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 do 2 Tbls to warm like hot tea with 1spoon of honey sip slowly enjoy great for weight ccronic joint pain and many other uses <3

  2. I want to try ACV for weight loss, but I am concern with the fact that it can soften the tooth enamel. What is enough ACV intake daily and what is too much?

    1. For the tooth enamel problem, use straw instead of drinking direct from the glass. This will minimize contact with teeth. Also, do not brush your teeth immediately after your drink acv. hope this hleps.

    2. You can find ACV in the form of a pill that you can take to avoid damage to your tooth enamel. I have found it to be just as effective in the form of a supplement. Swanson Vitamins brand is great quality and cheap.

  3. I have PCOS and ACV helps me in my weight loss. I take 2 tbls with 8oz of water every morning. I also use it as a hair rinse. I use 1tsp with 32oz of water before I actually shampoo my hair. It helps remove conditioner and other hair product residue. I also use it as a face toner, 1tbls ACV, 1tsp honey, 8oz water.

      1. Hi Maria. PCOS is short for polycystic ovarian syndrome and is suffered by many women. It causes several symptoms such as obesity, hair growth on chest, chin etc, hair loss on head, infertility, imbalanced hormones, heavy menses or no menses for a long period of time, diabetes and a few other negative effects. You can do research on it since it is a lot to explain. But pray that you will always be free from it especially if you would love to have kids.

    3. Plzz temne d details. I live in india n evn am sufferng from PCOS. nly d heinz ACV is available out here.

    1. Thanks Kaka! That is such a wonderful article. I have noted most of the benefits. I never knew ACV is such a wonderful thing. It is cheap, readily available and wonderfully healthy.

  5. My mother tried this on a wart on her thumb. she just applied it with a cotton ball a couple times a day, and when she came to visit me, literally the wart fell off!!! I know its a little horrid to picture this, however, it really did work. It happened right in front of my very own eyes. This stuff from what I here, is like magic. Im starting to use it as a detoxifier, so we will see what happens. Wishing luck to myself and everyone who tries it. Feeling anxcious but excited.

  6. pls, am currently in nigeria. where can i get acv and how do i use it

    1. U can get it at live healthy GNC,at lere the mall beside shoprite adeniran/ogunsanya,upstairs.

      1. You Can also buy at health plus pharmacy at the palms in Lekki or at their other branch at 11 commercial ave., sabo in yaba Lagos. I bought mine two days ago from Lekki the palms – not cheap N2250 per bottle of 473ml

    2. I just gott Braggs Organic ACV at Mediplus pharmacy inside MM2 airport in Lagos. I was so excited. It’s the big bottle for 3300. Pricey but so worth it.

  7. hi ! jst wanted to know how to take apple cider for weigh loss ie hw many times in a day do I take it ie the proportion with water , for how long do I take it for, r there any side effects if I take it for a long perod of time? need to know hoe to apply it for the skin also.thankyou so much and awaiting ur reply.lastly need to tell you that we get the Heinz Apple cider .Thanks

    2. 1) Mix one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a glass a water or herbal tea. If desired add raw honey for taste. You can also add cinnamon, which also helps you to lose weight, reduce cholesterol, and improve your health.

      2) Drink twice (or three times) a day about a half an hour before each meal.

      I started doing it after reading how to make Bone Broth for soup. If you simmer the bones with some apple cider vinegar in the water it helps pull calcium out of the bones for an even healthier soup. Bone broth soup is HIGH in minerals and very healthy. I had made it a few times without the apple cider vinegar … after the first time using apple cider vinegar I felt more energetic the next day (have been very zapped of energy in recent years due to mega stress right now).

      I have continued with apple cider vinegar every day and it has helped with weight and stomach measurements. And when I do not have time to make soup sometimes I just make bone broth with the ACV and drink it throughout the day instead of ‘tea’.

      When I do not have time for either soup or bone broth I just have apple cider vinegar in plain hot water with a little apple juice added to flavor it and cinnamon…
      and a bit of grated cheese added when I am getting bored of the taste.

      If you have been trying to loose weight with no or little success try adding apple cider vinegar to whatever other healthy modification you have been making and see if the weight doesn’t start coming off.

      1. Hi Joanne,
        I was wondering what kind of bones do you use to make your bone broth?
        I’ve never heard of this before, can you give me the directions to making the broth please I’d like to try it.

