Nutrition and Wellness

Is Drinking Vinegar the Next Lemon Water? What to Know

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I have long been a fan ofΒ apple cider vinegar (ACV), an old home remedy that has some solid science behind it. Research suggests ACV may offer health benefits, such as helping to reduceΒ blood sugar, support gut health, and potentially warding off weight gain. But recentlyΒ aΒ wave of bottled beveragesΒ starring vinegarΒ has emerged; and the trend is predicted to keep on growing. If you’ve seen these drinks at the grocery store, you may be wondering: Are they worth a try?

The short answer is maybe, with a few caveats. The trouble with drinking vinegars is that’s there’s no standard formula, soΒ it’s tough to know exactly how much vinegar one serving contains. What’s more, many products containΒ fruit juice or purΓ©ed fruit, added sugar, or sweeteners like stevia. Others are formulated with probiotics, or extra ingredients like balsamic vinegar, herbs, and spices. Finally, some are ready to drink, while others are concentrated and need to be diluted (with sparkling water, for example).

The wide range of productsΒ makes it difficult to give the whole categoryΒ a definitive thumbs up or down. But if you’re interested in trying aΒ drinking vinegar, remember that regardless of all the marketing claims, you should always read the ingredient list so you know exactly what’s in the bottle. Here are a few things to scope out:

Check Type Of Vinegar

I came across one product that includes cane vinegar rather thanΒ ACV. An older study from 2004 suggested that cane vinegar may have cancer-fighting properties. But there’s far less research on its benefits compared to its apple cider cousin.

RELATED: These Are the Real Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Note Serving Size

Some bottles of ready-to-sip drinking vinegar may contain two servings, which meansΒ you should drink half and save the rest for the next day. Or if you’re going to drink it all, be sure toΒ multiply the carbs, sugar, and calories by two.

Be Mindful Of The Sugar

My personal favorite beverage in this category is BraggΒ Organic Apple Cider VinegarΒ All-Natural Drink With Honey.Β It’s made simplyβ€”with distilled water, Bragg’s own organic apple cider vinegar, and organic honey. The vinegar flavor is strongΒ though not overpowering. But here’s the caveat: Half the bottle contains 13 grams of sugar. That’s more than three teaspoons of added sugar. Drink the whole bottle and you’ll hitΒ theΒ American Heart Association’s recommended daily maximum of six teaspoons of added sugar per day for women.Β (While organic honey is a better-for-you sweetener, it still counts as added sugar.)

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RELATED: 5 All-Natural Sweeteners That Are (Somewhat) Healthier Than Sugar

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Making It At Home IsΒ Healthier Option

If you DIY your drinking vinegar, you canΒ control the ingredients, including the type and amount of sweetener you use. My recommended formula: two teaspoons of organic raw apple cider vinegar and oneΒ teaspoon of organic honey swirled into a cup of warm water once a day. (You can also chill it and sip it cold.)

Another way to reap the benefits of ACV is by incorporating it intoΒ a daily meal or snack. Add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to a smoothie, for example. Or you can whisk it with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and herbs as a dressing for greens or raw veggies; stir it into a soup like white bean and kale; or blend it with a little mustard and drizzle it over potatoes or squash.

Don’t Go Overboard

It is possible to get too much of a good thing: High amounts of apple cider vinegar may lowerΒ potassiumΒ levels in youΒ body. As with many beneficial foods and ingredients, moderation rather than excess is the best way to get all the perks.

Cynthia Sass is Health’s contributing nutrition editor, a New York Times best-selling author, and consultant for the New York Yankees. See her full bio here.

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Is Drinking Vinegar the Next Lemon Water? Here’s What to Know

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Source: Health.com

For more information, feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900

By Dr. Alex Jimenez

El Paso Chiropractor and Back Specialist

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The information herein on "Is Drinking Vinegar the Next Lemon Water? What to Know" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

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Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, acupuncture, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

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Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

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