Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

Brittany MullinsUpdated Dec 18, 2023

717 Comments

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Learn more about the health benefits of apple cider vinegar including blood sugar control, lowering cholesterol and weight loss. Plus tips for how to incorporate apple cider vinegar into your diet.

It seems like everyone is talking about apple cider vinegar these days. I’m sure you’ve heard about it and are wondering if it really lives up to the hype…

So I’m going to break down the facts for you!

Spoiler alert: I’ve been using apple cider vinegar for years and love it! It’s such an easy thing to add to your daily routine and the health benefits are amazing. Read on to learn more.

A bottle of Bragg Organic Vinegar.

What is Apple Cider Vinegar

First, let’s start with the basics! Apple cider vinegar is a vinegar made from fermented apple juice. The process starts by adding yeast to crushed apples.

The yeast ferments the sugars and turns them into alcohol. At this point, bacteria is added which further ferments the alcohol and turns it into acetic acid… the main active compound found in most vinegar.

Acetic acid gives vinegar its pungent smell and flavor and is also responsible for many of ACV’s health benefits.

ACV in a tablespoon over a glass cup.

Apple Cider Vinegar Nutrients

ACV contains similar nutrients to apple juice and apple cider: pectin; vitamins B1, B2, and B6 (also known as biotin; folic acid and niacin), as well as, pantothenic acid and vitamin C.

It also contains small amounts of minerals including sodium, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium.

One tablespoon of apple cider vinegar has about 3 calories.

Health Benefits of ACV

The health benefits of apple cider vinegar aren’t something we just discovered. For centuries people have known about its antimicrobial and antioxidant effects and generations have used it in both cooking and medicine.

That said, recent research has brought many health benefits of ACV to light so let’s talk about them.

Weight Loss

Multiple studies have shown that consuming vinegar is linked to “feelings of fullness” which in turn will help manage your caloric intake. (Source)

Of course, only adding apple cider vinegar to your routine and not changing anything else about your lifestyle isn’t recommended. Still, if you’re looking for a boost to your healthy eating and exercise habits, it’s certainly worth incorporating ACV into your daily routine.

I’ve personally found ACV to help a ton with feeling full. Whenever I’m drinking 1-2 Tablespoons of ACV a day I don’t have intense cravings for food or find myself snacking mindlessly.

Blood Sugar

This one is huge because studies have shown that apple cider vinegar improves insulin sensitivity and reduces blood sugar after meals. (Source)

Researchers are excited about what this could mean for people with Type 2 Diabetes, but also for the general public as high blood sugar has been linked to chronic diseases. (Source)

Heart Health

There aren’t enough studies to link apple cider vinegar and heart health in humans, but multiple studies have shown a link between the two in animals. Animal studies have shown that ACV can lower cholesterol, blood pressure and other heart disease factors. Again, more research needs to be done with humans but the studies are promising with animals! (Source)

Digestion

Apple cider vinegar is naturally acidic so for people with low stomach acidity, adding ACV into their diet may help raise stomach acid levels, which will help with digestion and overall gut health.

ACV also has antimicrobial properties, which may help kill bacteria in the stomach or intestines. Excess bacteria can lead to gas and bloating so eliminating it with ACV may help alleviate these symptoms.

I personally love drinking ACV regularly to help with my digestion! If you feel gassy or bloated after a meal or when traveling, try drinking apple cider vinegar.

I like to take it before a meal to prep my digestive tract, but I have also taken it after eating if I was in pain and my body needed a little extra support.

Improve Your Skin

While some have noted improvements in their skin by taking apple cider vinegar internally, you can also use it topically! It has been used to improve dry skin and eczema.

If you try this, be sure to dilute the ACV and spot-test a small area of your skin before applying it over a larger area. Here’s a recipe for making your own apple cider vinegar facial toner.

WATCH MY VIDEO ABOUT THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR:

What Type of ACV Is Best?

