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.
General Feedback
Posted by Ethelsue (Cincinnati, Ohio) on 11/13/2011
I drink a shot of apple cider vinegar with water every evening. I have heard taking Apple Cider Vinegar when taken daily causes esophagal, pancreas and liver cancer. Have you heard this too?
General Feedback
Posted by Ralph (Miami, Fl Usa) on 11/09/2011
No harm will come in taking ACV straight up daily. I drink 1 once with half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper every day with no problems. I workout every day and it prevents lactic acid build up.
General Feedback
Posted by Patricia (Hanover, Ontario Canada) on 11/09/2011
Hey there. Just reading the ACV cures section and I have to say it is a load of info to sift through. I would like to start taking ACV for a number of different reasons but have the odd reaction of gagging when I drink anything dissolved in water. I tried ACV straight up and was totally fine (almost) with the taste and am wondering if that is ok, in the long run, to take it that way. I can drink the water a few minutes later and drink a fair bit in a day anyway. Do most people take it everyday or do they take breaks with it? What are the thoughts on this?
Making Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Lori (Watertown, Wisconsin, Usa) on 10/16/2011
I've tried two different methods for making cider vinegar. I used the method described on the website that calls for making hard cider first. Although it worked okay, it produced a milder-tasting vinegar and it took more time. (My DH did like the hard cider though, and set aside a bottle for his own consumption.) Using fresh, unpasturized, unfiltered apple cider, fresh from the orchard is my preferred method. It helps to have everything prepared before you leave for the orchard to pick up the cider. Wash and stage an appropriate number of large, wide-mouthed glass containers (the kind that bulk foods come in). Lay out cheesecloth and rubber-bands for covering the container openings after filling them with cider. Set aside a warm location out of direct sunlight for fermentation for the jars. (Out-of-the-way tables and counters work well. Cold shelves close to the floor do not work. ) Pitfalls of this method: 1) If you don't have everything prepared the cider will need to be refrigerated until then. 2) There is more of a chance that a jar will get a mold-growth on top of the mother. I've had to throw out a few jars because of this.
One thing I have learned over the years is that some orchards (combo's of apples) produce better vinegar results than others. Once you find an orchard with good results, stick to it. One more note: The best batch I ever made was from windfall apples collected from random trees. If I'm ever able to make my own press I'll be using this method exclusively.
Storing Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Chorisia (Ipswich, Suffolk, England) on 10/12/2011
I have been using Aplle cider vinegar (UK) for years bought in 25ltr plastic containers. No mother forms in the plastic container, shortly after transferring into a glass container a thick mother forms. In small plastic containers no mother forms ether. So, is there some leaching from plastic inhibiting the formation of the mother? If so then it is wise not to keep cider vinegar in plastic containers?
General Feedback
Posted by H. Anton (Danbury, Ct) on 10/09/2011
You are quite right that apple cider vinegar is quite acidic. Just as it is with lemon juice, after it is metabolized, the residue (ash) is alkaline and helps to alkalize the body.
However, it could be irritating to the esophagus as you drink it since it is still acidic at this point.
General Feedback
Posted by Tom (Houston, Tx) on 10/09/2011
Please help me to understand this about vinegar being alkaline. Apple Cider Vinegar is Acetic ACID with a ph of about 4.5. It is not alkaline when ingested. How can it be good for gastric reflux and other acid casuing illnesses when the acetic acid is very irritating to the esophagus and temporarily lowers blood ph to the acid side until the kidneys balance the ph back to 7.4 which is the boy's normal ph, slightly alkaline. Where am I going wrong?
General Feedback
Posted by Ann (Kingston, Jamaica) on 09/21/2011
Doesn't ACV bleach your face. Does it work the same for black people?
General Feedback
Posted by Doddie (Lawrenceville, Georgia, Usa) on 09/19/2011
I read on here that under certain conditions Apple Cider Vinegar should not be used. Can you tell me what they are ? And under what conditions should only baking soda should be use (if any) ? Thank you for your feedback. I may have missed the answer in my reading EC but I think this is important to know.
General Feedback
Posted by Beth (London, Uk) on 09/14/2011
ACV - nay. Gave me a headache every time I've tried it.
General Feedback
Posted by Cho-aquarius (Las Vegas, Nevada) on 09/04/2011
My question is about the acv, is it ok for me to take Apple Cider Vinegar even my uric acid is very high? I have type 2 diabetes too and my tryglycerides is 400 im not taking any medicine for my tryglyceride coz im having a muscle pain with the medicine theyre giving me. Im taking metformin 1000 morning and evening but my sugar still 160 fasting and after 2hrs (aftermeal) 175 my a1c is 7 so im wondering is Apple Cider Vinegar can help me with all my problems please help im getting depress and stress thank you very much
ACV Rash
Posted by Tee (Philadelphia, Pa, Usa) on 09/03/2011
I am currently taking ACV with tap water and I noticed I have a rash on my left thigh. It's like a light spot about the size of a quarter. When I was little I used to get those spots, but smaller on my cheek from time to time. My mother said they were yeast spots. I guess from eating too much bread of starch. So maybe ACV is detoxing our body from too much yeast in our body and that's why we get those spots. They go away in about a week or two.
Energy
Posted by Teigan (Sydney, Nsw) on 08/23/2011
★★★★★
I'm so happy I found this site and read but this stuff - my energy and overall health have greatly improved since I started taking it. Advise anyone who is struggling to give it a try, its amazing!
Warts
Posted by Dan (Myrtle Beach, Sc, Usa) on 08/16/2011
Great post! I need to keep at it too!
