Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has surged in popularity as a health remedy, with proponents claiming it can balance the body's pH levels and provide various health benefits. Many people are adding it to their morning glass of water. However, there's considerable debate surrounding its actual effects and how it aligns with the principles of an alkaline diet. This article explores the science behind apple cider vinegar, its purported benefits, and its role in achieving a balanced pH, separating fact from fiction.
Understanding pH and the Body
pH, short for "potential of hydrogen," measures a substance's acidity or alkalinity. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, where values below 7 indicate acidity, 7 is neutral, and values above 7 indicate alkalinity. The human body functions optimally when it maintains a slightly alkaline pH, ideally around 7.35 to 7.45. This balance is crucial for various physiological processes, including digestion, immune function, and energy production.
According to Dr. Darin Ingels, "The acid-alkaline balance is important because many functions in the body occur only at a certain level of acidity or alkalinity."
The Modern Diet and Acidity
The modern diet, often rich in processed foods, sugars, meats, grains and coffee, tends to be more acidic. This can potentially disrupt the body's delicate pH balance. A diet high in acidic foods, such as sugar, meats, grains and coffee, causes an improper pH balance in our tissues. An overly acidic environment can hinder various bodily functions, including digestion, immune response, and energy production. As a result, health enthusiasts have turned to natural remedies, with one of the most popular being apple cider vinegar (ACV).
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is made through a two-step fermentation process. First, apples are crushed, and yeast is added to convert the sugars into alcohol. Then, bacteria break down the alcohol into acetic acid, giving vinegar its characteristic tangy taste and odor. Because ACV is high in acid, it could irritate your esophagus (the tube that connects your throat and stomach) if you drink it straight or drink too much of it. Undiluted ACV can also break down tooth enamel.
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Most ACV you find in the grocery store is the clear, pasteurized, and filtered type. But you can also buy raw, unfiltered ACV that contains a cloudy sediment. Called "the mother," this substance is made up of settled bacteria and yeast. Some people give the mother credit for ACV's health benefits. And it's thought to contain small amounts of probiotics (healthy bacteria) that are good for gut health. But research hasn’t shown that the mother offers any particular health benefit.
Vinegar is an excellent source of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. Some types of vinegar can also be a good source of antioxidants. The darker the vinegar, the more antioxidants remain in the liquid. Darker vinegars are generally less refined than lighter vinegars, with healthy compounds in the liquid affecting taste and color.
The Acidity Paradox: How Can ACV Alkalize?
Apple cider vinegar is acidic, with a pH of 2-3. Despite its acidic nature, ACV is often touted for its alkalizing effects once metabolized. The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar actually forms alkaline in the body. It raises the body’s pH levels, equalizing the body. This is beneficial because our diet generally consists of highly acidic foods, so drinking a small amount of apple cider vinegar daily can offset some of this acid.
Here's how it works:
- Metabolism: When we consume ACV, the acetic acid is broken down in the body.
- Mineral Content: ACV contains minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which can contribute to alkalinity once absorbed.
Potential Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
While research is ongoing, several studies suggest that apple cider vinegar may offer various health benefits:
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- Blood Sugar Regulation: Several studies have reported that taking a tablespoon or two could lower your blood sugar after meals. Apple cider vinegar may help regulate blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity, which can further support overall metabolic health. In fact, studies suggest that consuming ACV with meals can improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar spikes after meals.
- Weight Loss: One study showed that taking 1-2 tablespoons of ACV a day helped people following a reduced-calorie diet lose a few extra pounds. Some studies have shown that vinegar consumption can lead to a reduction in body weight and body fat.
- Cholesterol Reduction: The same small study that reported that ACV boosted weight loss also found that it lowered the total cholesterol levels of study subjects who took it. It also increased their "good" cholesterol and lowered levels of triglycerides (fats in the blood).
- Digestive Health: The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar can promote digestive health by increasing stomach acid production, which is essential for breaking down food.
- Other potential benefits: Some people use apple cider vinegar for purposes that haven't been researched much or haven't been shown to be effective, including lower blood pressure, ease acid reflux, provide eczema relief, kill germs, improve hair health.
