Apple cider vinegar

Pieces of "mother", as may be found in a bottle of unfiltered cider vinegar

Mass of "mother" from an Orleans method vinegar tank. It is the cellulosic material the bacteria form on the surface, including dead bacterial matter.

Apple cider vinegar, otherwise known as cider vinegar or ACV, is a type of vinegar made from cider or apple must and has a pale to medium amber color. Unpasturized or organic ACV contains mother of vinegar, which has a cobweb-like appearance and can make the vinegar look slightly congealed. The "mother" is what gives the ACV its fame as a healing agent, and therefore unfiltered and unpasteurized products are ideal.

ACV is one of the oldest ingredients used for cooking. It is used in salad dressings, marinades, vinaigrettes, food preservatives, and chutneys, among other things. It is very acidic, however, and may cause damage to the throat, tooth enamel, and digestive track when consumed, and can alternatively cause burns and irritation when applied to the skin.

ACV is made by crushing apples and squeezing out the liquid. Bacteria and Yeast are added to the liquid to start the alcoholic fermentation process, and the sugars are turned into alcohol. In a second fermentation process, the alcohol is converted into vinegar by acetic acid-forming bacteria (acetobacter). Acetic acid and malic acid give vinegar its sour taste.

History

While most other kinds of vinegar are used for cooking purposes, apple cider vinegar is most well known for its health benefits. The use of ACV has been documented from as far back as 3000 B.C., when Egyptians stored it in urns, and it has been in use for the treatment of various ailments for the last 10,000 years.

ACV is best known historically for being used by Hippocrates, the father of medicine (c. 400 B.C.). He was a firm believer in its healing properties, many of which have not been proven at this time. Besides Hippocrates, many other people around the world have been known to have used ACV since long ago: the Chinese have used it since as far back as 1200 B.C., Samurai in Japan drank it to boost their strength and endurance, and it was used during the American Civil War for treating wounds. The Greeks and Romans used ACV for flavoring while the Babylonians used it as a preservative and a condiment. The Persians used it as both a deodorant and a way to preserve youth during the Middle Ages. Columbus even brought ACV with him while sailing in order to prevent scurvy.

There are many claimed uses for ACV, but it was most widely used in the past to improve health and to treat all kinds of ailments. Evidence of its use has been found in many ancient texts, some of the oldest being from Ancient Assyria, where it is written that ACV was used to treat ear ache. Vinegar is also brought up eight times in the Bible, including both the Old and New Testaments. During these times, it was used for flavoring, medicinal purposes, and as an energizing drink.

Vinegar was also widely known for its cleaning properties, such as its ability to remove rust and stains from armor and other metals. In the poem from the UK entitled “Jack and Jill,” Jack goes home to cure his headache by using vinegar and brown paper.

Despite its apparent fame, it wasn’t until a book was written in 1958 by D. C. Jarvis, M.D., that ACV became well known for its medicinal value. The book, entitled Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor’s Guide to Good Health, suggested that ACV could be used as a cure-all. The book was not immediately well known, but in 1959 it became a bestseller and stayed on the bestsellers list for months. In just a single week, more than 245,000 copies were sold, and testimonials were received from many who said they had benefited from taking “honegar,” a mixture of honey and ACV that Jarvis had suggested in his book. ACV became popular once more during the 1970s, when it was suggested by some who had read Jarvis’ book that taking ACV with kelp would help speed up the metabolism and therefore contribute to weight loss. This was thought to be due to the amounts of lecithin and vitamin B₆ taken in when consuming the ACV-kelp mixture.

"Mother"

“Mother,” or mother of vinegar, is a cobweb-like structure of living enzymes found in apple cider vinegar that adds lots of nutritional value to the vinegar. It is mostly made up of acetic acid bacteria, and it grows in sunlight. Without “mother,” vinegar is only useful as a mere table condiment and has no potential healing properties or notable nutritional value.

Apples, which ACV is made from, are highly beneficial to the body’s health to begin with, but it is said that the final fermentation which the apple juices undergo when forming ACV unlocks many other health properties and benefits for our bodies besides the vitamins, fiber, minerals, and other nutrients that come with the original apple. Most of these added benefits come from the “mother.”

Not all ACV has “mother,” since the appearance of vinegar containing “mother” is not as appealing to the eye, and therefore vinegar is often distilled or filtered, steam distillation being the most common method. This process destroys the toxin-neutralizing malic acid and gets rid of the natural enzymes and most of the vitamin and mineral content.

If you wish to make the healthiest choice, it is best to buy ACV that: is from a health food store, is an unfiltered product with a musky amber appearance, is made with organically grown apples, and has the “mother” intact.

