I have so many great memories from visiting my grandma’s house as a child including, ice cream for breakfast and picking blueberries in the backyard. But one memory seems to stand out among the rest: when I drank out of my grandma’s apple juice carton. Why do I remember this, you ask? I poured myself a generous glass of apple juice and took a big swig only to realize that it wasn’t just apple juice but my grandma’s apple cider vinegar concoction. Obviously, the repulsive taste of apple cider vinegar was not what I was expecting, so you could say I was fairly traumatized.
Fast forward 10 years later, and here I am trying to be a contemporary and healthy 20-year-old when my grandma dares me to “take a shot of apple cider vinegar” with her. Pro tip: when your grandma asks you to take a shot with her…you do it, no questions asked. This second experience with apple cider vinegar wasn’t as terrible. I decided to give it a chance and drink it everyday for a month. So, here is how I did it and why I’m not going to stop.
1. Mix It with Apple Juice and Grape Juice
This is my grandma’s original “concoction” that started this whole shindig. The apple and grape juice really help balance out the sting of the vinegar and it actually mimics the taste of kombucha. Plus, I have low-blood sugar so it puts a little pep in my step. However if you’re a no-sugar kind of person, then mixing it with water is another option.
2. Ease Into It
Vinegar is definitely an acquired taste, so taking a plain shot of it from day one might be a little much for some people. The first time I drank it on my own, I started with only around two tablespoons of vinegar and combined it in the apple juice, grape juice mixture. After adding a little more each day, I eased myself into filling it about 1/4 of the cup.
3. Do it for Your Tummy
When my grandma was trying to convince me to make apple cider vinegar apart of my life, she made sure to emphasize that “it will make your tummy flat!” At first I thought that it may have just been a classic grandma scam, but I can honestly say it has reduced my stomach bloating significantly, especially during my period. If I drink my mixture before a high-carb dinner, I actually don’t feel like my stomach is going to burst.
4. Do it for your metabolism
I have found that drinking a cup of my apple cider vinegar mixture before a meal helps me to not overeat. While this should obviously never be a meal replacement, it is a great way to help with portion control. It boosts your metabolism by helping you burn calories more productively. So ditch the appetite suppressant pills and pour yourself a nice big cup of apple cider vinegar.
5. Because pH balance
Apple cider vinegar is the only vinegar that alkalizes your pH. Since apple cider vinegar itself is so acidic, once it gets in your stomach, your body doesn’t have to work to produce any acid to digest it. Because of this, it is alkaline-forming. Alkaline is so important for your body, and not having enough of it can cause “chronic metabolic acidosis.” This basically means there is too much acid circulating through your body fluids, which increases the risk of cancer. An alkalized pH constitutes a healthy immune system and functional enzyme reserve.
So if a boosted metabolism, flat stomach, and decreased risk of cancer can’t convince you to take a few sips of apple cider vinegar a day, then go ask your grandma and maybe she can.