There are several types of apple cider vinegar on the market! You want to look for one that is labeled organic apple cider vinegar with the ‘mother’ or unpasteurized. The ‘mother’ is made up of strand-like enzymes of connected protein molecules with living nutrients and bacteria, similar to the ‘mother’ that’s in Kombucha.

Clear vinegar is processed and doesn’t have any of the benefits that raw apple cider vinegar has. There are different brands out there but I use Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar which you can find at most grocery stores and on Amazon.

How to Drink

Now that you know all the benefits I’m sure you’re wondering how to incorporate ACV into your daily routine. You can totally just dilute it with water and drink it that way, but if you’ve tasted ACV diluted with water you’ll know that it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s pretty pungent and doesn’t taste all that pleasant on its own.

Lucky for you, I have a ton of drink recipes to share!

A glass of an apple pie vinegar drink with salt around the rim.

These recipes make drinking ACV enjoyable and delicious!

More ACV Recipes

Of course, you don’t have to drink your apple cider vinegar! There are a ton of other ways to incorporate it into your diet. I love adding it to my salad dressings or using it as a marinade for protein. Here are some of my favorite recipes with ACV.

How Much Should You Drink Daily? 

I drink 2 Tablespoons a day, in the morning, and I usually make one of those drinks that I linked above. I also incorporate ACV in a variety of recipes, which I shared above.

What Happens When You Take ACV Daily?

It’s hard for me to tell if the habit of adding in ACV daily is working wonders on my body and helping in ALL the ways I mentioned above, however I do know that my complexion has been really clear since I’ve started taking it and I crave my apple cider vinegar drink every day now.

In the morning I make my drink in a large mason jar. I’ll sip on it throughout the morning or have it after lunch with my afternoon snack. The biggest thing I’ve noticed is that it helps to keep me feeling full and less hungry, which is huge for me because I tend to have a habit of mindless snacking!

Disclaimer – Due to the lack of supporting research, apple cider vinegar cannot be recommended for treatment or prevention of any health problems. Also, please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or healthcare provider before taking any home remedies or supplements. I’m just sharing my experience and what works for one person doesn’t always work for another. 🙂

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About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

More about Brittany

717 Comments

  1. I have using Braggs ASV for 2 wks and i love it. I put it in my dogs water also.great stuff. Firm beleiver.

      1. Hi marie,
        in response to your question of the ratio of acv is 2 cap fulls to 2cups of water. I have a rottie and 3 lil size dogs and they love it. my rottie has been having ear problem and i clean his ears with them also. I get cotton balls and soak them in acv and a lil warm water . It kills the fungus and yeast that sometime infect the ear. All in all i love the stuff , i use it every day it is so beneficial for everything.

        1. Hi Tina thanks for responding so quickly I will add it to my dogs water as far as cleaning her ears with it do I put a drop in her ear or just clean the outside of the ear with the cotton ball?

  2. I first found out about acv on earthclinic.com after researching about tmj.. Ive used it for about 2wks now twice a day.. I mix a teaspoon of pure honey with a tablespoon of braggs acv in about 8 oz of water.. i must say my monster appetite is under control! My acid reflux is gone and i have alot of enery just feel peppy…im sticking to it i acually crave it… Which i find kinda wierd.

  3. I have been using ACV for a couple of years now as a an after shower toner. I have very sensitive/dry skin and have battled with it ever since I was a child. To add to the problem a Dr prescribed a cortisone cream to me when I was 13 but never explained to my parents how dangerous it was and so I used it everyday until my 20’s when another Dr refused to give me a prescription for it. It had left my skin thin and even more delicate. I have tried many moisturisers and such and have found many that I can use safely but the dry skin was always an issue. I read an article about using ACV as a toner and how it was good for removing dry skin…something to do with the pectin’s breaking down the ‘glue’ that holds dead skin cells together. I gave it a try and have never looked back. I don’t use it every day, just when I see the skin starting to build up, splashing it on after a shower, leaving for 10 minutes, then rinsing off and applying my normal moisturiser. It has also helped with a problem I had on one foot that a Dr called ‘infected dermatitis’, which I think was medical talk for ‘I don’t have a f**king clue’

  4. I have polycystic kidney disease and often times I feel pain on my upper abdomen and while sleeping, the pain awakens me..But when I started drinking 5mL of apple cider vinegar with water in the morning everyday, the pain disappeared, and there is no pain anymore until now and my blood pressure went back to normal. I am a living proof that apple cider vinegar really works!!!

