Apple cider vinegar is a pretty amazing substance that can do a lot in and around your home and is great for your health. The most popular health benefit is no doubt how it aids fat loss in the body. You may be contemplating adding apple cider vinegar to your diet to achieve these health benefits, but you may not be sure how to go about doing it.
One of the questions you may be asking yourself is "how much apple cider vinegar should I drink?" That’s a really good question because you don’t want to take more than you need. Too much may lead to issues with your blood sugar, potassium levels, and can break down your tooth enamel, so as with anything moderation is key.
How Much Apple Cider Vinegar to Drink
There’s no set amount of apple cider vinegar dosage that you should be drinking for the health benefits that you’re looking to get.
That's partially because ACV has many benefits and not everyone is seeking the same ones. From weight loss to detoxification, removing skin tags to yeast infections, and even external uses like foot soaks, ACV is truly versatile.
It's also partially because apple cider vinegar is a food, not a medicine. Since there’s no hard and fast rule, most reputable sources recommend drinking about a teaspoon to a tablespoon three times per day. This dosage is derived from studies on weight loss, which is one of the most common uses of ACV.
How Much ACV Should I Drink?
When to Take Your Apple Cider Vinegar
In research studies conducted on the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar, the participants received a 20 gram dose of ACV which translates to 1.33 tablespoons. Just as important, the doses weren't just given at some standard interval, they were given with meals.
So while many people take ACV first thing in the morning or at other intervals, it may be important to take it with your meals as that's how the researchers administered the ACV to the study participants.
Which Apple Cider Vinegar to Choose
There are many brands of apple cider vinegar to choose from on the market today. It can be hard to decide which one is right for your health regimen.
You’ll want to choose a brand of apple cider vinegar that is:
- Raw
- Organic
- Contains "the mother"
"With the mother" is a term that may be unfamiliar to many people, but it’s the substance that can make vinegar look cloudy. It’s the acetic acid bacteria and the cellulose that makes vinegar, and has a lot of health benefits all on its own. This may throw you off if you’re not familiar with it as it can make the vinegar look almost lumpy, but it ups the healthy factor.
Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is one of the more popular brands you can find in retail stores and online that fits all of these criteria. However, our number one choice is this one:
How to Drink Apple Cider Vinegar
If you think that you should just open the bottle of apple cider vinegar and take a swig to get the recommended amount, you may be in for a rude awakening. It’s always best to dilute your apple cider vinegar to make it more palatable. You’ll want to add about one teaspoon to a tablespoon to a cup of water.
You may find that the taste is still not to your liking, so you may want to add some raw honey to it as a sweetener. You may think that you’re making something healthy unhealthy, but you’re not. Raw honey offers its own health benefits, so you're adding to your health rather than detracting from it with something sweet.
You may find that the honey just isn’t enough to make this something that you’ll enjoy drinking, and over time, you may find that you start skipping it because of the taste.
There are other recipes out there that can help make this drink taste better if you worry that you won’t be able to successfully add it to your diet. A very common method is to add it to salad dressings. Find a recipe that helps to make this taste good, and you’ll be a champ at keeping it in your diet. Another trick is simply to drink it through a straw as some people find that helps. If all that fails, you can also take apple cider vinegar pills.
Laura Myers, RDN
The Nutritionist says...
"A great way to get your daily apple cider vinegar is to add it to your favorite salad dressing and eat it with a meal."
Side Effects and Interactions
There can be some side effects to taking ACV. You may note that the way that you’re drinking apple cider vinegar that it’s too strong even with the alternative recipes you’ve tried. You may notice that your mouth and throat are sore or irritated after drinking it.
This may mean that you need to dial back the amount of apple cider vinegar that’s in your recipe. Some even recommend starting at a smaller amount like one teaspoon before moving up to one or two tablespoons at a time.
As noted previously, apple cider vinegar may lower potassium levels and blood glucose levels in your system if you take too much. You should also keep in mind that apple cider vinegar can have some prescription medication interactions. It can interact with digoxin, insulin, and over the counter water pills.
Although there’s no set dosage amount for apple cider vinegar, it’s still a good idea to speak with your doctor about adding it to your diet if you happen to take any of these medications. You’ll want to make sure that it’s safe for your consumption beforehand as a risk to your health would detract from any health benefits you’d receive from drinking it.
Conclusion
The health benefits of apple cider vinegar are a great reason to start adding it to your day. Finding an apple cider vinegar that’s right for you like Bragg Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is the first step to making this healthy change. Be sure that you don’t overdo it, and that you find a recipe that you enjoy drinking as this will make it easier to implement this to your schedule without problems.
Comment below and let us know how you’ve added apple cider vinegar to your life? Do you have a favorite recipe that makes drinking apple cider vinegar fun?
Mother Nature's All-In-One, All-Natural,
Cure-All, and Multi-Purpose Life Elixir
Apple Cider Vinegar has an AMAZING number of uses for your health