If you’re like me, you think the taste of apple cider vinegar straight from the bottle is unbearable.
The good news is that there are several ways to consume apple cider vinegar without suffering through its strong taste. The question is, are apple cider vinegar pills a good alternative?
In this blog post I’m going to share with you why you don’t want to take apple cider vinegar pills. I’m also going to give you some ideas for incorporating apple cider vinegar into your diet.
First, let’s dive right into the reasons why you don’t want to take apple cider vinegar pills.
7 Downfalls of Apple Cider Vinegar Pills
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Most Apple Cider Vinegar Pills have Pasteurized ACV
Most apple cider vinegar pills are filled with filtered and pasteurized apple cider vinegar. The goodness of apple cider vinegar comes from its raw, unfiltered state.
Pasteurization is the process of heating liquids and foods to kill viruses and harmful organisms.
Louis Pasteur invented pasteurization in the 1860’s at a time when commercial dairy production (milk, especially) wasn’t sanitary and dairy was being collected from sick animals in poor living conditions.
When food is collected, handled and stored properly, pasteurization isn’t needed.
Negative Effects of Pasteurization:
- Pasteurization destroys active enzymes in food
- Pasteurization diminishes the vitamin content of food
- Pasteurization denatures fragile proteins
- Pasteurization kills beneficial bacteria
To reap the full benefits of apple cider vinegar you need to consume it in its raw, unfiltered form.
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Most Apple Cider Vinegar Pills are Not Organic
Quality is key! It’s always best to consume certified organic apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar (in a bottle) is pretty inexpensive to begin with, so why not spend a little extra for the best money can buy?
Unfortunately, most apple cider vinegar pills are filled with non-organic (and pasteurized) ACV.
What does that mean? Below is a list of the top pesticides and how often they’re found in conventionally grown apples.
Pesticide Residues Found in Conventionally Grown Apples:
*Percentages are how often the pesticide is found in commercially grown (non-organic) apples.
- Diphenylamine (DPA): 82.8%
- Thiabendazole: 81.0%
- Pyrimethanil: 75.2%
- Chlorantraniliprole: 41.2%
- Acetamiprid: 28.7%
- Imidacloprid: 20.2%
- Carbendazim (MBC): 17.3%
- Tetrahydrophthalimide (THPI): 16.7%
- Methoxyfenozide: 15.9%
- Fludioxonil: 13.4%
- Thiacloprid: 12.7%
- Boscalid: 12.7%
- Pyraclostrobin: 11.8%
- Phosmet: 9.6%
- Azinphos methyl: 9.2%
- Fenpyroximate: 8.5%
- Endosulfan II: 8.1%
- Myclobutanil: 8.1%
- Diazinon: 6.5%
- Trifloxystrobin: 5.8%
- Spinetoram: 5.0%
These are pesticides that have been found to affect the body in the following ways:
- As Known Carcinogens
- As Suspected Hormone Disruptors
- As Neurotoxins
- As Developmental or Reproductive Toxins
The less often you consume these residues, the better.
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Apple Cider Vinegar Pills are Less Effective
Common sense tells us that poor-quality products are less effective.
A product that has been made with lower quality produce and been over-processed is not going to be as healthy for you as the same product in its most natural form.
While there isn’t much out there in the way of apple cider vinegar studies that show the differences between raw and highly-processed ACV, the altering of foods to the point that what makes them healthy and beneficial is destroyed, is something you want to get in the habit of avoiding.
Even if you simply start with apple cider vinegar, do your best to consume more and more foods that have not been processed.
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Most Apple Cider Vinegar Pills are Not Regulated or Held to a Particular Standard
When something is “Not Approved by the FDA” this means that the product and the seller’s claims are not regulated by the FDA.
This means that the apple cider vinegar pills you’re buying may not be what they claim to be. Or may simply be misleading.
Here are some “claims” I found listed for apple cider vinegar pills, on the bottles/packaging.
Ask yourself: What do these mean? Where is the proof?
- A popular ingredient for fitness enthusiasts
- Guaranteed quality
- Made in the USA with select ingredients from around the world
- Laboratory tested
- Maximum potency
- Superior apple cider vinegar pills
What we do know about apple cider vinegar is that in its raw, unfiltered, organic form, it has powerful benefits! But when a substance like ACV is heated, denatured, made from non-organic produce and put in capsules, it’s not the same as a glass bottle full of unaltered ACV.
You also need to be able to trust the company you buy your ACV from. I trust Bragg and all of their statements. They have been around for a very long time and don’t make outrageous claims. They simply spread the good news about apple cider vinegar.