        Thank you

        1. Hi M & M …

          I have been staying with my mom over the past few weeks and taking care of her as she is in her mid 80s and came close to dieing a few weeks ago. Her blood pressure had been over 200 and medicine wasn’t helping get it down to safe numbers and then a couple of weeks ago she fell and hit her head. I used homeopathy for her head and she is recovered well with that but she spends most of her day in bed and was very week and depressed.

          So I started looking into what to do to rebuild her strength and help with her mental attitude.

          The stress on myself was taking a toll as I found myself having gained wait (I was already heavier then I should be before this happened. I have a bone in my rib cage missing from birth … not a problem when I am slim but if I gain TOO much weight it causes pressure on my heart because my rib cage is concave due to the missing bone.

          So I had to find a healthy way to loose some inches fast … I decided after doing some research on the web that PARSLEY ROOT would be a good diuretic to try.

          http://articles.herballegacy.com/parsley/

          Most of us know of parsley as that cute little green ‘decoration’ on our plate when we eat at a fancy restaurant (that we usually end up leaving on the plate). Too bad as it may be the healthiest part of the whole dinner!

          My soup making all started …
          While looking for Parsley root at my local supermarket I came across a package of “soup veggies” … celery root, celery. parsley, radishes, green onions, carrots etc … but no parsley ROOT … eventually I found the parsley root …and… having found the soup veggies during my search decided to try making soup from scratch. I had remembered seeing BEEF SOUP BONES in the meat section in the past and thought I’d buy some and try making soup.

          I live in Long Island … part of New York State. Not all supermarkets have it here but Fairway Market carries in their BEEF section …
          BEEF SOUP BONES
          …and…
          BEEF MARROW BONES
          up until now I have used the BEEF SOUP BONES but I bought some of each this last trip to the market and will try BEEF MARROW BONES this time also.

          There is little to no meat on them … so if you want little bits of beef in your soup then buy a cut of beef that has a LOT of BIG bones in it. You are cooking the meat bones for long enough that any meat attached will be tender so you can use CHEAP cuts. The meat will taste like BEEF STEW meat when it is finished no matter how tough it was going in. When you strain out the bones just separate the meat and
          cut smaller if needed and throw back into the broth you are using to make soup.

          I do not own any special pots so I am just using a 3 quart pot with a cover and putting it on a low flame after it starts to boil. Then letting it simmer for a minimum of 3 hours. (I usually ladle out a mug full of broth before the 3 hours are up while it is cooking because i am too impatient to wait till it is finished before I start).

          If I am just making enough for one day I start with 1 1/2 FIJI bottles of water (1.5 liter bottle size) and I put 3 or more tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in it. That’s how I make broth for myself. If I want to make soup I start with 2 full bottles of FIJI water. After cooking the broth and straining out the bones I can add veggies and turn it into a soup for that night or put it in a glass container and refrigerate it for another day.

          Eventually I may buy a special pot for making the soup broth … but for now I am using what I have and experimenting. Imay not be getting the full benefit of cooking the bones for 8 or more hours as most recipes suggest … but I still feel I am getting health benefits from my shorter 3-4 hour version.

          Oh and after I make broth i put the bones in a glass jar and use them again 2 or 3 more times and make broth every day. If you want you could make more at one time and store more for future use. I’m home taking care of mom now so it’s just as easy to make it fresh each day.

          Here are some links about making BONE BROTH …

          http://paleohacks.com/questions/31569/have-you-ever-tried-drinking-bone-broth-to-speed-h.html#axzz2jBKyz3of

          http://scdlifestyle.com/2012/02/how-to-make-nourishing-beef-bone-broth-to-heal-your-gut/

          http://www.seedsofhealth.co.uk/articles/joys_of_stock.shtml

          http://traditionalandnatural.com/2012/11/25/chicken-bone-broth-stock-with-egg-shells/

          Ultimately I think we have to listen to our body and see how we feel when trying things that have been benefitial to others. There may come a time when I do not feel the need to drink bone broth every day but for now my body seems to crave it. i must be deficient in something it is supplying me with.