Nutrition facts

Apple cider vinegar contains valuable minerals such as: Phosphorus, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, Iron, Magnesium, and Chlorine. It also contains Sulfur, Copper, Silicon, Fluorine, Provitamin beta-carotene, and vitamins C, E, A, B₁, B₂, B₆, and P. Pectin and malic acid are both present in unpasteurized ACV.

In total, organic ACV has 30 important nutrients, over six vitamins, 12 minerals, and many essential acids and enzymes.

Health benefits and oral consumption

When consuming ACV for health reasons, it is recommended that honey, tea, or other flavoring be used with it to take the bite out of the flavor. Mixing it with warm or hot water instead of cold can also make it more tea-like and easier to swallow. Many of the following uses for apple cider vinegar have not been tested, and therefore should not be completely trusted. Be sure to check out the Health Risks section of this article and consider consulting a doctor or health expert before using ACV as a treatment for any of your ailments.

Diabetes

ACV is supposed by many to affect the levels of glucose in the bloodstream. Researchers at Arizona State University did an experiment using people with type 2 diabetes. In this study, one group of subjects took two tablespoons of ACV while the other took water with one ounce of cheese before going to bed. After two days, the researchers found that the ACV treatment resulted in more favorable glucose levels by the morning. Glucose levels in the bloodstream dropped by 2% with the cheese and 4-6% with the ACV, which proved to be a statistically significant difference.

It has been found in other studies that the post-meal rise in glucose can be reduced by vinegar due to the acetic acid in it that might be attributed to slower digestion of starch and a reduction in the glycemic index of starchy foods. Those who take vinegar with white bread have been found to have lower post-meal glucose and insulin levels while their satiety ratings seemed to increase.

Weight Loss

ACV is claimed to be an appetite suppressant. D. C. Jarvis said that if ACV were consumed regularly, one would burn instead of store fat. There is no current evidence that ACV or kelp can influence one’s metabolism, though a study was done on vinegar as an appetite suppressant. In 2005, it was found that those who took a small amount of white vinegar with a piece of bread felt fuller and more satisfied than those who ate the bread without the vinegar. This may be because vinegar lowers the glycemic index of carbohydrates consumed, therefore affecting satiety. More research is needed to confirm this.

Acetic acid has been found to suppress fat accumulation in a study involving animals, and therefore another test was done on people to back this up. In a double-blind experiment, obese Japanese were assigned to three different groups based on similar body weights, body mass indexes (BMI), and waist circumference. Each group drank a 500ml drink containing either 30ml,15ml, or 0ml of vinegar daily for 12 weeks. Those in the 30ml and 15ml groups had lower BMI, visceral fat area, waist circumference, serum triglyceride, and body weight than the control group of 0ml. Thus it can be concluded that consumption of vinegar might reduce obesity.

There exists an ACV diet, in which 1-3 teaspoons are taken before each meal, mixed with a cup of water or juice. The hope is that one’s appetite would be reduced and the smaller food intake would cause a loss in weight. Pills can also be taken, although there is much evidence against there being value in taking the pill version, as ACV pills are not regulated and may vary dramatically in terms of ingredients from brand to brand.

Alkaline Acid Balance

A few alternative practitioners suggest that ACV can be used in dieting to restore the balance in alkaline levels. The idea is that blood is slightly alkaline with a pH between 7.35 and 7.45 at normal levels. What we eat should reflect this level of alkaline, since after being digested and metabolized, foods release an acid or an alkaline base bicarbonate into the bloodstream. People tend to overeat dairy products, meats, and grains, which produce acid. This is said to lead to low energy levels, infections, anxiety, allergic reactions, headaches, excessive mucous production, irritability, sore throat, nasal and sinus congestion, and has a tendency to make people prone to gout and arthritis. ACV may be acidic, but it’s believed to have an alkalizing effect, making it a popular remedy to the above problems. There has been no official research on this, however.

High Cholesterol

In 2006, a study was done with rats in which they were fed acetic acid, which is the main ingredient in vinegar. The cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly reduced, but trials on humans are still needed as a check to see if the same results would occur.

Acid Reflux and Heartburn

There is a theory by a few alternative medicine practitioners that insufficient stomach acid caused by aging, poor dieting, or overuse of antacids and other medications, have symptoms of both heartburn and acid reflux. Critics say that insufficient hypochlorhydria, more simply known as an insufficiency of stomach acid, isn’t a known cause of heartburn or acid reflex and isn’t even a commonly found condition. ACV is not a good cure for these ailments, since it can possibly cause damage to the digestive tract, which has a very fragile lining, and may even make the problem worse. Schedule a meeting with a qualified health practitioner if you have acid reflux or heart burn.

