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One of my favorite drinks for the summer is an apple cider vinegar tonic. Apple cider vinegar probably isn't the first thing you think about reaching for when you want to cool down because it is known for its pungent taste and odor. It is a powerful fermented juice from crushed apples that has amazing health benefits! A (fermented) apple a day keeps the doctor away! This juice is so versatile it could be used in cooking, drinking and even household cleaning. I'll even include a few of my favorite apple cider drink recipes for you to try in the hot summer heat! It almost tastes like a sour lemonade to me and I find it absolutely refreshing!
Detoxing: Apple cider vinegar is loaded with amazing health benefits. It comes from apples, so naturally, it contains vitamins, minerals and pectins. Pectins are a type of soluble fiber that are found in fruits. It provides that outer structure to fruit that we can notice when we bite into a fruit. It creates the fibrous cell wall of fruits. Pectins alone have many health benefits. Pectins have been studied and proven to be effective in increasing the body's natural detoxification process. Consuming foods and beverages that contain pectins may significantly increase the excretion of toxins such as heavy metals like lead, cadmium and arsenic. A study conducted by Eliaz et al. showed that the consumption of pectins increased the amount of toxins excreted in the urine after 24 hours of consumption.
Lowers cholesterol: Along with its detoxification properties, Apple cider vinegar has been shown to treat hypercholesterolemia which is a condition of high cholesterol. Eating or drinking foods with pectins has shown to possibly lower cholesterol levels, specifically, our LDL cholesterol which is the more dangerous form of cholesterol that can build up in our arteries and cause plaque.
Blood sugar balance: Apple cider vinegar is heart healthy but also diabetic friendly as well! This beverage has been shown through studies to significantly lower the levels of hemoglobin A1C which is a measure of sugar bound to our blood cells over time. The higher the A1C, the higher the amount of sugar there is in the blood and the more dangerous this can be over time. Apple cider vinegar is able to help reduce the amount of sugar bound to our blood therefore making it a diabetic friendly drink and can also help to prevent blood sugar spikes. The recommended amount of ACV to take to see these blood sugar balancing results is to ingest about 20 grams with a meal. This can help to increase the cells receptiveness to use sugar as energy and it can also help to delay the stomach from emptying which prevents a rapid release of sugar into the blood stream.
Cleaning agent: Not only can you drink and cook with apple cider vinegar but you can use it as an organic cleaning product! It is an all natural antimicrobial that helps to rid surfaces of harmful substances such as bacteria. We can thank the natural acetic acid that is found in ACV to attribute it to its antimicrobial properties. Vinegar based cleaning products have been shown to potentially kill off salmonella and E. coli.
Recipes
Here are some of my favorite apple cider vinegar drink recipes for you to try out! My personal favorite apple cider vinegar that I love to use is Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. I love this brand because it is organic and doesn't have any fillers or junk in it! It is very clean and gives you the biggest bang for your buck to help nourish your body efficiently. If you are nervous about the bitter taste, just start with a small amount and then work your way up to your preferred flavor!
Classic Apple Cider Lemonade
8 ounces filtered water
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Strawberry Apple Cider Lemonade
8 ounces filtered water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 frozen strawberries
1 teaspoon raw honey (optional)
Peach and Basil Apple Cider Lemonade
8 ounces filtered water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon raw honey (optional)
3 large basil leaves
3 frozen peach slices
Give these recipes a try and maybe you will find your new favorite summer drink! Or, you can always just replace all of the toxic chemical cleaners in your house with apple cider vinegar. Either way, this magical tonic has a lot to offer so give it a try and let me know what you think!
Comment below if you try these recipes and let me know what you think and which is your favorite! Also, if you happen to come across any other apple cider vinegar recipes please let me know in the comments! I am always interested in trying new apple cider cocktails!