In recent years, apple cider vinegar has caught the attention of wellness influencers and naturopaths alike, and if you’ve been tempted by its potential benefits for health, you might be wondering if the vinegar actually lives up to the hype.
There’s been some research to back apple cider vinegar’s benefits for digestion and blood sugar control, but how strong is the science behind it? Here’s what a dietitian has to say.
How to make vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is fermented through a process that converts apple juice into a liquid rich in acetic acid, which is a vinegar byproduct that gives it its distinct smell and taste. The fermentation process begins by adding yeast to apple juice. When the sugar in the apple juice has turned the mixture into alcohol, acetic acid bacteria is added back into the liquid for apple cider vinegar to take its final form, according to Healthline.
Unlike other vinegars, most of which don’t contain live active cultures (and therefore potential gut microbiome benefits), apple cider vinegar still contains “good” bacteria after it has been distilled, says Yaffi Lvova, a registered dietitian nutritionist with Banner Health.
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What health benefits does apple cider vinegar offer?
In the last few years, wellness communities have raved about apple cider vinegar’s potential benefits for digestion, weight loss, blood sugar control and reducing inflammation in the body. While there’s been some research to back these claims, Lvova warns that apple cider vinegar shouldn’t be misinterpreted as a cure-all for health. Consuming apple cider vinegar might help support a few essential bodily functions, but evidence showing a direct link to the vinegar’s purported benefits is still limited.
If you want apple cider vinegar that contains the prebiotics that may help feed your gut bacteria, you’ll want to purchase it raw and unfiltered. From a visual standpoint, you’ll notice a cloudy looking material accumulating at the bottom of the jar. Before consuming, if you want to remove these clumps, filter it through a cheese cloth as you pour the apple cider vinegar out of the bottle, Lvova recommends.
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How to use apple cider vinegar
While many people take undiluted apple cider vinegar shots for health, ideally, “you don’t want to drink it straight,” says Lvova. Over time, there’s a possibility that it could “really damage your esophagus, and potentially your intestines as well,” she says.
If you want to reap the possible benefits of consuming apple cider vinegar, one of the easiest ways to integrate it into your weekly rotation of foods is as an ingredient in a salad dressing. “It’s very, very easy to make a vinaigrette that is delicious and inexpensive.” Try mixing one part vinegar, one part oil, a pinch of salt and seasonings of your choice, she recommends.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to make apple cider vinegar (and its possible health benefits)