.

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Whats The Difference Between Prebiotics And Probiotics

Prebiotics and probiotics might;sound the same, but they are entirely different.

As you now know, probiotics are a general term for friendly bacteria that live in your digestive tract and contribute to your well-being on multiple levels.

Prebiotics, on the other hand, are a nutrient found in fiber that feeds the good bacteria and allows them to flourish in the gut.

Prebiotics come from plant-based, fibrous foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. This is part of the reason why a diet rich in nutrient-dense, plant-based foods is so important for your gut.

Apple Cider Vinegar And Your Inner Ecosystem

Apple cider vinegar is rich in potassium and;helps to re-establish a healthy inner ecosystem, your key to strength and immunity.

A healthy inner ecosystem is made up of the friendly microflora that act as your internal health team of sorts. They aid your digestion and help you get the nutrients you need to stay healthy. Unfortunately, most Americans today have an imbalanced inner ecosystem.

In fact, biologists at Rice University found that 70% of Americans are affected by candida, a systemic fungal infection that occurs when your inner ecosystem is out of balance.2

This inner ecosystem imbalance could be;present at birth or occur from poor diet and lifestyle habits setting the stage for pathogens that overpower healthy microflora.

For more information, read:;The Largely Unknown Health Epidemic Affecting Almost All Americans.

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There Hasn’t Been Enough Good Research On Acv To Determine Whether It Has Other Health

Although it’s touted as a supplement for acne, hiccups, allergies, and more, as a 2017 article noted, in Natural Product Research notes, “more in vitro and in vivo validations are necessary in order to precisely weigh the pros and cons of ACV.” Reshmi Srinath, M.D., assistant professor in the Mt. Sinai division of endocrinology, diabetes, and bone disease, and director of the Mount Sinai Weight and Metabolism Management Program, tells SELF that while there have been small, non-controlled studies suggesting that apple cider vinegar may be beneficial in some ways, “thereâs not enough clinical data to support its use to the general public.”

Acv Lowers Blood Sugar

Apple cider vinegar has been proven to help people who have diabetes improve blood sugar levels after a meal, and it improves Hemoglobin A1c level, a measure of blood sugar control for the past several months. ACV is said to have an antiglycemic effect. Chronically high blood sugar damages tissues and increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness. Have a couple of teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in warm water at mealtimes or use it to make salad dressing to help keep your blood sugar within a healthy range.

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How To Take Apple Cider Vinegar For Optimal Gut Health

It is suggested that you mix 1-3 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with a glass of water. Once you have mixed it together, drink it about 15-20 minutes prior to eating your next meal. Or, you can choose to drink it first thing in the morning instead of before each meal.

If you have never tried this method before, start with 1 teaspoon and see how you feel. Everyone reacts differently, so it is important that you start out easy and listen to how your body responds. You can gradually increase based on the amount you feel is most effective.

Some people might choose to drink the higher amount of 3 teaspoons diluted with an equal amount of water before each meal. Apple cider vinegar is acidic and will help replace some of that stomach acidity that is missing.

After drinking the apple cider vinegar and water mixture, it is recommended that you rinse your mouth with a few ounces of clean water just to protect your tooth enamel and prevent irritation of your esophagus. As mentioned previously, apple cider vinegar is acidic and therefore can be harsh on some parts of your body like your teeth and esophagus, if used frequently.

Other options for using apple cider vinegar would be to mix 1-3 teaspoons of it with raw honey or fresh juice and consume in the morning or before meals. Whichever method you choose, just remember that it must be diluted prior to ingestion.

Helps Lower Blood Sugar Levels

The most successful clinically proven application of apple cider vinegar is in patients with type II diabetes. High blood sugar in type II diabetes is because of an inability to produce insulin or insulin resistance. The pancreas is responsible for secreting insulin in the body.

High blood sugar has become a common problem, even among people who are not diagnosed with type II diabetes. This is partially to be blamed on sedentary lifestyle and on low-nutrition, high-processed diet.

Apple cider vinegar is known to have tremendous benefits when it comes to improving insulin and blood sugar levels. As per a recent study, it was found to improve insulin sensitivity during a high carb meal by almost 30% and it also lowered blood sugar and insulin responses significantly.

