15 amazing ways you can use apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is great to use for cooking, adding health benefits and delicious flavor to things like sauces, dressings, and marinades. But did you know that this versatile ingredient has a lot of valuable uses outside cooking?

Check out these 15 handy uses for apple cider vinegar for your home, your health, and even your pets!

Disinfects kitchen surfaces

Apple cider vinegar contains fermented sugars from apples. The process turns the sugars into acetic acid, a strong antimicrobial substance that can be used to kill some types of bacteria. It also helps you wipe off grease with ease, making apple cider vinegar a great all-natural cleaner in the kitchen.

Use apple cider vinegar particularly on food preparation and cooking surfaces, where you wouldn’t want any chemical residue. Just place pure apple cider vinegar into a spray bottle, spritz on to the area to be cleaned. Wait for a few seconds then wipe off with a clean cloth or sponge.

Helps lower blood sugar

A study published on the American Diabetes Association Diabetes Care website showed that taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar at bedtime together with an ounce of cheese helped manage waking blood sugar levels in Type 2 Diabetes patients.

These results are due to the acetic acid in the vinegar having an anti-glycemic effect, which means that it helps in reducing starch digestion, thereby lowering fasting blood sugars. It also improves insulin sensitivity.

Aids weight loss

Along with better insulin sensitivity, taking apple cider vinegar is also said to give people an increased feeling of satiety after meals, particularly after eating carbohydrates.

The feeling of fullness can lead to a decreased intake of food, and therefore, smaller calories consumed during the day. Over time, this could result in weight loss.

Manages cholesterol levels

Further studies are still needed to determine how effective apple cider vinegar really is in lowering cholesterol in humans. But, according to a Japanese study, there were positive results in lowering the cholesterol of participants in their panel.

The participants in the Japanese study ingested half an ounce of apple cider vinegar daily. Similar studies have also been conducted on rats. These also showed lowered bad cholesterol levels in their results.

Deodorizes rooms

You can use apple cider vinegar to get rid of bad odors in rooms, and even in your car. All you need to do is put some in a bowl, and place the bowl near the source of the foul smell until it disappears.

Eases sinus irritations

If you are looking for a natural treatment for sinusitis and congestion, you can try using apple cider vinegar in two ways, ingestion or inhalation.

You can drink 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar three times a day. Or, if you have a hard time taking it pure, drink a mixture of two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of honey and 8 ounces of water.

You can also mix together equal parts of water and apple cider vinegar, heat it, and inhale the steam through your mouth. It is said that this steam method can also help to kill bacteria.

Helps relieve sore throat

To make an antibacterial gargle, mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and one teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water. You can use this as often as you need to soothe a sore throat caused by a bad cough.

Eases stomach pain

Instead of reaching for antacids, take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and follow it up with a glass of water.

This should work right away to balance out your stomach acidity levels, and you should feel the pain subside within minutes of taking this mixture. Note, however, that this remedy does not work when you have an ulcer problem.

Rids pets of fleas

If you want to save on flea treatments for your pets, and are also concerned about using chemical substances on them, then a homemade flea spray could be a great option for you. This is safe to use on both cats and dogs.

Simply mix equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle, then spritz generously onto your pet. Allow him to air dry if the weather is warm enough, otherwise you may need to use a hair dryer.

Rids your garden of weeds

Managing unwanted weeds in your garden is made easy with the use of apple cider vinegar. Just spray weeds down the middle, in the middle of their flowers, and again at the stem close to the soil to make sure that the vinegar penetrates up to the roots.

Acts as a natural fruit and vegetable wash

Apple cider vinegar can also be used as an all-natural fruit and vegetable wash. This way, you can be sure to remove any chemicals or dirt that may have stuck to the skin or leaves of your fruits and veggies, without leaving any residue that may be harmful to you or your family.

Just place the fruits and vegetables in a bowl with enough water to cover them all. Add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and let sit for five to ten minutes. After soaking, lightly scrub the vegetables with a clean brush, then rinse them off with clean water and wipe dry.

Gives you better hair

Apple cider vinegar has many uses that are good for the hair. A tablespoon of it in water can be used to de-tangle and condition your mane.

This mixture also functions as a natural hair rinse, which can be used to remove product and dirt build-up. It has also been found to help reduce falling hair, dry scalp, and dandruff.

Acts as an all-natural facial toner

Aside from your hair, apple cider vinegar has been found to be good for your skin, too. It is great as a facial toner, helping your skin find a balance between dry and oily. Simply dilute a tablespoon of vinegar with a few drops of water and apply to the face using a cotton ball or pad.

You can use this toner to deep cleanse three to four times a week if you have normal or oily skin. For dry, sensitive skin, you should add more water to the mixture, and use less often to prevent skin damage.

Helps whiten teeth

Tooth whitening can be accomplished with the use of apple cider vinegar. The results don’t show as quickly as they would if you use a commercial whitener, but it does give you a chemical-free, organic whitening option.

Simply swish a mixture of two parts water, one part vinegar in your mouth for one minute when you brush your teeth.

Deodorizes smelly feet

Get rid of embarrassing foot odors with the help of apple cider vinegar. Add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a basin of water, and soak your feet in the mixture for about 20 minutes.

Rinse well with soap and water after soaking, then towel dry your feet. Keep doing this for a few days, and you should begin to notice the foul odors disappear.

15 amazing ways you can use apple cider vinegar

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patricia de Castro-Cuyugan

If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Google+ to stay up-to-date on the latest from theAsianparent.com Philippines!

Written by

Patricia de Castro-Cuyugan

apple cider vinegarEnglish