Apple Cider Vinegar
Health Benefits

Apple Cider Vinegar: Uses, Health Benefits and FAQ

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.
High Cholesterol
Posted by Susan (USA)
★★★★★

One reader found success in lowering her high cholesterol by diluting ACV with a small amount of grape juice; she also drinks close to 80 ounces of water daily.

EC: Click here to many more testimonials and remedies to cure high cholesterol!


Bitter Taste and Sometimes Exceedingly Acidic
Posted by Susan (USA)

Some apple cider vinegar brands are extremely acidic, causing heartburn and yeast infections. (Note: certain brands of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar stop a yeast infection, yet other brands are so acidic that they can actually cause a yeast infection. Thus start with a lower dose to see how your body responds to the vinegar.) 5% acidity level is what is posted on all apple cider vinegar (ACV) labels, however it seems that some brands are far more acidic than others! We once bought an expensive, organic, unpasteurized brand with a fancy gold label and got terrible heartburn that lasted for hours from just 2 teaspoons' worth!

Apple Cider Vinegar Tips
Posted by ALBIN (Illinois) on 02/24/2025
★★★★★

If the taste of ACV is not acceptable, use a straw to drink it....this will allow the ACV to bypass most of your taste-buds, as well as your teeth...the ACV acid is harmful to the enamel of your teeth.


Application Tips
Posted by Haines 2154 (Chicago) on 08/16/2023
★★★★★

Starting today using ACV on my back probably 20-25 spots all over….figured out an easy way to reach those unreachable spots!

I used a long handled “ baby bottle brush”…the wire kind with the stiff bristles at the end. I wrapped a cotton pad around the bristles and you can just dip the cotton pad into the bottle of ACV and apply! So easy!

Hoping it works!


Kidney Stones
Posted by Carole Johnson (United States) on 05/18/2020
★★★★★

I started my husband on apple cider vinegar because he had what I perceived to be kidney stones. After only a few weeks, the pain is gone. No more kidney stones.


Weight Loss
Posted by Peculiar (Mbale) on 03/12/2023

Thanks. But you really hid part of your remedy. You said B.... ACV. Please what is that B?

EC: Bragg's.


General Feedback
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 03/13/2015

Dear Lisa,

I think it is fine to take it straight, but it would be a good idea to rinse out your mouth afterwards. My daughter prefers it straight when she needs it to get it over with.

But you like it and crave it. With something like that, it may be that you need it. While a sugar craving does not mean you need sugar, some cravings, I think, are an indication of a bodily need. My children craved pickles when sick one time. I think it was the vinegar they needed.

~Mama to Many~


ACV and Breastfeeding
Posted by Shazi (Ajman, Dubai) on 06/15/2013

Hi recently I saw this site it impress me a lot and I thought I should aske some question which maked me confuse. I am breast feeding mom ( first baby 2 and half month) I want to start apple cider vinegar for weight lose but vinegar can effect on baby is it good or not?

Gall Bladder Issues
Posted by B (Richmond, Va) on 01/20/2013
★★★★★

I had the worse pain in my life from what they think is gallstones. After listening to an infomercial on you tube it recommended ACV one teaspoon in a glass of Apple juice. After drinking it the pain immediately decreased and in fifteen minutes was completely gone. Best thing ever.


General Feedback
Posted by Timh (Louisville, Ky, Usa) on 10/05/2012 2042 posts

ACV is manufactured in tablet form, availability around the globe I dunno; much more convenient than liquid.


Best Time to Take Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Peter (Perth, Western Australia) on 09/23/2012

Found some ACV today at the supermarket. It is the kind with "mother" in it. Not knowing how much to take I did what the bottle said and threw a couple of tea spoons in a cup with warm water (about 1/3 full) and drank it.

Any reccomendations on how much and when to take it? What is it supposed to do? Mine is the _____ brand and it says 5.6% acidity and says it's organic. Does any of this matter?

Do we need alkalinity or acidity?

Cheers.

How to Take
Posted by Henr (Ny, Ny Usa) on 04/04/2012

THIS IS A GENERAL COMMENT ABOUT DRINKING ACV:

Apple cider vinegar is gross, as any of you who has tried drinking it surely knows. All the posts I have seen say to dilute it with water, but in my opinion that just prolongs the terrible experience of drinking it.

I just tried mixing it with a little bit of cold tonic water (about 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar to 2-3 tsp tonic) and found that was much better than still water.

I hope that this doesn't somehow counteract acv's effectiveness, because I've found it to be much less disgusting!


Recipes
Posted by Deb (Brockton, Ma Usa) on 03/25/2012
★★★★★

Sunday, 3/25/12. This is my first day on this web site. I was looking for something for my horrible swollen ankles and lower legs. Not sure if my ankles are gout or just the effects of this salt-a-holic eating too much corned beef for St. Patty's Day (and leftovers). I am amazed at all the things ALC can cure or alleviate. I just tried the apple cider recipe with ACV (an old bottle I had), honey, cinnamon and nutmeg. Delicious. I actually like the taste. I was tempted to drink another glass right away, but decided to spread it out three times a day, morning, noon and night (unless I find another recipe I like then I will alternate).

Thirty minutes after drinking the apple cider, I started feeling more awake and alert. It was affecting something in my brain. Time will tell with some of my other ailments. I have not noticed any bad after effects. The air also feels cooler when I breath, maybe its also affecting my sinuses. In any event, I will continue drinking it and reading some of the other remedies listed on this web site. Who knows, maybe it will change my life for the better and I can shed some of my unwanted pounds. Thank you for your recipe. I have to go to the store and buy a new bottle of ACV, the one I have is pretty old, and some more honey. Great web site.


