If you know someone who is a follower of a healthy lifestyle, even before it gets fashionable, it’s very likely that in their pantry, you’ll find a bottle of apple cider vinegar (ACV). This vinegar has long been used for many things, from treating insect bites to soothing sunburn. Thus, many people also claim that drinking every day (mixed in a cup of water) helps keep cholesterol levels under control, prevents diabetes, and facilitates digestion. It’s a pretty impressive resume, despite having a pretty nasty taste.
Any habit you plan to integrate into your life on a regular basis in the name of your well-being should be examined previously by a specialist, especially when this may not be the most pleasant experience.
Apple cider vinegar for digestion
As for the use of apple cider vinegar for digestion, there are different opinions from doctors who assure that there are some situations in which it can help. One of those situations is to treat stomach swelling and gas. Although there has been no conclusive scientific data to claim its use, many doctors and patients feel it is an effective holistic option. If you experience bloating or gas regularly and want to see if apple cider vinegar can help, you might as well try. The most effective way to do this is by mixing a tablespoon of vinegar into a glass of water and drinking it before eating.
The potential impact of apple cider vinegar on digestion could also be used to help stabilize blood sugar levels after a meal. When you take apple cider vinegar before a high-carb meal, the vinegar can control and slow the speed at which the stomach is emptied. This slowdown can help control the speed at which foods (including carbohydrates) reach the small intestine for digestion and final absorption by the body, thus controlling the amount of sugar that reaches the bloodstream at a time. Still, much more scientific evidence is needed to call this connection a fact.
Is it safe?
While drinking apple cider vinegar is largely safe, some people definitely shouldn’t try apple cider vinegar for digestion. If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease, for example, you should probably avoid drinking it, probably because the acidity of the vinegar may make symptoms worse. People with low potassium levels should also omit this, as there is some evidence that apple cider vinegar can reduce potassium levels in the body. And while the potential for apple cider vinegar to help with diabetes is promising, if you have diabetes, it’s best to talk to a doctor before you try. (And certainly not replace the medicines or treatments for diabetes you are already taking.)
With all this in mind, it turns out that there are some potential benefits for gut health by drinking apple cider vinegar, mainly to help with gas and bloating. But if you can’t bear the flavor, you don’t have to force yourself. There are other (better-tasting) ways to get the same benefits, such as drinking fennel tea, a great ally for digestion.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Properties and Benefits of this Fermented Product
- Gas medicines: pharmacy and natural
- Abdominal inflammation or distension: symptoms, causes, and prevention