The benefits of apple cider vinegar that will make you include it in your daily diet NOW

In order for our body to break down food effectively, we need two things: acid and enzymes. Acid specifically stimulates the production of various enzymes, especially digestive ones, and this is where the benefits of acetic acid, present in apple cider vinegar, begin.

Nutritionally, apple cider vinegar and others contain minimal amounts of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.  What vinegar does contain are antioxidants and beneficial bacteria, which is where all that list of wonderful benefits advertised in health media comes from.

Apple cider vinegar can be beneficial, not so much as a nutrient, but as an adjuvant for certain bodily requirements, such as digestion, protein breakdown, mineral absorption, and more. 

Today I will show you why the human digestive tract needs to be an acidic environment, in which situations apple cider vinegar can positively influence and its important benefits for the overall health of the body.

pH in the human body

The human body has and needs different pH levels in different parts of the body. For example, the blood must maintain an alkaline pH, the skin must maintain a more or less acidic pH, while the stomach must be very acidic. The strongest acid in the human body is hydrochloric acid, which is found in the stomach, and it is important to keep it that way.

For example, in the mouth we have a neutral pH, that is, approximately pH 7, while apple cider vinegar has a pH of approximately 3.5, that is, it is around 5000 times more acidic than saliva and water.

The human digestive tract, in order to break down protein, needs its hydrochloric acid to remain between pH 1.35-3, that is, 50,000 times more acidic than water and 10 times more acidic than apple cider vinegar.

Situations in which apple cider vinegar can affect the body 

The digestive tract is balanced if it maintains a pH between 1.35 and 3, the problem is that most people are NOT within this optimal acidity range or are producing hydrochloric acid insufficiently. Factors that interfere with the proper production of hydrochloric acid in the body can be,

• Stress . Everything that has to do with the digestive process, such as acid production, enzymes, and food breakdown, is canceled or drastically reduced when under stress.
• By consuming too much protein . The more protein you consume, the more hydrochloric acid your body must produce.
• Deficiency of vitamin B1 or minerals such as zinc that are necessary for the production of hydrochloric acid.
• Alcohol consumption interferes with the production of hydrochloric acid.
• Consumption of antacids .  Acid in the stomach is necessary for digestion and if we give it antacids we will interfere with the normal and proper functioning of the stomach . The consequences of consuming antacids can be leaky gut, allergies, dysbiosis, inflamed stomach and more.
• Hypopituitarism . The pituitary gland stimulates the thyroid, and when the thyroid slows down (hypothyroidism), everything in the body slows down, including the production of hydrochloric acid.
• Bariatric surgery . An alternative to treat morbid obesity in people, i.e. diet and exercise no longer work and the person has health problems due to their weight. In this case, the ability to produce hydrochloric acid has been lost, almost entirely.
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth ( SIBO),
• Irritable bowel syndrome ,
• Food intolerances 
• Hiatal hernias .
• Gastroesophageal reflux. If there is enough hydrochloric acid in your stomach, it will work to break down the protein for about an hour in the stomach and the acidity will close the esophageal valve or inner esophageal sphincter. If there is not enough acid, the valve does not close properly, the food stays there for too long, churning, bubbling, producing gas and sometimes even fermenting. The bubbles and gas impregnated with acid flow back up into the esophagus and that is what causes the burning sensation because the acid is reaching places where it does not belong.

All people with the above-mentioned conditions can make use of apple cider vinegar to help improve the function of hydrochloric acid in the body.

Benefits attributed to apple cider vinegar

1. We have already mentioned that it is an adjuvant in digestion, starting with the production of hydrochloric acid to break down food once it reaches the stomach. In this way, the protein can be better broken down into amino acids and the corresponding enzymes can be activated to maintain the proper pH during these processes.

2. Improves mineral absorption since an acidic environment is needed for it to take place properly.

3. It helps the immune system by eliminating pathogens. There are bacteria everywhere, whether in our environment or in our food, and our first line of defense is to have enough acid. Interestingly, bacteria do not do very well in acidic environments. Vinegar, in general, and apple cider vinegar included, is a natural bactericide. ( study )

4. Improves insulin sensitivity and, consequently, facilitates weight and fat loss.  As scitechdaily magazine rightly points out,

“Studies show that apple cider vinegar modestly reduces the spike in glucose that occurs after eating a meal. With apple cider vinegar on board, your glucose doesn’t rise as much after a meal, and your body doesn’t need to produce as much insulin.

When there is less insulin, the body can more easily break down fat and is less likely to store it, which would lead to weight gain. Another way to look at it is that apple cider vinegar improves insulin sensitivity, which is good for your waistline and metabolic health. When you have better insulin sensitivity, you are less likely to accumulate deep belly fat, called visceral fat.”

5. It would help improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels.  A meta-study published by the National Library of Medicine in the United States indicated a significant reduction in total cholesterol and serum triglycerides (TG) in a subgroup of patients with type 2 diabetes who took ≤15 mL/day of apple cider vinegar and those who consumed apple cider vinegar for >8 weeks, respectively. Furthermore, apple cider vinegar consumption significantly decreased FPG levels in the study subgroup who received apple cider vinegar for >8 weeks. Furthermore, apple cider vinegar intake appeared to cause an increase in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and HDL-C (good cholesterol) concentrations in apparently healthy participants.

Precautions

People who are taking medications for high blood pressure or blood sugar medications should consult with their doctor before incorporating apple cider vinegar into their routine.

People with gastroparesis, a condition that affects motility in the stomach and slows stomach emptying, should consult their doctor.

If you are going to consume apple cider vinegar, keep in mind the following guidelines:

• You can take 2 teaspoons of cider vinegar dissolved in water or in an aromatic herb (it is imperative that it is dissolved in a liquid because the acid taken directly corrodes tooth enamel and irritates the esophagus).

• Another option is to take 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar with lemon juice (60 ml) and this dissolved in half a litre of water in the morning or at night, but ideally the stomach should be empty.

What apple cider vinegar should you consume ?

Try to get raw apple cider vinegar, meaning it has not been pasteurized, from organic apples, unfiltered and with the mother (strands of protein, enzymes and bacteria that give the cloudy appearance that remains at the bottom of the vinegar).

Conclusion

The stomach must maintain an acidic pH while the blood must maintain an alkaline pH. To help maintain stomach acidity, apple cider vinegar is a positive addition. Consuming up to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar per day, dissolved in up to one liter of water, can help you become more sensitive to insulin, balance triglycerides and high cholesterol, and fight pathogens in your digestive system.