The same study found that a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar could reduce blood sugar levels by 34% in people who ate 50 grams of white bread. You can reduce your fasting blood sugar in the morning by taking 2 tablespoons of it right before bedtime.

Numerous other studies have proven the benefits of apple cider vinegar and its effects on insulin function. The most healthiest and effective way to keep your blood sugar normal is to avoid refined carbs and sugar.

However, apple cider vinegar is clinically proven to have significant effects on lowering blood sugar levels right after a meal.

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Acv Vs Jellyfish Stings

Apple cider vinegar is an effective remedy against jellyfish stings, so tote a bottle of it with you when you go to the beach. That is because ACV deactivates nematocysts, the cells in jellyfish tentacles that contain barbed, venomous threads. If you get stung, the most effective home remedy for jellyfish stings is to immerse the affected area in hot water, because the venom is deactivated by heat.

What Is The Mother In Acv And Why Does It Matter

When apple cider vinegar undergoes a slow fermentation process, it creates a buildup of yeast and sugars, which contain nutritional properties, such as acetic acid, citric acid, vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients.;

This buildup of desirable micronutrients is called “the mother,” and it usually collects at the bottom of the AVC bottle or floats around in strands, making it appear cloudy. You’ll find this in certain brands, like Bragg organic, raw apple cider vinegar.

When it comes to gut health, Singh says ACV with the mother is the kind to look for. While its value hasn’t been well established through research, he says it contains B vitamins and polyphenols, making it generally good for you.;

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It Has An Alkalizing Effect On Your Body

Why is alkalinity important?;The optimal blood pH for humans is 7.4, which leanson a scale of 0 to 14 slightly alkaline. If your bodys pH varies too much from this ideal, it becomes difficult for various enzymes to function properly, and this can lead to disease. With the overabundance of acid-forming foods we consume, including bread, coffee, alcohol, cheese, meat, cookies, pasta and more, maintaining this slightly alkaline state is a constant challenge.;

You may be thinking: “Isn’t apple cider vinegar highly acidic?” Yes, it is. HOWEVER, and this is a big however, whether a food is alkalizing or acid-forming in the body is all about the way your body metabolizes it. Just like many fruits and vegetables, ACV is considered a very acidic substance. But once it is inside your body and you digest it, ACV promotes alkalinity.;

Taking a daily dose of ACV isn’t going to be a cure-all to maintain your alkaline balance , but it is a step in the right direction.;

What Is Apple Cider Vinegar

Youd think a substance touted as a cure-all elixir would be complex and hard to come across you know, like in movies where the characters try to find the fountain of youth.

Luckily, thats not the case with apple cider vinegar. This tonic is actually relatively simple and widespread. ACV is made through two rounds of fermentation: First, apple juice ferments into a hard cider; then, that cider ferments into a vinegar.

Voila now you have apple cider vinegar. You can find ACV in most supermarkets, grocery stores, and health food stores, or you can order it online.

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Can You Drink Too Much Apple Cider Vinegar

• Because it is acidic, it can damage your teeth, if taken straight. Advice: do not take it straight, and do a gargle with pure water after you take it.
• If you take too much cider vinegar, it can give you heartburn. If it does, stop taking it for a few days, so the heartburn goes away, the start with half of the initial dose. Repeat the experiment until you get the dose right.The more conservative approach is to start with a teaspoon, and raise the quantity progressively.
• There are reports of apple cider vinegar being responsible for lowering the levels of potassium in our body. If you know you have low potassium levels, or you take medication that lowers these levels, you should use caution.
• Large doses of strong, undiluted vinegar may damage your esophagus, it is always best to dilute the ACV and drink a little water afterwards.
• Excessive doses of vinegar could damage your stomach.

You Shouldn’t Drink Too Much Of It

Even though the vast health claims are dubious, that doesn’t automatically mean you can’t drink apple cider vinegar. “Lack of scientific evidence doesn’t mean that it’s dangerous or won’t make you feel healthier,” says Langer. If you’re going to incorporate it into your diet, it’s all about how you do it.

Langer recommends never going over two tablespoons a day, and Dr. Kahan agrees that overdoing it could have negative health effects. Beyond exacerbating the stomach irritation issue, too much acidity can wear away at your tooth enamel and even harm your esophagus, he says. He also suggests eating before you drink anything with apple cider vinegar mixed in so that stomach irritation is less likely.

