Vinegar comes in many varieties, including rice, grape, pear, and raspberry. But apple cider vinegar is considered the most beneficial. It can be used to rinse hair for added shine, applied to the body to reduce fever, or dabbed on insect bites to relieve itching. Those are just a few of the many health uses of this remarkable product. Our ancestors regarded apple cider vinegar as a panacea. It’s a natural cocktail of over 30 essential vitamins, pectins, and enzymes.
For centuries, people have used vinegar (fermented wine) as a flavor enhancer, medicine, and cosmetic staple. Almost all ancient texts—from the Bible to magical books and writings from ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt—mention vinegar. During the Middle Ages, amid the Great Plague, doctors used vinegar for disinfection when visiting or treating patients. In ancient China, vinegar is still made from rice today. The Japanese produce vinegar from unrefined brown rice, believing the product can help maintain health, youth, and strength. Samurai prepared a special drink by placing a fresh egg in a glass of rice vinegar and leaving it for a week. During that time the eggshell dissolved completely, leaving a transparent membrane. That membrane was then broken and the contents were mixed with the vinegar. They drank this mixture three times a day in small doses with warm water. In Egypt, wine and vinegar were made from figs. In India, palm sap remains a common ingredient for making vinegar, and people there have used it for burns, wounds, snake bites, gangrene, and even for dissolving hard tumors. In the U.S. and Japan, apple cider vinegar is used to treat gastritis, otitis, and to disinfect hospital surfaces.
For people with high stomach acidity, mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of honey in warm water. Drink it half an hour before meals, twice a day. Do not increase the dosage in hopes of speeding recovery, as higher amounts can harm the body. Also avoid low-quality, cheap vinegar produced through accelerated fermentation methods.
Make vinegar at home by chopping unpeeled apples into large pieces and letting them darken. Mash the mixture and squeeze out the juice, pouring it into a glass or ceramic container. Cover the neck of the container with a rubber balloon so it can expand as fermentation occurs. Place the container in a very warm spot and let the mixture ferment for 1 to 6 weeks. After that, pour the mixture into a wide bowl, cover it with a towel, and leave it for secondary fermentation. Add a vinegar mother—a film formed by acetic bacteria—to speed the process; without it, fermentation can take several months.
Apple cider vinegar is commonly used for flu, sore throat, and cough. Because it contains easily absorbed iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid, apple cider vinegar can be helpful for anemia. People with arthritis, asthma, and kidney stones may also benefit, since pectin in the vinegar can lower cholesterol by preventing some fat absorption. These pectins, along with antioxidants, may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
To treat calluses, soak a piece of bread crust in apple cider vinegar and apply it to your feet overnight. In the morning, the softened calluses should come off. Rinse tired, brittle hair with a vinegar solution to help eliminate dandruff. For sunburn, rub the skin with a water-and-vinegar solution. The boron found in apple cider vinegar plays a role in calcium metabolism.
Despite being acidic, vinegar’s pH is close to the skin’s, making it suitable for cosmetic use on both dry and oily skin. Rinse your mouth with a weak solution of apple cider vinegar to strengthen gums and help prevent plaque. Apple cider vinegar deserves a place in your home medicine cabinet. Stay healthy!
