The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
How to Take
Posted by Laura (Jefferson, Wisconsin United States) on 01/22/2012
Delicious with tea. Works well with some teas, better with others. I have tried many.
MY FAVORITES: White tea with a little pomegranate juice; or raspberry tea. To either, add a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar. The vinegar actually ENHANCES the flavor of these two teas. Thats right, it makes them taste better. :-)
I have found it does not always taste well with green tea, however certain flavored green teas pair well. Such as the one I am drinking right now. It is called antioxidant max dragonfruit green tea. Made by Celestial Seasonings, the same brand that makes Sleepytime tea. It isn't organic and it does contain 'flavor' but it tastes great with the apple cider vinegar and contains more antioxidants than other green teas, so I will overlook that. As you get used to the flavor of ACV you can increase the amount in the tea without compromising your enjoyment.
General Feedback
Posted by Shernosonny (Wellington, Fl) on 12/28/2011
For all you people that are trying to get cures from ACV remember, it has to be organic. There is really only one brand that I even know about, unfortunatly we're not allowed to post the name. If you go to your health food store and ask for it they will be glad to steer you in the right direction.. Don't use store bought Apple Cider Vinegar it will not work- yes it is cheaper but it has been processed with heat and has no healing properties in it. There is a book on the organic apple cider vinegar you would be amazed at all it cures its worth getting...
General Feedback
Posted by Spiky (London, Uk) on 02/19/2012
Sorry I beg to differ while store bought ACV might not be AS effective as organic ACV with mother ive been using it for about two months now and my joint pain has lifted and my IBS has virtually disappeared plus my libido has returned after a bit of an absence. by all means use organic ACV but sore bought while it may not be the best is better than nothing.
Headache and Migraine
Posted by Lucy (Malta) on 12/22/2011
★★★★★
I've been taking apple cider vinegar (ACV) for the last two years and it's amazing how wonderful I feel... My headaches/regular migraine attacks/nearly disappeared... I am hardly sick with flu and my sinuses are absolutely clear... Now I rinse my hair with diluted ACV and it's so shiny and fresh.... Heartily recommend for anything...vinegar/Honey and ACV/ in winter to boost your immune system.
General Feedback
Posted by Deborah (Houston, Texas) on 12/12/2011
Today, I decided to start taking acv, to help lower my blood sugar level, so I drank about 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar by itself on a large serving spoon, then at that instant it took my breath away, it made me gasp for oxygen, so I grabbed the closest glass and poured water in it and tried to drink it, while still gasping for my breath, finally the water did help, although now the back of my throat has a burning sensation, so I ate some tomato soup and now, the burning has stopped.
General Feedback
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 12/13/2011
PLEASE EVERYONE start your experiments with VERY SMALL dosages!!! 1/4 CUP of vinegar is a BOMB!!! You should start with more like 1/4 TEASPOON!!!! And build up slowwwwwly!!
And this goes for MOST new things one may want to try, unless you are given a very specific dosage for YOUR ailment and condition!!!!
General Feedback
Posted by Debbie (Melbourne, Australia ) on 12/13/2011
1/4 cup is waaaay too much!!! You only need about 1-2 tablespoons in a cup of water. Some people only take 1 teaspoon in water.
General Feedback
Posted by Linda (New Haven, Ct - Connecticut) on 12/15/2011
Deborah, ACV should be taken in water, not straight or it will burn your throat. It can also cause damage to the enamel on your teeth. Take 2 teaspoons in 8 to 12 ounces of water twice a day and don't brush your teeth for about 1 hour. Many on this site also recommend using a straw to drink it down.
