You might recall the distinct smell of apple cider vinegar from your grandma’s house. Maybe she had you drink it for an upset stomach or used it on mosquito bites or sunburns. Well, it’s making a comeback. It turns out grandma was right; apple cider vinegar is a go-to remedy for many conditions. Keeping a jar of organic raw apple cider vinegar in your kitchen and bathroom is a smart move.

But why is this simple ingredient so powerful? The secret lies in something called “The Mother.” It might look like a weird spider web floating in the bottle, but it’s packed with beneficial bacteria and nutrients that boost your health.

How Is Apple Cider Vinegar Made?

Raw apple cider vinegar is made from organic apples and undergoes a double fermentation process that preserves enzymes and nutrients, giving it therapeutic properties. Here are some of its nutritional benefits:

– Potassium: Strengthens teeth, prevents hair loss, and helps with runny noses.
– Pectin: Regulates blood pressure and reduces bad cholesterol.
– Malic Acid: Fights viruses, bacteria, and fungi.
– Calcium: Keeps teeth and bones strong.
– Ash: Normalizes body pH and maintains a healthy alkaline state.
– Acetic Acid: Slows down sugar entering the blood after meals.
– Vitamins: Contains A, B1, B2, B6, C, and E.

Apple Cider Vinegar vs. White Vinegar

Unlike regular white or brown vinegar, which loses its nutrients through distillation and processing, raw organic apple cider vinegar is full of live beneficial bacteria. Always look for the cobweb-like substance, “The Mother,” in the bottle to ensure it has therapeutic value.

Using Apple Cider Vinegar on Your Face & Skin

Apple cider vinegar is just as effective externally as it is internally. Many people include it in their daily beauty routines because it’s a natural and cost-effective way to keep skin fresh and supple.

5 Reasons to Wash Your Face with Apple Cider Vinegar

1. Reduces Age Spots: Contains alpha hydroxy acids that remove dead skin, revealing vibrant new skin. Dab some on a cotton ball and apply directly to age spots twice daily for six weeks.
2. Fights Acne: Malic acid makes it antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral, keeping pimples at bay.
3. Balances Skin: Helps balance pH and sebum production, preventing skin from becoming too oily or too dry.
4. Fights Wrinkles: Minimizes fine lines and wrinkles with a diluted face wash.
5. Removes Toxins: Regular use draws out toxins, leaving your skin with a youthful glow.

Common Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar

– Salad Dressing: Mix with raw honey and lemon juice for a tasty salad topper.
– Fluffy Rice: Add a touch while cooking rice for better texture.
– All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix with water and essential oil for a household cleaner.
– Fruit Fly Trap: Use as bait in a cup with dish soap.
– Steak Marinade: Tenderizes meat when used before cooking.
– Clean Fruits and Veggies: A diluted wash cleans produce effectively.
– Ease Leg Cramps: Rub on the affected area for relief.
– Remove Warts: Soak a cotton ball in vinegar and bandage it overnight.
– Fight Yeast Infections: Add to bathwater and soak.
– Hair Rinse: For shiny hair, rinse with a vinegar-water mix.
– Flea Bath: Rinse pets with it to keep fleas away.
– Clear Stuffy Nose: Drink a mix of vinegar, warm water, honey, and lemon.
– Remedy Heartburn: Drink a diluted mix before meals.

Apple Cider Vinegar Recipes

– Skin Clarifying Mask: Mix arrowroot powder, rose water, vinegar, nutritional yeast, and ginger kombucha.
– Hair Mask: Combine raw honey and vinegar for dry hair.
– Energy Drink: Mix water, honey, vinegar, and ginger root.
– Relaxing Detox Bath: Add vinegar, Epsom salt, and lavender oil to bathwater.
– Weight Loss Booster: Mix vinegar, water, lemon juice, honey, and red pepper.
– Immune Booster: Combine vinegar, green tea, lemon juice, honey, ginger, and cinnamon.

How to Make Your Own Apple Cider Vinegar

Ingredients:
– Apple peelings or cores
– 1 tablespoon of sugar per cup of water
– Water
– Glass jar

Instructions:
1. Fill the jar ¾ with peels and cores.
2. Dissolve sugar in water and pour over apples, leaving some space at the top.
3. Cover with a coffee filter and rubber band.
4. Let it sit in a warm, dark place for two weeks, stirring occasionally.
5. Strain and let sit for another 2-4 weeks until it reaches the desired taste.
6. Store in a jar with a lid.

Apple cider vinegar is a versatile and powerful ingredient that can benefit your health, beauty routine, and even your home.