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Apple Cider Vinegar Pills are More Expensive
A 16 oz. bottle of the highest quality apple cider vinegar costs about $12. A bottle of apple cider vinegar pills that contains about 2-4 oz. of ACV costs between $15 and $25.
That’s a big difference! Buying apple cider vinegar pills doesn’t give you much for your money!
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Apple Cider Vinegar Pills Limit Your Intake
Apple cider vinegar can be consumed in many different ways! You can add ACV and honey to a little bit of water and drink it that way, add ACV to broths and stews, and make delicious salad dressings with ACV.
I love apple cider vinegar so much that the last thing I want to do is drink (take) less of it! Taking apple cider vinegar pills means that you’re more than likely consuming far less than if you cooked with ACV and/or drank it out of a glass.
It’s far better to make ACV a part of your cooking go-to’s and learn what all you can do with it!
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The Capsules of Apple Cider Vinegar Pills are Not Always Organic
This is a secondary concern, seeing as how we’re really focused on the apple cider vinegar inside of the capsules but apple cider vinegar isn’t the only thing you’re putting into your body when you take apple cider vinegar pills.
There are generally two different types of capsules.
There are traditional capsules that are made primarily from gelatin; soft-shelled capsules that are more commonly known as soft-gels. The gelatin is an animal product that is produced largely from commercially raised feedlot cattle.
Then there are veggie capsules that are produced for vegetarian consumption. The veggie capsules are largely made from vegetable waste that may or may not be organic.
While no long-term studies have been done to test the effects of capsules on gut health, why not minimize how often you take capsules, when possible?
7 Major Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
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ACV Helps Balance the Body’s PH
The human body is designed to naturally maintain a healthy balance of acidity and alkalinity. A normal pH level is 7.40 on a scale of 0 to 14, where 0 is the most acidic. While apple cider vinegar alone won’t determine your body’s PH, every little bit helps. ACV, along with a healthy diet, will aid in balancing your PH.
Apple cider vinegar can prevent premature aging through ACV’s powerful antioxidant abilities. Antioxidants help reduce cell damage. Apple cider vinegar will slow the aging process and can make you feel younger. This is done through ACV maintaining your pH balance so that the body operates with less friction.
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ACV Helps Lower Blood Sugar
Drinking raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar can help lower blood sugar levels. By its very nature, ACV can regulate healthy blood sugar levels in the body, which is great for those with Type Two Diabetes.
Apple Cider Vinegar’s Blood Sugar Benefits:
- Improves insulin sensitivity during high-carb meals.
- Apple cider vinegar can improve insulin function and lower blood sugar levels after meals.
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bedtime can reduce fasting blood sugar.
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ACV Improves Heart Health
Apple cider vinegar can increase the good cholesterol so you maintain a healthy heart and cardiovascular system.
Animal studies have shown that apple cider vinegar can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as several other heart disease risk factors.
STUDIES:
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ACV Helps Detoxify the Liver
ACV works to detoxify your liver for better overall health and bodily functions. It also helps build a healthy lymphatic system that aids in proper circulation.
Apple cider vinegar has multiple detoxification properties. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and enzymes, and it also helps to stimulate circulation, as mentioned above. ACV also contains unique acids that can bind to toxins to help the body eliminate them.
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ACV Can Help You Lose Weight
How does apple cider vinegar help you lose weight?
Several studies have shown that vinegar can help you eat fewer calories by making you feel fuller and lead to actual pounds lost on the scale.
A study in 175 people with obesity showed that consuming apple cider vinegar daily led to weight loss.
- 1 Tablespoon – Lost 2.6 pounds
- 2 Tablespoons – Lost 3.7 pounds
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ACV Kills Harmful Bacteria
Apple cider vinegar helps reduce pathogens like E. Coli and other dangerous foreign entities in the body. In fact, the main ingredient in ACV is something called Acetic Acid which stops bad bacteria from spreading through the body.
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ACV Inhibits the Growth of Cancer Cells
Apple cider vinegar can inhibit the growth of cancer cells and lower the odds with its anti-cancer properties. While keeping other cancers at bay, apple cider vinegar assists in shrinking tumors.
Studies have shown that vinegar can kill cancer cells and shrink tumors:
Apoptosis in Human Leukemia Cells by Vinegar
Conclusion
Apple Cider Vinegar is clearly among the healthiest things you can drink daily to support your body and will help with your overall health and longevity.
Because ACV is so very healthy, you definitely want to consume the highest quality apple cider vinegar that you can. You also want it to be in its most natural state: raw, unfiltered, with the mother.