General Feedback
Posted by Joyce (Warwick, Ri) on 11/30/2011
★★★★★
My cousin is a big apple cider vinegar and water drinker, we did a 26.2 mile walk to raise money for cancer, and she was sipping on the concoction all day. When I asked her about it she explained to me that ACV helps with water absoprtion. In doing some further investigations I found that a popular hangover cure in several Northern European countries is to drink pickle brine, the primary cause of hangover pains being dehydration (and vitamin depletion). I drink it after the gym now, it has the added benefit of helping my acid reflux as well! I can eat tomato sauce again! Luckily I like the taste of vinegar, so no suggestions on how to mask the flavor.
General Feedback
Posted by Yebbo (Callahan, Fl) on 11/26/2011
Does it have to be organic ACV? I have a 2 quart bottle of White House ACV. The bottle says it's all natural from fresh apples. I'm trying to use it for very oily skin and low libido. lease let me know how to use this product.
General Feedback
Posted by Kim (Winsted, Ct) on 11/23/2011
Hello. Ive been reading a lot about the benefits of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar and just as many articles on solutions for masking the taste to help overcome the vinegary palate. Orange juice, molasses, honey, grapefruit juice... And the list goes on. Is it just me... Or hasn't anyone else thought of taking good old raw unfiltered apple cider with the mother (or is that the grandmother? ;) and adding it back to it's relative? Is this Like kissing your sister? Canibalism? Lol. I tried it, (also shaking the apple cider so that the sediment on the bottom got into the mix) and I lived! Wasn't sure if I would, seeing it seemed like overkill. Any ideas? At first I thought it was not suggested because lots of sugar, or acid, but that's the same with orange or grapefruit juice. Why don't they just make raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar tablets with the Mother? They could use all the "mother" they filter from clear cooking vinegar. Do I think too much?
General Feedback
Posted by Surekha (Pune, Maharashtra / India) on 11/19/2011
Heart failure and diabetic people also can take this ACV every day? Any side effect?
General Feedback
Posted by Millie (Memphis, Tn) on 11/18/2011
Actually, for those of you saying that you should not take vinegar orally, there are three well done, peer reviewed studies in recognized medical journals such as Diabetes Care. These show an improvement in blood sugar and insulin levels taking either at bedtime or before a meal. These studies were done with both apple cider and white vinegar. I wouldn't mix with baking soda as I saw no studies on that, but to say that it is harmful to take vinegar by mouth (I think 2 tbsp was the dose) is not backed up by research. (No studies were about toe fungus, however, they do promote the use of vinegar by mouth for systemic effect)
General Feedback
Posted by Marwa (Toronto, Canada) on 11/21/2011
Hi Loraine,
I have been searching for posts on ACV and most posts are from 2008-2009 but I finally found yours. I have a question I take a table spoon of apple cider vinegar in a half liter water. I wonder if it is better to take the vinegar on its own.
I want to use it for acid reflux or just reflux. I avoid most foods that are acidic and know which ones are alkaline but I get reflux as soon as I eat what is normal meal for most people... If I want to stay away from trouble I need a child meal or very little food and also drinking water far away from meals. I went to the restaurant yesterday and it was bad but I didn't want to leave tasty and expensive food on my plate!
Anyone who is reading this let me know if taking ACV without water would be better for me since having water around lunch and dinner makes me regurgitate.
Also, is it good to mix my honey with the ACV. So far I take honey on an empty stomach.
Thanks
General Feedback
Posted by Katy (Alexandria, Virginia ) on 11/16/2011
★★★★★
My great great aunt takes 2 tsps ACV straight every morning. She is 89 and still going strong. As soon as I turned 20 I started taking a "shot" of ACV in the morning. The vinegar was much too strong on my stomach first thing so after a few days I started mixing it with some local honey and water and would mix it all in a glass. It is so good it tastes like apple cider with a kick.
General Feedback
Posted by Mary (Hyderabad, Ap, india) on 11/18/2011
Where do I get apple cidar vinegar in India, especially Hyderabad? I had a hard time finding it in stores.
