Apple cider vinegar is available in almost all grocery stores and is located with distilled vinegar, white vinegar, and red wine vinegar. It is not difficult to locate the apple cider vinegar you need and many organic and health food stores sell it as well. In addition, you can often purchase the product online and have it shipped to your home.
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is a type of vinegar, similar to white vinegar or red wine vinegar, made from apples. The color of the vinegar is a medium amber color. Apple cider vinegar is used for a variety of applications including many health benefits, uses around the home, and even in salad dressings and other foods.
The main ingredients within apple cider vinegar is acetic acid and malic acid. Many people believe and scientists have asserted that there are health benefits linked to drinking some apple cider vinegar.
Some of the benefits include:
Helps to keep your tummy full longer- Stops the after sugar crash
- Lowers blood pressure
- Helps clear up acne
- Can clean your veggies and fruits
- Helps alleviate pain from stings
- Balances your body’s pH levels
- Stops bad breath
- And more
While you may be hard-pressed to find solid, hardcore scientific research that backs up all of the scientific claims, you will certainly find many people raving about the product. And, there really is nothing to lose when you try it out.
If you want to see how apple cider vinegar works for you, the best way to try it is to ingest it. Of course, you do not want to drink it straight from the bottle as this can burn your throat and lungs. You should ALWAYS mix one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a glass of water (8 ounces).
It is recommended that you drink apple cider vinegar on an empty stomach to ensure you receive the benefits of it. Also, you want to avoid taking more than one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar per day, as too much can be toxic.
Recommended Brands
If you are on the hunt for apple cider vinegar, you may want to know what the best-recommended brands are. You are in luck because there are some brands that are better than others. Low quality, cheap brands are often very pungent and if you do try to drink them, even mixed in water, they are hard to stomach.
Vitacost Apple Cider Vinegar
Vitacost is a good brand of apple cider vinegar and is most loved because the product is unfiltered, unpasteurized, and made with organic apples. The company does not add any additional flavorings, colors, or sugars to the mix. This product is considered vegan and kosher approved.
BRAGG Apple Cider Vinegar
Bragg’s apple cider vinegar is probably the best of the best that you will find on the market. This is one of the oldest brands on the shelf and the company has lived up to a reputation of being the best. This apple cider vinegar is considered organic and all apples come from within the US.
Vitamin Shoppe Apple Cider Vinegar
Vitamin Shoppe apple cider vinegar is not as popular as the two above, but it is well recommended because it is organic and unfiltered. In fact, the best part about the Vitamin Shoppe brand is that they offer the apple cider vinegar is both a capsule and liquid form.
Fleischmann Apple Cider Vinegar
Fleischmann has been around since the early 1900s and has been producing some of the best apple cider vinegar you can find on the market. The vinegar is considered organic, unpasteurized, and unfiltered. The taste is smooth and the color is rich and lovely.
Organic vs Processed
If you are shopping for apple cider vinegar, then you will likely come across the choice of organic or processed apple cider vinegar. There is a difference and it is important that you know what they are.
Organic apple cider vinegar has a cloudy appearance to it and you may notice some sediment on the bottom of the jar. Organic ciders boast more benefits than the processed ones and it is important that you check the bottle to see if the brand you are looking at is organic or not.
Non-organic or processed apple cider vinegar has been through a pasteurization process where it is heated and then distilled. This means that there is no sediment in the jar and you will notice it has a clear appearance.
The sediment in the bottom of the jar is where many of the nutrients and health benefits lie, so if you want to use the apple cider vinegar for health reasons, you want to make sure you choose an organic option. If you are just using it to cook with, then a non-organic option is fine for those purposes.
Homemade Recipes
If you are a do it yourself type of person, you probably have the urge to make your own apple cider vinegar. Plus, who wouldn’t want to know where their apple cider vinegar comes from anyways? Below, we will provide you with a quick and easy recipe to make right in your own kitchen.
Homemade Organic Unprocessed Apple Cider Vinegar
Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 small apples, any kind (stems removed)
- Filtered water, enough to cover all apples
- 3 teaspoons raw sugar
Directions:
- Wash your apples thoroughly and then give them a rough chop into medium-sized pieces.
- Place all of the apple pieces into a wide mouth jar.
- In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup of water and the raw sugar. Stir until combined and then pour over top of the apples.
- Add additional water until the top of the apples are completely covered.
- Place a cheesecloth or paper towel over the jar and secure in place with a rubber band.
- Place the glass jar into a warm and dry place and allow to set for two to three weeks.
- Once time has passed, remove the cheesecloth or paper towel and strain the mixture making sure to keep the liquid and discard the apple pieces.
- Place the liquid back into the jar and cover with the same cheesecloth or paper towel and secure in place.
- Allow to sit in a warm and dry place for up to 6 weeks (minimum of 4 weeks).
- Taste the vinegar periodically after 4 weeks has passed to test acidity level. When it reaches the desired level, remove cheesecloth or paper towel and use or store.
If you are looking to purchase apple cider vinegar, you can find it at any of your local grocery stores. The product offers many benefits, so why not try it out?