    1. Braggs is not your only option. Look for an ACV that is unpasteurized, unfiltered, and organic. The brand I use is Spectrum which I purchase from my local grocery store in the health food section.

  6. I had been suffering with kidney stones. The pains were excruciating at times and thought for sure I’d wind up in the hospital. The pastor at my church told me about ACV, so I looked it up and started taking it. My stones were gone in a couple of days. No more pain. I now drink a tablespoon of ACV in a glass of water with stevia 3 times a day. It helps with digestion, and I’m hoping to regulate my blood sugar too.

  7. I started taking ACV a few days ago and I noticed my energy levels go way up. That’s not the reason I started taking it though but this is certainly an added bonus as my energy levels are not nearly as high as I would like. I am using it for the other benefits. I drink Dr. Braggs and mix a tbsp with one tbsp of manuka honey and 8 oz. of water

    1. I started drinking Bragg’s ACV 2 weeks ago…(1-2 tablespoons in 8 ounces of water before each meal) and I cannot believe how much energy I have now!
      I also swithched over to a gluten free diet with tons of veggies, and lean proteins…I have lost 17 pounds in just 14 days, and feel better than I have in decades. peolpe around me at work are dropping like flies from clods and flu, and I feel fine…I won’t go without my Bragg’s!!!!!!

    2. Hi! I need to start this for losing some weight can u tell me if I can drink this cause I have Osterioarthrits. Will it be helpfull for me.

  8. I noticed that I’m feeling more energetic and now that I’m diluting it with honey, it tastes much better. I’m going to stick it out.

  9. does ACV help im removing stomach fat. i am considering it as a slimming diet supplement

  10. I really love ACV and I’ve been doing a tonic of Bragg’s ACV, raw organic honey, water and raw crushed garlic. It’s been about a week, I originally started this routine because I was attempting to get over a horrible cold. Now, after doing some research, I’m in love with all the other potential health benefits. I do tend to take this tonic mixture after eating a meal, once a day. It is 1/4 of a cup full, its strong, hardly diluted. I honestly love the taste and have no problem “shooting” it like a shot of liquor. However…
    I also really enjoy drinking multiple large glasses (16oz) of milk, through out my day. I am very cautious not to mix these two, knowing full well the ACV will cause the milk to curdle in my stomach. I am so concerned with the idea I may cause my self to get really ill. I have been wanting to do more doses of ACV daily so that I may start seeing the benefits. What are my chances of making my self sick by upping my ACV tonic doses and not cutting back on my milk intake as well?

    1. I have been using the ACV daily for a week, sometimes twice a day and at first I couldn’t stomach the taste, but now I mix it with 1 tsp of honey and it tastes much better. I pray this works. I feel great.

    2. Well seeing as your stomach acid will already curdle the milk, as well as it being healthy to drink buttermilk, I would say there are no chances of it making you sick 🙂 I frequently have dairy after taking my ACV and have never had an issue! I say go for it!
      The only thing I would caution about is taking it minimally diluted- it is very acidic and over time will damage the enamel on your teeth. I remedy this by mixing with juice and drinking with a straw, placed far back in my mouth. This helps prevent as much contact as possible with ACV and teeth.

    3. I thought it was recommended to keep to a tblspn of ACV per day (or thereabouts). Sounds like that dosage might be overdoing it. I have always stuck to no more than 2-3 tblspns per day and have been doing it for years. It does what it needs to at that dosage.