General Feedback
Posted by Mary (Hyderabad, Ap/india) on 11/21/2011
Got it in QMart
Brands of Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Bettyboop (Pittsburgh, Pa) on 06/14/2011
I know that apple cider vinegar is good for gout and alot of other problems like weight loss and arthritis and more. But I see that a lot of people are asking what is the mother. It is when you buy vinegar that have not been processed in making so it is cloudier than say Heinz which is clear and processed so all of the healing properties are loss. Where as unprocessed vinegar with the mother ( is cloudy and floats around in the bottle is part of the apples used to make the healthy brand of vinegar). Can be bought at most health food stores.
Best Time to Take Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sheila (San Diego, Ca, Usa) on 05/25/2011
When I take it, I drink the diluted ACV before or during a meal. Helps with digestion; stimulating/increasing the digestive acid in the stomach (read this in Jarvis' book), and helping kill off any bacteria in the meal you're consuming.
Apple Cider Vinegar Tips
Posted by Stanford (Las Cruces, Nm) on 02/03/2011
My wife and I use LOCAL organic honey... Helps get it down AND helps with allergies
ACV Rash
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 07/29/2013
Misha, how about lowering your dosage?
Best Time to Take Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Carly (Seattle, Wa - Usa) on 10/12/2010
Hello and Greetings Alfred! You are so right - I have been taking ACV for over a year now, and I will NEVER quit! I hope to be just half as fit as you are when I am 83, and I will be happy! Best to you, Carly :-)
Gout
Posted by Alain (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) on 08/12/2010
Hi Deirdre
Those crystals are probably uric acid crystals. Their accumulations create all sort of problems. The pain in joints is called gout. So look for gout treatment. Eat the least processed food as possible. Don't drink sodas pop. Avoid food with aspartame, msg, any food with high fructose corn syrup, reduce protein... All these are acidic. 60% or more of uric acid is eliminated by the kidneys via the urine. If the urine is acidic a lot less of it will be eliminated. To measure urine acid level you can use pH paper or sticks. You can verify that your urine is most probably acidic (pH lower than 7). The closer the urine pH is to 7, the more you will be able to eliminate uric acid. This is about the best thing I learned for myself. So, learn about alkalizing, search for alkalizing formulas here or on the web, read some of my posts here. Unlike filtered vinegar, good unfiltered raw unpasteurized ACV is alkalizing. But there are better formulas than just ACV alone. Good luck, Alain
European Conversions
Posted by Francisca (Michelbach-le-bas, Alsace, France) on 07/30/2010
If you live in Europe indeed most tbspoons are smaller but you can buy measuring spoons and those are exactly the same. They usually come in sets of all sizes and bread makers and so often come with a measuring spoon. I don't agree with you that we don't use spoons as measure, we do, for smaller quantities. I cook a lot and I never come across ml for such small quantities, always tbspoons or tspoons. I use French, English, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese recipes.
Apple Cider Vinegar as Panacea
Posted by Debbie (Tequesta, Fl) on 09/23/2010
Zachary be careful using ACV on your hair. I have blond highlights in my hair and the ACV turned my highlights pink! I use regular white distilled vinegar on my hair every few weeks and it works just fine.
Apple Cider Vinegar With the Mother
Posted by Karen (Sydney, Nsw, Australia) on 04/12/2010
Could someone explain to me what mother is?...thanks in advance..i just started drinking ACV recently, the supermarket brand and it has suppressed my apetite (2 teaspoons to a glass of water)..i have used it neat on atheletes foot (gone in a matter of hours) and used it neat, on a piece of cotten wool, for an under arm rash (also gone in hours)..i love this site..what a Godsend..thanks to everyones input and advice, especially Ted from Thailand...God Bless you all..Sydney... Australia
Breast Reduction
Posted by Mel (Passaic, Nj) on 02/06/2010
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
Hi,
I'm 26 yrs old. I had originally (last year) used acv when the doses were 2 tbsp in water at one shot. After a month, my boobs shrank a whole cup size, but I was still not overall thinner. Beware! I'm still afraid to take it now as the doses have changed. I think they grew back now though, because I took some dong quai and damiana (which I read increases them).