“Vinegar is a strong acid,” he says. “Like with a lot of other ‘magic’ pills, potions, and foods, you want to be careful about having too much.”

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Should I Drink Apple Cider Vinegar Or Take Supplements

ACV is acidic enough to damage your teeth. Thats why most people who drink it dilute apple cider vinegar with warm water. Interestingly, the supplements market, which is poorly regulated, often touts ACV tablets as having extremely high concentrations of acetic acid.

A scientific study inspected these tablets and found that they contained drastically less acetic acid than advertised! This is actually a relief, as any concentration exceeding 20% is strong enough to cause acid burns in your digestive tract, which increases the risk of esophageal cancer. This alone is fair warning against any purported apple cider vinegar digestion benefits.

Apple Cider Vinegar And Diabetes

Fascinatingly, some early studies indicate that ACV was effective at controlling blood glucose levels in diabetic rats. A small handful of studies have been done in humans, and the main conclusions were that ACV is more effective at controlling blood glucose in healthy individuals than in pre-diabetic or diabetic individuals.

For the general population, these findings change nothing. ACV is not currently recommended for diabetes due to the lack of information on how it affects blood sugar levels, and it should not be used as a substitute for medication.

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How To Choose An Apple Cider Vinegar

In a perfect world, choosing the best of the best superfoods would be an easy task. But when you walk into your local health food store, youre sure to see at least a handful of different ACVs. Before you buy, heed these tips about choosing an apple cider vinegar:

How Apple Cider Vinegar Is Made

Vinegar comes from a controlled fermentation process in which yeast converts sugars into alcohol. Bacteria calledacetobactersthen turn that alcohol into acetic acid, which gives vinegar its pungent flavor. The benefits of any one vinegar will vary according to the ingredients used to make it. For example, the grape-based balsamic vinegar contains a wide variety of amino acids, whereas the apple-based ACV contains more antioxidants. And as the most widely available unfiltered vinegar on the market, ACV has a high concentration ofbioactive compounds. It is these compounds that give it its health-related properties.

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Helps Me Stop Snacking:

One thing that Ive been trying to do lately is not snack between meals. This switchel has been a godsend. I snack out of boredom, not hunger and youve probably heard me say, my mouth gets bored! ;So Ive been reaching for this drink lately instead of the snacky stuff.;It makes me feel less hungry.;

How To Improve Your Gut Health With Apple Cider Vinegar

Gut health is very important. The gut usually refers to the bodys gastrointestinal or digestive system.

It houses the pathway to many of your organs; therefore gut health should be high on your list of bodily functions to keep healthy at all times.

All disease begins in the gut, Hippocrates once said.

Having a healthy gut is important for many factors it leads to good digestion, weight loss, improved mood and memory and more. Some people even refer to the gut as the second brain, because of its high importance and influence on the rest of your bodily functions.

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Fact: Its Helpful To Those With Diabetes

Apple cider vinegar reduces starch absorption.One studyfound that, following a small, high carb meal, ACV significantly lowered blood sugar levels. But claims of the vinegar acting as a replacement for insulin grossly exaggerate the benefits.;

For those with severe symptoms, apple cider vinegar may even contribute to dangerous levels of low blood sugar. But for those with milder symptoms, insulin resistance, or prediabetes, it may keep the disease at bay. And as a common culinary ingredient, its easy to incorporate into a preexisting health plan.

Is Apple Cider Vinegar A Probiotic

Some websites claim that apple cider vinegar helps digestion and the ecosystem of bacteria in your gut because it is a prebiotic and probiotic.

Prebiotics are sources of sustenance for good bacteria, and probiotic is the name given to the actual good bacteria.

However, to claim that ACV is both a prebiotic and a probiotic is not really true. Prebiotics are specific food particles that pass through the stomach undigested and are munched on by gut bacteria in your intestinal microbiome.

Prebiotic?

Apples and ACV are a source of prebiotic dietary fibre known as pectin, but you’ll get much more pectin from the fruit than a thimble of ACV. Not to mention that whole apples contain a range of phytonutrients that are equally beneficial for your body and gut microbes.

Probiotic?

Apple cider vinegar will still contain bacteria if it’s “raw” or “live”, but that doesn’t make it a probiotic. Only a handful of bacteria and yeasts have earned this title thanks to their proven effects on human health.

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