How to Incorporate Apple Cider Vinegar into Your Diet
Apple cider vinegar is incredibly versatile. It's safe and tasty to use ACV to add some excitement to your meals. Use it to liven up sauces and stews, as well as traditional salad dressings and marinades. You can also drink it, diluted in hot or cold water as you prefer. Some people drink it before or after meals or before going to bed.
Here are a few practical tips:
- It’s best to dilute 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before consuming.
- Apple cider vinegar can be safely mixed with alkaline water, which could lead to reaping even more benefits in your body. It can be diluted into alkaline water, like that made by a Seychelle water filter.
- Start your day with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in water with a splash of lemon and some honey to sweeten.
- Drinking a mild tonic of vinegar and water just before meals will improve your body’s ability to absorb the essential minerals locked in foods. Apple cider vinegar helps you get more out of your leafy greens!
- Apple cider vinegar is a great all-round ingredient in the kitchen a great salad dressing and delicious drizzled over cooked greens. You can even make a vinegar-based coleslaw, rather than the usual mayonnaise-based one.
- Adding a dash of vinegar into your cooking increases flavours and lessens the need to add (acid-causing) salt.
Precautions and Considerations
While generally safe for most people, excessive consumption may lead to digestive discomfort or tooth enamel erosion. It’s vital to understand that apple cider vinegar should not be seen as a substitute for medical treatments or medications.
- Dosage: Apple cider vinegar should be treated like a dose of a medication, with only 1-2 tablespoons taken daily diluted into water.
- Potential Side Effects: Because it’s high in acid, it could irritate your esophagus (the tube that connects your throat and stomach) if you drink it straight or drink too much of it. Undiluted ACV can also break down tooth enamel. ACV may give some people indigestion or make them feel nauseated. Don't drink it on an empty stomach, and if you feel sick or throw up after you take it, stop using it.
- Drug Interactions: The vinegar can also interact with some drugs, such as diuretics, laxatives, and insulin. Always ask your doctor if it’s safe to use ACV with your current medications.
- Existing Conditions: If you have low potassium levels (hypokalemia), too much ACV could make the condition worse. Avoid overusing ACV if you have kidney disease, since your kidneys might not be able to handle high levels of acid.
The Alkaline Diet: Principles and Practices
The alkaline diet is based on the idea that different foods can alter your body’s pH. Proponents believe that eating a diet rich in acidifying foods can make your body more acidic and thus more vulnerable to disease and illness over time. The alkaline diet encourages you to eat foods that are alkaline (or basic, meaning they have a pH greater than 7), instead of those that are acidic.
Alkaline vs. Acidic Foods:
- Alkaline Foods: Non-starchy vegetables, fruits, nuts such as chestnuts or pumpkin seeds, and legumes like kidney beans or white beans.
- Acidic Foods: Meat, cheese, eggs, and grains. Milk and natural fats are considered neutral.
Foods to Include in an Alkaline Diet:
- Fruits, such as apples, cherries, avocado, bananas, apricots, and cantaloupe
- Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, beets, asparagus, leafy greens, garlic, carrots, and cabbage
- Unsweetened fruit juices
- Mineral water and herbal teas
- Nuts and seeds, such as chestnuts, pine nuts, and pumpkin seeds
- Fermented tofu or tempeh
- Some grains, such as quinoa
Foods to Avoid in an Alkaline Diet:
- Meat
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Most grains
- Processed foods like canned and packaged snacks and convenience foods
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
Critiques of the Alkaline Diet
In general, no evidence shows that food adversely affects blood pH levels in healthy people. The health benefits that an alkaline diet can promote have nothing to do with your body's pH levels. “The diet advocates for fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, as well as whole and unprocessed foods, and that’s the basis of a healthy diet,” says Zelman. But she stresses that a balanced diet also includes many of the foods that the alkaline diet restricts, like whole grains, dairy, and many forms of protein.
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Health claims about the alkaline diet are not backed by strong evidence. No evidence confirms that the pH of foods affects your body’s internal pH. Moreover, changes in urine pH tend to be a poor indicator of your body’s internal pH.