Apple cider vinegar has health benefits, but there is a right and wrong way to use it—and in this case, apple cider vinegar drink “wrong way” can potentially be dangerous and unhealthy. While there are many ACV health benefits, drinking it this way may be more harmful than helpful.
Green apples in a lilac plate and a bottle of apple juice on a wooden light background. Consuming a little bit of ACV right before eating can help substitute for these lost gastric juices, allowing food to digest more easily. The end result is that you may experience less bloating or indigestion after eating. She also suggests trying it as part of a salad dressing, which she says is another way to reap its benefits. Remember, it’s vinegar, and vinegar gives off a potent smell that can act as in irritant. Be careful not to inhale, or at least not deeply, as you drink it. Instead, Abel suggests diluting ACV with some water to your preferred taste to help diminish the strong vinegar smell.
ACV is highly acidic and as such, can damage tooth enamel. So, the more the better, right? Too much of a good thing is usually a problem—and apple cider vinegar is no exception. Especially if you’re new to ACV, you should make sure you’re not taking too much of it. Stix, a naturopathic doctor and clinical hypnotherapist. Even if the ACV is diluted, it can still harm your esophagus if the acid comes into contact with it while you’re lying down.
Bottle of fresh cider near autumn apples. Take it if you have H. While apple cider vinegar can, for the most part, boost your digestive health, there are some stomach conditions that this acidic substance will only make worse. One example is if you have Helicobacter pylori, the type of bacteria linked to ulcers. You can use ACV for its beauty benefits. It may help banish acne and dandruff or even ease a sunburn. But there’s a right and a wrong way to use ACV on your skin.
Matt Weik, a kinesiologist and owner of Weik Fitness, LLC. Stix, ND, naturopathic doctor and clinical hypnotherapist, Canada. Meghan Jones is a Staff Writer for RD. She graduated from Marist College with a Bachelor of Arts in English and has been writing for Reader’s Digest since 2017.