What Everyone Needs to Know about Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

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Every fall in America, there are some traditions we always do as a family. Some of the traditions are watching football, carving pumpkins, and picking apples at the local orchard. This fall, when you are at your local orchard picking apples and drinking apple cider, take a moment to think about the benefits of those apples. Specifically, one beneficial (perhaps the most) by-product of those apples – is raw apple cider vinegar or raw ACV.

What Is Raw Apple Cider Vinegar?

Brief History

The origins of vinegar (derived from wine) date back to over 10,000 years ago.  It’s one of the great accidental discoveries in history. Some wine was left out too long, and it turned into an acidic substance the French call vinaigre, which means sour wine. Coconut, sugarcane, grains, potatoes, corn, yeast, and fruit can also produce vinegar.

The Aryans created sour apple wine in 2500 BC. This beverage is the precursor to raw ACV and made its way through the Mediterranean area. Years later, the Greeks and Romans would take sour apple wine a step further and develop raw apple cider vinegar.

How Raw Apple Cider Vinegar Is Made

To make raw ACV, apples need to go through a process called fermentation. It’s a two-part process in which the juice is collected (through crushing) from the apples. Then yeast is added, starting the fermentation process and converting sugar into alcohol.

In the next part of the fermentation process, alcohol is converted into vinegar by adding bacteria and creating acetic acid. The potent smell of vinegar comes from acetic acid. This whole process can take 4 – 6 weeks, depending on the desired strength of the acetic acid.

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar and the “Mother”

Raw ACV is unfiltered and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. It will have a cloudy appearance and contain some sediment. This is called the “Mother” – powerful proteins, enzymes, and healthy bacteria. “Mother” is produced during the fermentation process.

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    What Is the Difference Between Apple Cider Vinegar, Apple Cider, Hard Cider, and Apple Juice?

    American-hard-cider
    Photo by Jenni Peterson

    So raw apple cider vinegar is the juice from the apples that ferment until they contain acetic acid and are not filtered or pasteurized. Then what is the apple cider we Americans drink in the fall time? Generally, apple cider is juice. This apple juice comes from apples that are cut up and mashed, then boiled. From there, you can buy it as is or pasteurized and filtered.

    There is also the alcoholic apple cider, or as we call it in America, hard cider. This beverage is apple cider that has fermented, similar to what happens in the first step of making raw ACV. This type of cider is popular in the United Kingdom and other countries. Over there, they call it cider.

    And we can’t forget the most popular apple beverage – apple juice. Apple juice is usually apple cider pasteurized and filtered, making it more translucent than apple cider. It can also contain added sugar.

    The Health Benefits of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

    There has been much dispute over the health benefits of raw apple cider vinegar. During ancient Greek times, Hippocrates advised people to take raw ACV for colds, infections, and other conditions. Christopher Columbus stored it on his ships to hinder scurvy.

    In the last century, DeForest Clinton Jarvis (D.C. Jarvis) wrote in his 1958 book Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor’s Guide to Good Health that raw ACV and honey, if taken three times a day, could heal common illnesses like asthma, high blood pressure, colds, rheumatism, arthritis, and improve energy.

    Are These Ten Acclaimed Health Benefits of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar True?

    Ten-Health-Benefits-of-Raw-Apple-Cider-Vinegar

    These health benefits of raw apple cider vinegar come from the research available at the time of publishing.

    High Blood Pressure:

    Can we lower our blood pressure by consuming raw ACV? As of right now, no studies or research shows it can.

    Cancer:

    Some studies show that vinegar may have some anti-cancer properties, but nothing that proves it will cure cancer.

    Diabetes:

    A few studies have shown that raw apple cider vinegar, if taken after eating a meal, will reduce blood glucose insulin, and triglyceride levels. There is nothing that proves it will cure it.

    Weight Loss:

    First off, raw ACV does not contain any calories. So drinking it is certainly not going to add any extra calories to your diet. But does it make you lose weight? Drinking raw ACV will help you lose weight, and some studies prove it.

    One 12-week study proved that ingesting vinegar daily lowered body weight, BMI, visceral fat area, waist circumference, and serum triglyceride levels. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you must also change your lifestyle: diet, exercise, and stay active. Raw ACV can help, but it’s not a magic pill that will get you the body you desire overnight.

    Detox:

    First off, our bodies automatically detoxify themselves (that’s what the liver does). Furthermore, there aren’t any studies that prove detox drinks will remove toxins from your body. Whether you are trying to lose weight or detox your body, you need to change your lifestyle and what you are consuming. Raw ACV may aid in improving your overall body and wellness, but it alone isn’t going to do it.

    Digestion:

    While most people think raw apple cider vinegar is a probiotic, it isn’t. It only contains pectin from the fermented apples. Pectin stimulates the development of healthy bacteria called probiotics. Pectin will bind to waste products in your digestive tract to aid in getting rid of them. This process leaves the probiotics behind to thrive and guard your digestive system.

    Cholesterol:

    A randomized clinical trial of apple cider vinegar and a restricted-calorie diet on obese and overweight individuals proved it would increase their HDL-C concentration (the good cholesterol). Their total cholesterol also decreased.

    Skin Infections and Eczema:

    No research or studies prove raw apple cider vinegar will cure eczema or infections. But what is known is that it is acidic, and therefore it will help lower high skin pH levels. Raw ACV also contains antibacterial and antifungal properties that help sterilize your skin.

    Energy:

    Can raw apple cider vinegar boost your energy level? No studies or research shows it can, but many people drink it for this specific reason. Raw ACV contains amino acids and potassium in addition to enzymes. Amino acids can help neutralize lactic acid (soreness) in your muscles and get you moving again. Potassium and enzymes can help hydrate your body.