Apple Cider Vinegar With the Mother
Posted by Mamaleah (San Rafael, Ca) on 01/17/2012

What kind of Apple Cider Vineger is everyone using? I have a bottle that says Organic pasteurized Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar but I heard it's supposed to be raw for the affects? Does anyone know if that is true? Thank you.:)

Apple Cider Vinegar With the Mother
Posted by Zai (Houston, Tx) on 02/12/2012

Best kind of organic Apple Cider Vinegar is B______(there is a book available for it with the zillion of reasons why you should drink acv) and So____. Don't bother with Heinz - you want the organic acv. You want it slightly cloudy and with some residue at the bottom. I am currently looking for research regarding Apple Cider Vinegar and cancer. I would presume that taking Apple Cider Vinegar would be a good choice because it would neutralize the effects of sugar on the body.


Acid Reflux
Posted by Kevel (Marysville, Washington) on 01/04/2012

Hey everyone. I'm only 21 and turning 22 in a few weeks and I feel my health is robbing me of my youth. I'm am plagued with digestive issues for about a year now and my doctor told me that I may have functional dyspepsia and mild ibs. I also have acne issues. And just two months ago I started to have symptoms of acid reflux like the throat sensation and chest tightness after eating. I felt miserable and helpless so I searched the internet for remedies and came across the apple cider vinegar remedy for heartburn and reflux. I started drinking apple cider vinegar about 1 tablespoon mixed in a glass of water roughly 8-10 oz twice a day. It is about a week and a half since I started drinking the AVC and so far there are no improvements. I still have reflux symptoms after eating, acne flare ups and loose stools (which is maybe due to the detox effect of the apple cider vinegar). I'm just wondering how much time does it take for me to see improvements or am I taking the wrong dosage of apple cider vinegar? thank you guys a lot.

Apple Cider Vinegar Ice Cubes
Posted by Jack (Stockholm, Sweden) on 11/26/2011
★★★★★

I make tsp ice cubes (5 ml) out of ACV and swallow 3 X 3 in order to spare my enamel.


Broad Benefits
Posted by Anon (Anon) on 10/10/2017

I never dilute it. I scrub my face with baking soda and then rinse with vinegar. My face is pink for a day. LOL! Out darn freckles!


Broad Benefits
Posted by Otterley (West Palm Beach, Fl, Usa) on 09/05/2011
★★★★★

I'm HIV positive and I juice once a day every other day through the week.. This past week I juiced 1 Beet, a small bowl of Kale, and 2-3 Carrots, and some ginger root. I then add almost a half cup of organic Apple Cider Vinegar. ACV cuts out the earthiness of it all. (I've read some studies that say ACV can even lower HIV viral loads! I also LOVE about 3-4 tablespoons of ACV in a nice big cold glass of water.. SO good.. ~

ACV also protects against food poisoning.. I remember my grandmother telling me she knew a man growing up who would take a teaspoon of ACV before every meal. Remembering that, one night not to long ago I was out having a calamari appetizer. It tasted a little funny so I spit it right out. Then I told the waiter to bring me some vinegar as soon as he could.. I then took a teaspoon.. I've had food poisoning from seafood before.. And don't want it ever again.. It's not pretty! Lol


Broad Benefits
Posted by Liz (Boston, Ma) on 05/17/2011

Hi Francisca - Believe me, I am informed and I've tried "something else". I've tried pretty much everything else over the years. ;-)

I didn't advise the other poster to eliminate fats from her diet, as I know they have their place in our overall health. I said that ultimately, it's less calories and more movement that works best. And it does. If someone is eating 2, 000 calories per day (regardless of how many of those calories come from fat) and not exercising, they won't lose weight.

If they lower their calorie intake by even just a few hundred calories per day, which isn't that difficult, and do something as minimal as going for a 10 minute walk every day, they will lose weight. Drop the calories to around 1,200'ish and walk for 20-30 minutes a day and they'll lose it even faster.

As for fat intake, I include it in my diet daily (mostly healthy fats like Omega-3's, olive oil and flaxseed oil), and I typically have a couple of walnuts or a tablespoon of peanut butter on a slice of whole wheat toast.

I never had difficulty losing weight fairly quickly up until around age 45. I went through menopause early (at 42) and woahhh! It is SO much harder to lose weight post-meno. I'd hoped the ACV might help break the cycle - expedite things, but sadly - it did not.

But, as they say - "Getting older isn't for sissies. " I'll SAY! ;-)


Storing Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Tara (Los Angeles, Ca) on 05/01/2011

I bought a bottle of organic apple cider vinegar from Trade Joe's. Does it matter if it's refrigerated or not? Does it ever expire? TIA!

Storing Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Liz (Boston, Ma) on 05/02/2011

No, apple cider vinegar does not require refrigeration. The bottle I have (the popular B's brand that's often mentioned here) says right on the bottle; Refrigeration not necessary. Shake well before using.


Flus and Colds
Posted by Berhane (Gothenborg, Sweden) on 03/14/2011

Iwas the weakest person for the attack of flu and sinus and medical Dr, was not able to help me. But thanks to avc its 12 years now never had such problem. How, I du mix one teaspoon avc and two teaspoon honey (organic) in a cup of water every morning. God bless u



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