Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Apple Cider Vinegar

                       Vinegar, in general, is thought to be good for health. That is why it is used in salad. It has a sour (खट्टा) taste. You may have seen small peeled onions in a bowl of vinegar placed on the table in restaurants.
 
Apple Cider Vinegar
with Mother
                        Vinegar is chemically known as 'Acetic acid'. It is made mostly of fruits, grains or sugarcane. Example, grapes, apples, rice, barley-corn, palm etc. The sugar in fruit juice is fermented to form ethyl alcohol which is further fermented to get vinegar. Out of all the kinds of vinegar, Apple Cider Vinegar is thought to have most beneficial health effects. Just as in our Indian culture we believe that "Tulsi" leaves have medicinal properties and used as natural remedies for cold, cough and many other ailments, similarly in western culture apple and its products are considered as natural remedies for many ailments. "Tulsi" is related to Hindu religion and apple is related to Christianity. According to Bible, God had prohibited Aam and eve to eat the fruit of knowledge in the Eden. It is widely believed that this fruit of knowledge was apple. So this natural remedy of apple cider vinegar is a western thing. Some decades ago, hardly anyone in India had known of this thing, but as the internet spread, we knew many things about each other. Now people in India know about apple cider vinegar.
                       Though it is claimed that it has numerous healing properties ranging from simple anti-aging to cancer treatment but modern science hardly approves these claims. If you try to know comments of people using it regularly, it is surprising that most people claim positive about its health benefits. In the western world, some people are consuming apple cider vinegar through generations and they claim it has a role in their longevity. Most common health effects of apple cider vinegar are for weight loss, sugar and blood pressure control, freedom from acne, good shining skin, dandruff treatment and benefit in breast cancer. 
                       The variety of apple cider vinegar to be used as a natural remedy is labeled as "with mother". This "mother" thing in the golden brown vinegar is formed during the fermentation and left in the liquid for it is believed to have beneficial bacterias.
                      Apple Cider vinegar was not available in the local markets a few years ago but it was available on online marketing sites. Last month I saw a few of it in some big "Kirana" stores. At the same time, a friend of mine said that he has started using apple cider vinegar and feels good. So, I too decided to use it primarily for weight loss and blood pressure control. I am taking a spoonful of it with warm water in the empty stomach twice daily. Surprisingly it is having its good effect on me. Within a month I have lost 2.5 kg. What I feel about its working is that it reduces your diet without giving weakness. In general, if you reduce the daily intake of your regular quantity of food you feel weak and hungry. But not if you take apple cider vinegar (ACV) regularly. I will take it regularly for two more months and see if the good effect of it continues. Then only I will decide what to do about it next. 
                         Whatever be its effects one must not take it in excess quantity and take it judiciously. For example, it is also claimed that ACV makes the teeth white. But I will not advise to rub it on the teeth because after all, it is an acid and our teeth are made up of Calcium. Acids react with Calcium. So it is possible that rubbing of ACV may erode the enamel of teeth which do not regenerate. 
                   In western country "Bragg" is an old and famous brand of ACV, Since they sell it on a large scale it is obvious that they will say a lot about its benefits. They sell a book on it - Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar Book. This vinegar is also available at Amazon as - Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar.
                   Another thing about it is its taste. It is not only sour but strong too. Some people may not drink it even after dilution in water.
                 While one may find one or two varieties of ACV in local "Kirana" stores, the online marketing sites have a lot of varieties other than "with mother". If you want to check it you may visit following links.

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