    Colds:

    Were Hippocrates and D.C. Jarvis correct when they said raw apple cider vinegar could cure colds? There is a lot of information and recipes for this all-natural remedy on the internet.

    But regardless of what you find, 90% of colds are viral, meaning there isn’t really anything you can take for them. They clear up on their own. But warming up and drinking raw ACV may help break up congestion and relieve a sore throat but don’t rely on it to cure you.

    Want to try an all-natural healthy raw apple cider vinegar cleanse drink that I drink every morning?

    Mix together:
    – 20 ounces of water
    – 2 tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar
    – half a cup of lemon juice
    – 1 tablespoon of honey
    – half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper

    Drink first thing in the morning when you get up.

    Side Effects – Can You Drink Too Much Raw Apple Cider Vinegar?

    It’s best to do things in moderation, and it’s the same for consuming raw ACV. As mentioned earlier, raw ACV is an acid, and drinking too much of it may irritate your esophagus and stomach. It may also deteriorate your tooth enamel. When consuming raw ACV, always dilute it with water. You may also want to rinse your mouth with water after drinking it.

    Other Benefits of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar – Use It to Clean Your Home

    The acetic acid in vinegar is what makes it such a great cleaner. Raw ACV contains about 5-6% of acetic acid, which is about the same as white vinegar. It’s also free of harsh chemicals, artificial ingredients, and toxins and safe to use around children and pets.

    What Can I Clean with Raw Apple Cider Vinegar?

    Bathroom

    Clean the mirror, toilet, sink, and bathtub with it. Use it with baking soda to unclog your bathtub or sink’s drain.

    Kitchen

    Use it as a multi-purpose cleaner to clean and disinfect surfaces, cupboards, refrigerator, floor, kitchen appliances (including the coffee maker), dishwasher, and greasy dishes.

    Windows

    Forget commercial window cleaners. Raw apple cider vinegar will clean your windows without leaving any streaks.

    Laundry

    Add a cup of raw ACV to a load of laundry to refresh and remove odor.

    Warning: Do not use on anything wood, any type of natural stone, or any type of egg mess.

    Benefits for Outside Your Home

    Benefits-for-Outside-Your-Home-Daffodils

    Have a garden? Raw ACV is great as a fertilizer for plants such as hydrangeas, blueberry bushes, daffodils, and azaleas. These plants love acid, and raw ACV will help balance the pH in the soil resulting in a beautiful blooming garden.

    Raw ACV can also deter bugs, rodents, and even your house pets from leaving their mark on backyard horticulture. 

    Now It’s up to You to Decide (Conclusion)

    As you can see, raw apple cider vinegar is a natural, versatile liquid that has a long-evolving past. In the last century, it was rediscovered and studied for its health benefits.

    Lately, it has been hailed as an all-natural cure-all and recommended as a cleaning agent and fertilizer. Now it’s up to you to decide.

    15 thoughts on “What Everyone Needs to Know about Raw Apple Cider Vinegar”

      • Hi. I recommend drinking the detox drink every morning.

        I drink the raw apple cider vinegar detox drink every morning when I wake up to detox my body and start hydrating it.

    1. Very interesting! There is some great information here, I never knew about the versatility of apple cider vinegar around the household. I like that you mentioned its prebiotic pectin, which is what leads men if you would to think it is a probiotic. The raw apple cider vinegar itself may benefit your gut bacteria, but you’ll likely only directly consume (potentially beneficial) bacteria from “the mother”, as it’s called!

      Personally, I often use it as a source of phytates and prebiotics when fermenting my oatmeal! This imparts a mild, but delicious flavour and also greatly helps the process.

      Thank you for sharing this,
      James

    2. Great article! I used to drink raw ACV in the morning and then I got out of the habit, this was a great reminder!
      I totally agree about cleaning, I have gotten rid of most of our commercial cleaning products and replaced with vinegar, the house is just as clean if not cleaner plus there are no toxins from the cleaners. My Mom has always used vinegar for windows!
      Thanks for the reminder that this is good stuff!

    3. Very informative. My experience with raw apple cider has been great! I use it as part of my salad dressing. I glad you clear up the confusion on whether or not it has probiotics in it.

    4. I have heard that ACV is beneficial from so many people but they never say exactly how to take it.

      I was not sure if I was supposed to drink it or how much of it to drink. For your detox recipe, am I supposed to drink all of that first thing in the morning?

      Also I have digestive problems. How much ACV should I take to get more probiotics into my gut? Do you add it to water and drink it? Thank you in advance.

      • Hey – yes mix it in water then drink it. I don’t recommend drinking it straight. For the detox drink you mix everything together and drink all of it (or as much as you can) first thing in the morning.

    5. I learned a lot from this post!
      Raw apple cider vinegar is certainly tasty in moderation but I also liked your other benefits for it besides drinking it.
      I will try to use raw apple cider vinegar to clean my place more, especially as a multi purpose cleaner.
      Thanks for all the great information about this versatile vinegar!

    6. Oh god. I did not know that raw apple vinegar was made from yhe ferment juice of apples! That is actually mind blowing to me. I love apple juice, the taste it has it?s just so appealing tho I?ve never had an alcoholic apple-tasting drink (I don?t drink often) but that sounds like something I?d enjoy. Also, may I ask if those products are actually GMO free or just some artificial free type of product?

      • There are a few Hard ciders out right now. Redd’s apple ale is a pretty popular one. Our products do not contain harsh chemicals or artificial ingredients but they are not certified non-gmo as of right now.

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