5 Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits

Apple cider vinegar isn't just for cooking anymore - apple cider vinegar benefits your health, too. The health benefits of apple cider vinegar have been well known for thousands of years. Even Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used apple cider vinegar as a healing tonic.

Raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar is full of beneficial nutrients, enzymes and amino acids. Raw cider vinegar, with its cloudy, murky brown appearance, might not look as appealing as the clear, filtered cider vinegar you find at the grocery store, but it's that sediment, called mother of vinegar, that contains all the good stuff. So, just what can apple cider vinegar do for you?

Weight Loss
Apple cider vinegar is said to promote weight loss by helping to control the appetite, as well as helping to burn fat. To use apple cider vinegar to help lose weight, drink a mixture of 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in eight ounces of water before each meal. If desired, you can add a teaspoon of honey to improve the taste.

Clear, Healthy Skin
Apple cider vinegar can give you clearer, healthier skin two ways:

• Drinking a tonic of apple cider vinegar and water three times a day promotes healthy liver function, which means less toxins in the body. Fewer toxins mean healthier skin.
• Apple cider vinegar can be applied to the skin topically. Dilute the vinegar with water to a 10 percent solution and apply to the skin with a cotton ball twice daily.

Healthy, Shiny Hair
Regular use of apple cider vinegar can make your hair shiny and healthy; vinegar also will improve the health of your scalp. Apple cider vinegar is said to eliminate dandruff and slow hair loss. It also removes build up from styling products. At least once a week, rinse your hair and scalp with a solution of raw apple cider vinegar and water. Leave on for 30 minutes, then rinse.

Improved Immune System
Apple cider vinegar can help you stay healthy by boosting your immune system. Drinking a tonic of apple cider vinegar and water promotes overall health and wellness, improving your body's ability to fight off illness. It also has natural antibiotic and antiseptic properties.

Improved Digestion
Apple cider vinegar contains beneficial nutrients, enzymes, fiber and acids that work with your body's own stomach acids and digestive enzymes to promote good digestion. Apple cider vinegar can also eliminate digestive problems, such as acid reflux. To improve your digestion, drink a mixture of two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and eight ounces of water before each meal.