Corns, Warts and Calluses

Another use of ACV is to get rid of warts, corns, and calluses. To treat warts or corns, a small piece of cotton is used, being just large enough to cover the area needing treatment. After soaking it in ACV, it is lightly placed over the spot of infection and a bandage is used to hold it in place. It is then left on for about half a day (usually while sleeping) before being removed. Dead skin is then removed and the treatment is repeated for as long as necessary (a week or upwards depending on the size and depth of the wart or corn) until the corn is gone/the heart of the wart has turned black and fallen off or has been removed.

Blood Pressure

Preliminary studies have shown that the acetic acid in vinegar can possibly lower blood pressure, although the way this works is unclear. These studies suggest that it could increase nitric oxide levels, which helps relax blood vessels. It might also cause blood vessels to constrict and narrow by inhibiting an enzyme from producing angiotensin II.

A study was done that found that lower rates of heart disease were found in people who ate salad dressing made with oil and ACV five to six times a week as opposed to those who didn’t. This was a large epidemiological study, but another study was done using rats, and the results found that vinegar helped high blood pressure.

Other

When consumed, ACV is said to help prevent, cure, or improve (keep in mind that no real tests have been done to prove the following):

• candida
• arthritis or joint pain
• fatigue
• headache
• cataracts
• sore throat
• heart weakness
• asthma
• cough
• common cold
• nasal and sinus congestion
• digestive weaknesses
• indigestion
• food poisoning
• peptic ulcers
• gastrointestinal spasms
• constipation
• diarrhea
• gallstones
• bladder infections
• kidney stones
• prostate enlargement
• vaginal yeast infection
• osteoporosis
• hiccups
• hay fever
• headaches
• dizziness
• fatigue
• works as a system detoxifier for the body
• colitis
• eczema
• works as a nail strengthener

Health Benefits & Topical Application

Externally, it is said to help prevent, cure, or improve (keep in mind that no real tests have been done to prove the following):

• athlete’s foot
• bleeding wounds
• burns
• cuts and abrasions
• dandruff
• foot odor
• herpes simplex infection
• insect bites and stings
• muscle soreness
• poison ivy/oak rash
• shingles
• sunburn
• swimmer’s ear
• varicose veins
• acne
• lice
• reduce age spots
• hair softener
• tightens facial skin

It can also be used as an herbicide, insecticide, rust remover, and cleaner.

Health Risks

Before taking ACV, you must be sure that you know the potential harms it can have on the body.

-Undiluted ACV, whether as a liquid or pill, is capable of damaging the digestive tract, including the esophagus. Tooth enamel may also be damaged from sipping ACV drinks.

-Those with allergies should not take ACV.

-The pill form of ACV can become lodged in the throat/esophagus, which can cause serious damage. In one instance, a woman received acid chemical burns in the throat after taking the pill.

-Those who have osteoporosis, or are taking medications that lower potassium levels in the body, or any others who have low potassium levels should avoid ACV, as a case report connected excessive ACV usage with low bone mineral density and potassium levels. This could cause an increased risk for those taking Lanoxin (digoxin) or other cardiac glycoside drugs, as well as laxatives, insulin, and diuretics such as Lasix (furosemide).

-Excessive ACV consumption has been linked to stomach, duodenum, and liver damage when tested on animals.

-The pill form of ACV is questionable, since a study in 2005 comparing eight different brands of ACV pills found that the ingredients in the pills did not match those posted on the package. When a chemical analysis was taken of the supplements, it led researchers to believe that there was a possibility that no ACV was actually in any of the products. They believe that companies could be using plain acetic acid as a replacement.

-Those taking medications for diabetes or high blood pressure should avoid ACV. ACV may have an effect on glucose and insulin levels in the bloodstream and may also contribute to a lower blood pressure. It might also combine with diabetes and high blood pressure medications, causing potential harm to the user. Those with diabetes should check with their doctor before taking ACV, since vinegar contains chromium, which may alter insulin levels.

-Due to its acidity, ACV is known to cause burns to the skin when applied topically.

-When taken as a supplement, there may be side effects such as irritability, nervousness, and palpitations; other side effects may occur, and theoretically it may interact with certain medicines.

-Some users have had problems similar to those attributed to pharmaceutical drugs such as Fosamax.

-Though less common, constipation, gastric hypersecretory conditions, gastrointestinal irritation, headaches, vertigo, and vomiting may occur. Though rare, angina pectoris, drug-induced hepatitis, fainting, heart attacks, and tachyarrhythmia are also listed side effects.

-Possibly causes irritability and wakefulness in infants.

See also

• Food additive
• Acetic acid
• United States v. Ninety-Five Barrels Alleged Apple Cider Vinegar

Sources

This article incorporates material from the Citizendium article "Vinegar", which is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License but not under the GFDL.