APPLE CIDER VINEGAR’S superpowers go beyond homemade salad dressing. The pungent vinegar can actually boost your health, improve your appearance, and help you clean up around the house without any harmful chemicals. Who knew? In the era of DIY everything, apple cider vinegar has become a staple, and it’s time for you to start stocking it in your fridge regularly. Here are seven reasons why.
If you’re struggling with issues like constipation, acid reflux, or even food poisoning, put a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar in a tall glass of water. It conatins a compound called malic acid and also boasts antibacterial and antiviral properties, which can all help alleviate whatever’s going on in your gut.
By breaking up mucus and promoting better lymph circulation in addition to aiding digestion, apple cider vinegar pushes toxins out of the body all while supplying your body with natural minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. Also, its high levels of potassium help clear up sinus infections, candida, sore throats, and allergies. If vinegar and water is hard for you to bear, try mixing a few teaspoons in hot water with honey and lemon for a great detoxifying drink.
This is probably its coolest feature. Apple cider vinegar is a kick-ass, all-natural cleaner because it’s antibacterial and will act as a natural disinfectant. Just pour some vinegar into your toilet and let it sit overnight. Also, if you mix half a cup of vinegar with one cup of water you can use the solution to clean anything from microwaves and kitchen counters to windows and mirrors.
Of course nothing promotes weight loss like a clean diet and regular exercise—it’s really the only way, people. However, by adding a few teaspoons, or tablespoons if you can take it, to your diet each day, you may feel fuller, longer. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistryfound that it slowed fat accumulation. For a more subtle way to include apple cider vinegar in your diet, mix about a tablespoon into your homemade salad dressing and drizzle over a bed of leafy greens.
Yes, everyone talks about baking soda as an incredible tooth cleaner—which it is—but apple cider vinegar doesn’t get enough attention for being a powerful mouth-cleaning agent. Not only can it strengthen your teeth (due to its ability to extract calcium from the fruits, veggies, and meat in your diet), but also if you rub your teeth directly with the vinegar and rinse with water, you may notice a brighter, whiter smile.
Too much time in the sun is never a good idea, especially without proper protection. If you slacked a little on the sunscreen and wound up looking like a tomato, draw yourself a bath and add about one cup of apple cider vinegar. The vinegar bath will help alleviate the pain of your burn and hopefully get you thinking about being more diligent with your SPF next time around.
If you’ve got a lady in your life, she might already be on to this trick. However, there’s no reason you can’t have a shinier, healthier-looking head of hair, too. If you’re feeling really crafty, save an old shampoo bottle and fill it with half a tablespoon of vinegar and one cup of water. A few times a week, rinse your hair with the mixture after shampooing and get ready for some fuller-looking, shinier hair.