          Take a look at the nutrients in bones …
          http://www.marksdailyapple.com/cooking-with-bones/#axzz2jBuVjHUX

          I have heard that most calcium supplements are not from a source that is easy for our bodies to utilize … which means that taking them is not solving deficiencies but also that we are storing the supplemental calcium in areas that are possibly harmful… as calcium deposits/calcification. That is just a theory and not agreed upon … but I thought I’d try getting more calcium from things other than supplements and see if anything improved for myself and my mom after trying it for awhile.

          Her blood pressure is back down in the 140s something that has not been that low in YEARS. Is the bone broth the reason or part of the reason??? Calcium is important to heart and blood vessels so maybe so. She is gaining a little strength with the passing days as well.

          All i know is I feel much better taking the bone broth daily.

          Stress leeches calcium from our bodies … both calcium and magnesium are important for so many things – healthwise. As far as magnesium goes … since I am under stress these days I’ve started taking it by opening up NOW brand Magnesium Citrate softgels and squeezing out the contents and spreading some on my face and the soles of my feet and I absorb it through my skin …great right before bed to help relax and sleep (and my face’s skin looks so young). Plus you do not get diarrhea from this way of taking it. You can also put it on areas where you have muscle or joint pain. And it makes a good toothpaste too! I use it a couple of times a week.

          And on the subject of weight loss
          http://www.naturalnews.com/036049_magnesium_weight_loss_cure.html

          My brand of Magnesium …
          http://www.totaldiscountvitamins.com/product/38823/now
          … perfect for spreading on skin and for toothpaste consistency.

          Oh and back to the subject of calcium …
          And another way of getting calcium in your diet from a healthy source that I think I may try soon …
          http://mamanatural.com/how-to-make-eggshell-calcium/

          Oh one last link …
          http://brokelyn.com/a-fancy-butchers-guide-to-cheap-meat-and-how-to-cook-it/

          PS:

          1. I am regular visitor, how are you everybody? This post posted at this web site is actually fastidious.

      1. Bragg’s website recommends diluting 1/3 cup vinegar in one quart of water. I use more vinegar to water and store in a squeeze bottle in the shower. I also infuse herbs in the vinegar before diluting with water and add essential oils to improve the smell. This has been my shampoo since March. My hair has never been healthier. I rinse the vinegar out and then apply leave-in conditioner.

    2. Oh!! It definitely works wonders as a cleansing aid for all hair types. I love using ACV in my hair as a cleanser…much better than shampoo. ACV leaves my hair so soft and shiney! It’s not the best smelling product, but the results sure are worth it. I also follow up with essential oils to kill the the ACV odor 🙂

      1. How do you follow up with essential oils regarding the odor? Do you mix it in with the ACV or apply after? Do you rinse them out? Thanks!

  9. I just heard about ACV reducing belly fat this past weekend and am very anxious to try it. This article and all of your comments are great, I am finding them very useful. I do have some questions – can anyone recommend how I should start? How many times a day, how much, and when? Is it better to not dilute it? And does it have to be that brand that you all were talking about it or can I just get some at the grocery store? Thanks in advance!

    1. I would dilute it because it helps create a a larger area in your stomach to burn off the extra fats from the food you eat plus its rough to take it straight like shots.Use the Bragg brand it really works the best make sure you take it 2 tablespoons 15 mins before every meal.Mix the apple cider in 8 oz of water you can also add honey to it if you like .Good luck!

      1. So, if you eat 3 meals a day that equals a total of 6 tablespoons per day – just checking as it seems a lot of acv??

    2. You definitely must dilute it!!! It’s acidic and can damage your tooth enamal, esophagus, skin, etc. Never drink it straight!

  10. I think apple cider vinegar works wonders. I was developing a bad case of facial folliculitus and painful acne. I used this on my face as an astringent with a cotton ball. It burn like crazy, and was extremely painful, so I’d lather up in aloe vera afterwards to help soothe the skin. The next morning, the pain decreased dramatically. I’ve also been mixing 2 tablespoons of it with water to drink twice a day. I’ve been using this for a few days, and have very impressive improvements in my skin. It was definitely a huge relief in my daily activities. Now when I apply it to my face, there is no bacteria or not much, so the burn is no longer there. Definitely recommend trying this! *I also was taking vitamins which helped too

    2. I really agree with you. A few lab studies have found that ACV may be able to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. Be sure to dilute ACV before applying it to your skin or drinking. It is very acidic and can damage the tooth enamel and the tissues of your throat, mouth or skin.
      http://healthcarecritique.com/health-news/