Apple Cider Vinegar Soak
Posted by Lisa (Thousand Oaks, Ca, USA) on 10/07/2009
You had me laughing out loud... Clown Feet! I can only imagine. And yes there is a difference in quality of ACV. When I first started trying ACV after coming to this site, I used Heinz since it was in my pantry and I was anxious to get started with ACV. It took me about 5 days to finally get to the health food store to get _____s- the one with the mother as they say. Without a second thought, I took a tablespoon of it as soon as I got home which was the night- about 8 pm. After going to bed I awoke about 3am with raging detox symptoms- sweating, chills, body aches which were excruciating and basically feeling sick. I rolled over and said to my husband that I felt really sick and he said," Don't you remember you took the ACV when you got home?" Never had anything with the Heinz. Big difference...
Apple Cider Vinegar Tips
Posted by Dave (Fountain Inn, Sc) on 03/03/2016
To Eric:
Are you certain about the neutralizing effect of Baking Soda? I've read about that a few years ago and the effect was to change the nature of the acid to a different form of acid but the effect was not to completely defeat the acid. Ted, I believe, has written on this very issue.
Yeast Infections
Posted by Steve (Nc) on 02/17/2015
For yeast infection check out coconut oil... you need to read all about coconut oil anyway
General Feedback
Posted by Len (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) on 02/02/2012
In regards to doctors and pharmaceutical companies and not recommending "home" cures (that may or may not work--I believe ACV works by the way) because there is no profit in killing cancer (or whatever), I came across a quote somewhere (maybe even here) that bears repeating:
A live sheep can be sheared many times, but you can only kill him once.
Constipation
Posted by Tiffany (Kandas) on 08/15/2016
Be careful drinking it straight. It is too hard on the esophagus. Repeat acid can cause irritation and eventually increase risk of throat cancer. I love to dink mine with lemon juice, or some of acv, raw honey and some cinnamon in hot water.
Heartburn
Posted by Colleen (Fort St John, British Columbia, Canada) on 05/21/2009
★★★★☆
I am using about 1 - 2 tbsp of ACV every day for about 2 months now. I have been able to get off of my prescription heart burn pills, finally. I find that I get heart burn more often, but ACV relieves it. I am thinking now of using the only 2 tsps to one 8 oz glass of water though, as I do get concerned to taking too much.
Warts
Posted by Francisca (Michelbach-le-bas, Alsace, France) on 01/03/2011
I am glad that ACV worked for your wife's warts. I have tried it on my hand, not even a big wart and it never worked so after a while I got fed up. I would soak a piece of cotton wool and then tape it but it never disappeared. On my foot it did work but it was difficult to keep the tape in place as it would go loose when I walked. I had one on my leg, as ACV didn't seem to be working I used white vinegar and came to regret it as I had a bad burn which took quite a while to heal, was very painful and left a big brown mark which looks far worse than the wart which you hardly saw. Luckily it is getting a bit lighter. The wart in my hand is very flat and you hardly see it but I would love to get rid of it because I am afraid that if you have one you can get more. I will try the castor oil and bicarbonate next. The banana peel didn't work either!
Warts
Posted by Kathy (Hoboken, Ga) on 02/17/2013
I know this is going to be hard to believe.... But, trust me, it works! My mom had my niece do this for several warts she had on her hands and it worked. A couple of years ago, I had a wart on my finger... Tried everything.... Compound W... The duct tape... Then I remembered how my mom got rid of my niece's warts.. And tried it. IT WORKED! You put a stone or rock for each wart you have in a small bag and throw it out the window... I live in the country... So I threw it as hard as I could out the window.... And leave it. Two weeks later my wart was GONE! Completely! I have told other people about this... And they have experienced sucess also. Worth a try.
