Apple cider vinegar is touted for its amazing medicinal abilities, anything from curing your arthritis to lowering your blood pressure and helping you drop excess weight.
And this popularity is also present within the raw food movement. Many raw foodists use ACV as a healthy way to add flavor to raw dishes like salads and soups.
But should apple cider vinegar really be considered a health food? Let’s take a look at some of the many health claims about apple cider vinegar and see for ourselves.
Is ACV Full of Nutrients?
No. Apple cider vinegar is a processed product. Much of the vitamins and minerals that were present in the original fruit are gone.
In fact, ACV doesn’t really contain much of any of stuff you need. One tablespoon of apple cider vinegar contains only tiny amounts of calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, and iron and not one drop of fiber, amino acids, or vitamins A, C, E, K, B6, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, or folate.
If you want to eat something that’s full of nutrients, and I know you do, turn to the real thing. Eat your fruits and veggies!
Is ACV a Good Source of Enzymes?
Yes, it is. But does this really matter, in terms of your own digestion and overall health? No, it doesn’t.
The idea that plant enzymes somehow help you digest your food is a huge misconception. The only enzymes that can function in your digestive system are YOUR OWN digestive enzymes.
The best way to have great digestion is to eat the foods that your body has evolved to digest, absorb, assimilate, and eliminate easily and efficiently. You know, good ole’ fruits and vegetables.
Does ACV Heal Your Body?
No, because no food heals your body. The body heals itself.
Drinking apple cider vinegar won’t help you heal and get healthy. Eating a diet comprised of lots of fresh fruit, greens, and limited fat will.
Should You Consume ACV?
No. While there are definitely worse ingredients to spruce up your nightly salads (bacon bits being one of them), apple cider vinegar still isn’t a good choice. There’s a reason you can’t drink the stuff on it’s own and even when combined with other alkaline foods, your eye’s still water and your nose still runs.
All vinegars, including ACV, are made by diluting the poison acetic acid with water. When you ingest apple cider vinegar, you are ingesting small doses of poison.
As Dr. Douglas Graham says in The 80/10/10 Diet (pg. 254):
Vinegar should not be considered food.
If you’re having a difficult time giving up apple cider vinegar, look to healthy alternatives. Lemon or lime juice will add nice acidity to your salads and other savory dishes and fresh herbs like cilantro will add great flavor and a hint of bitterness. A few sun-dried tomato halves is a great way to add a little healthy punch and depth of flavor to any dressing.
Go raw and be fit,
Swayze