Apple Cider Vinegar is rich in vitamins, minerals and wonderful enzymes, but it’s benefits know no bounds, says Sadie Macleod. Here is how the wonder liquid can help you…
Detox
On a detox? Make Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) your friend. For centuries, mankind has been using ACV to purify the blood and detoxify the liver. The liquid is made by fermenting the juice of crushed apples with yeast and sugar to make a powerful smelling (!) alcohol. The unique acids in this are said to be able to bind to toxins in order to help eliminate them more quickly. By getting these toxins out of your body faster and more efficiently it gives them much less time to cause any damage. So far, so good.
It Will Love Your Skin Back
Acne, hyper pigmentation, eczema: you name it, ACV heals it. I discovered this wonderful stuff whilst looking for a cure for my recently acquired melasma and I am telling you that this stuff is amazing (but more on my personal journey another time). Both ingesting it and applying it topically will help whatever situation you are dealing with, and some like to pour a few tablespoonfuls into a hot bath (if you do this mix with Epsom Salts for a double whammy of wonderfullness). Apple cider vinegar will help your skin restore its natural ph balance, it may even help to reduce scars so use as a toner in the evening before bed (be warned: you may smell like a freshly dressed salad.) Oh and avoid the eye area! And by the way, Scarlett Johansen swears by it for her complexion.
To Encourage Weight Loss
A recent study found that those who dipped their bread into ACV ate way less bread as they felt much fuller on the same amount as those who did not dip their bread in the vinegar. Also, ACV is known to be very good at balancing blood sugar levels preventing you from reaching for the nearest packet of biscuits every time you experience a sugar crash. Even Megan Fox has jumped on the ACV bandwagon, as she reportedly used it to cleanse out her system and lose a bit of weight (but not too much we hope as Megan Fox is smoking hot the way she is!).
Eases Joint Pain (Hello Runners)
Many miracle cases have been reported of people completely curing their arthritis by taking ACV and some even started seeing improvements in how they felt even after just one week. Sir Ranulph Fiennes also apparently swears by the stuff after seeing his mother feel better on it. It’s richness in potassium helps prevent calcium build up in joints and as we have already discovered, it is great at eliminating toxins, which can get trapped in joints and cause stiffness or pain. Try adding to your bath.