Allergies
Posted by Dan (Myrtle Beach, Sc, Usa) on 08/16/2011
★★★★★
I've had the exact same results!
General Feedback
Posted by Christine (Nottingham, England) on 08/14/2011
to ti. Thank you for your suggestion I will give it a try. christine
General Feedback
Posted by Ti (Houston, Usa) on 08/13/2011
Christine, A natural product to reduce histamines is Standard Process 'Antronex'. Hope it helps. You can find it on amazon.
General Feedback
Posted by Marina (New York) on 08/13/2011
Dear Earth Clinic,
Thanks so much for your website. It is priceless. One question about ACV -- is it just as effective eating it with olive oil in a salad, or does it work better/faster in water? Thanks again for a great resource!
Marina
General Feedback
Posted by Christine (Nottingham, England) on 08/13/2011
can ted or anyone tell me if apple cider vinegar contains histamine. I would like to try it to reduce histamine levels. I am not sure what to do. I do not want to make things worse. thanks
General Feedback
Posted by G (Ny) on 08/12/2011
Everyone's health/body needs are different. What works for one does not mean that it will work for all. You can tell by the "yeah"'s and "nay"'s on here for any remedy listed (not just with ACV. ) Some people have found that regular ACV works for their ailments. Some only found relief with organic…. While some have found that white vinegar works best.. Trial and error for each individual. I have found that white vinegar works better on my face than ACV. I was giving my dog regular ACV to try to help with her ear issues. No improvement until I switched to organic ACV. She is a much happier dog. Trial and error... Patience. Thanks.
General Feedback
Posted by Dud ( Somewhere In, Wv, Usa) on 08/11/2011
Antonio, Kelly:
Both _____s & "Tree of Life" raw apple cider you buy off the shelf is now sub-standard & inferior vinegar. They are still "green" and un-finished ferment products that have not been "finished" to real vinegar yet.
You can tell this by their taste alone. They are still in some in-between stage. They are not true vinegar. Just taste them.
They used to be the real thing, but not any more. I used to use those brands, until about 6 months ago, when I noticed the change in taste. Then I began using regular store brand apple cider instead. [non raw]. I will continue to do so, until the _____ company starts selling real [raw] vinegar again.
I do not believe that _____s or TREE OF LIFE brands are true vinegars now, and therfore they can not give you the medicinal effects of true vinegar.
I suppose they are selling so much of it, that they can not keep up with production. So they are bottling the green un-finished product to sell us instead.
General Feedback
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 08/10/2011
I find wine vinegar doing the same as ACV, mainly: more energy and better skin. I dilute it a lot. I suspect many other vinegars might work the same as ACV at least for some things and for some people!
General Feedback
Posted by Kelly (Cambridge, Ma) on 08/10/2011
Hi Antonia - Yes, you can substitute Heinz ACV for _____'s. I've actually had better results with Heinz. When I switched to _____'s, my symptoms returned (go figure), so I went back to using the Heinz brand.
General Feedback
Posted by Antonia (Bulacan, Baliwag, Bulacan, Philippines) on 08/09/2011
Can I use the heinz apple cider vinegar in the absence of _____ brand with the mother. We don't have _____ brand in the Philippines.
Thank you, antonia
General Feedback
Posted by Rapunzel (Hotlanta, Usa) on 08/09/2011
★★★★★
@Aricegirl,
There's no harm whatsoever in taking the vinegar straight or in less water than suggested above. In fact, I take mine either straight, or I will put the ACV in a tablespoon or two of water and down it in a single gulp. (Sometimes to sweeten it a bit, I'll put in a couple drops of liquid stevia. If you go this route, just make sure that you rinse out your mouth with clean water b/c you don't want the ACV to wear down the enamel on your teeth.
Also (and perhaps most important of all), be sure to purchase an ACV that is unrefined - meaning that it is raw/unpasteurized and with the "mother" still in it ... And preferably organic. The "mother" is the natural fermentation base that allows the apple cider to become vinegar. Always shake up the bottle before you pour the vinegar in order to get those wonderful enzymes, beneficial bacteria, and great nutrients all mixed together.
WRT your own allergy issues, you might also try finding a local honey source and take a small amount each day. (Some take 1 tsp, others 1Tbsp. ) Honey from a local source will have the pollens in your area, and this will allow your body to become accustomed them, naturally.
Recipes
Posted by Veerybird (Hobe Sound, Fl) on 08/06/2011
★★★★★
I have discovered a great recipe for taking the ACV. I have always taken it with 1/2 juice and 1/2 water in my 24 oz water bottle with 2-3 Tbs. of ACV. That works for the faint of heart: I even got my kids to start taking it. I also carefully measure out a strong flavored juice in a wine glass and add the ACV. That is a great way to get it down. The best recipe that is healthiest and easy to travel with is 24 oz. of water, 2-3 Tbs. of ACV, and blueberry tea. I buy the True Blueberry from Celestial Seasonings and it has plenty of flavor. No "sugar" if you like sour things. Just make up the water and ACV then add a tea bag. Many people think that tea must be hot but it will steep fine in a few minutes. I tried it with Tazo Passion Tea (which I love) but it didn't work.
General Feedback
Posted by Janet (Kendal, U.k) on 07/30/2011
E.C always tends to suggest to start any new treatment on low dose and increase steadly, giving your body chance to adjust. Sounds good advice.
You didn,t say why you were taking it, But with my own experiance I found I too had to reduce for awhile. Otherwise the side affects off balanced the benefits. Good Luck!!
