Having a freshly prepared balanced diet coupled with adequate physical activity, and a consistent sleep cycle, are all that you require to maintain optimal health. Unfortunately, in the fast-paced world today, it is nearly impossible to ensure that you get all three.
Even when you consciously decide to take a more active role in adopting a healthy lifestyle, it seems near impossible to balance all these aspects of good health. When mental health is added to this list, it can even seem intimidating and overwhelming to try and be healthier to uncover your best self.
This is where health supplements offer enormous value. Taking the right dietary supplements and harnessing their collective benefits can help you achieve a healthy lifestyle with ease. Choosing the right supplement that addresses your needs is the key here.
It is advisable to consult a healthcare provider before picking a supplement to ensure that data back it and addresses your unique concerns. It is also advisable to buy from a reputed manufacturer as medical boards like the FDA do not regulate supplements.
Apple cider vinegar is one such dietary supplement known for its wide range of benefits. It is especially known to be effective when taken at night before bed. According to Ipsos, half of Americans in the United States, use Apple Cider Vinegar for their Health and Wellness.
In this article, we discuss apple cider vinegar and its benefits and reasons why you should take it before bed every day.
What is apple cider vinegar?
The vinegar made by fermenting apple juice is referred to as apple cider vinegar. Yeast and beneficial bacteria are added to apple juice, which breaks down the sugar in the juice to convert it into alcohol.
Furthermore, acetobacter bacteria are also utilized to ferment the concoction further to derive good-quality apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar has been used as a part of traditional medicine and home remedies by many communities worldwide.
It is reported to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Reportedly, it also provides valuable antioxidants to your body to help fight against oxidative stress caused by free radicals.
When should you consume apple cider vinegar?
While many nutritionists seemingly agree on the benefits of consuming apple cider vinegar, the right time to consume it remains a much-contested debate. There are several reported benefits for consuming it at various different times.
There are several reported benefits for drinking it on an empty stomach in the morning, drinking it before meals, and drinking it before bed.
While there is not enough data to suggest that certain timings are more beneficial than others, the benefits offered may vary with the timing of consumption.
It is important to identify which of these benefits are most necessary for you and consume apple cider vinegar accordingly to optimize your health goals.
Drinking apple cider vinegar by mixing 1 Tablespoon for every cup of water in the morning on an empty stomach is reported to be beneficial for those looking to lose some weight.
It is an effective detoxifying agent that can help balance pH levels, reduce fatigue, increase energy, and improve physical performance.
Drinking apple cider vinegar before eating a meal is linked to benefits that help combat conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
Having it before meals can help control blood sugar levels by improving insulin sensitivity and negating a spike in blood glucose. This can be beneficial for those with a family history of diabetes.
Consuming apple cider vinegar in the night comes with its own set of benefits. It can improve digestion and keep your blood sugar levels optimal to help your body recover better.
By keeping blood sugar levels low, it also helps in the breakdown of fat in your body during sleep. It also helps with overall satiety, helping you maintain a calorie deficit that is vital to achieving weight loss.
7 Benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar every night before bed
Among the many recommended times to consume apple cider vinegar is at night before bed. Drinking apple cider vinegar before going to sleep offers its own range of benefits to people.
It is primarily taken at this time to keep blood glucose levels in check and is especially effective for those looking to manage or prevent type 2 diabetes.
Drinking apple cider vinegar every night before bed has gained a lot of popularity among users due to the numerous benefits that it offers. The top 7 benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar every night before bed are:
1). Improved digestion:
When you wake up in the morning, your stomach is in a fast state and anticipating food. This leads to excess stomach acid production in the morning, and taking ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) can lead to acidity.
On the other hand, at night time, stomach acid production is deficient, making digestion more challenging.
Supplementing with ACV at night before bed helps stimulate and aid stomach acids for optimal digestion of your food and improves overall pH and acid production in the stomach. This helps optimal nutrition absorption in your body.
2). Blood sugar regulation:
There is no secret that diabetes is common in the United States. Apple cider vinegar is being widely researched for its benefits in regulating blood sugar levels.
Research suggests it can improve insulin sensitivity and help the body use glucose more effectively. Decreased insulin sensitivity and elevated blood sugar levels are the main causes of developing diabetes.
By consuming ACV regularly before bed, you can help your body effectively keep blood glucose levels in check and maintain your insulin sensitivity.
This can help manage or avoid developing type-2 diabetes. This also helps the body break down body fat for energy instead of using carbohydrates and blood sugars.
3). Weight management:
Besides controlling blood sugar levels, ACV has plenty of benefits that can help with weight management. Research indicates that ACV is effective in increasing satiety among users.
By increasing satiety, ACV helps you feel fuller. This curbs your cravings and helps you maintain a calorie deficit with ease.
Moreover, maintaining a calorie deficit and consuming enough protein can stimulate fat loss, helping your weight management goals. Furthermore, its benefits in digestion can help with the optimal absorption of nutrients in your body.
4). Improved sleep quality:
Further research is required in this context, but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that suggests that ACV helps improve the quality of sleep. ACV contains amino acids like tryptophan that stimulate the production of melatonin and serotonin, which are the hormones that regulate our sleep cycles.
Furthermore, its ability to control blood sugar levels, aid digestion, and improve stomach pH can help the body feel more relaxed, helping you achieve a more relaxing and satisfying nap.
5). Mitigating acid reflux:
It helps people avoid occasional stomach acid ailments like heartburn and acid reflux. However, if you suffer from a chronic case of excess stomach acid production, it is recommended that you consult a doctor before consuming anything acidic, including apple cider vinegar.
Despite being an acid, consuming small amounts of diluted ACV neutralizes and regulates stomach acid production, helping avoid acid reflux and heartburn.
6). Antioxidants:
Oxidative stress caused by free radicals can damage the cells in your body over time. Apple cider vinegar is rich in antioxidants that can help combat damage caused by free radicals, protect your cells, and promote overall well-being.
Consuming ACV at night helps you make the most of its antioxidant properties. It helps your body absorb the antioxidants present in ACV and utilize them optimally to help you gain the most benefits out of this equation.
7). Antimicrobial properties:
The primary content in apple cider vinegar is acetic acid, which has natural antimicrobial properties. This helps ACV inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in your stomach, further aiding digestion.
Regularly consuming apple cider vinegar before bed can help regulate gut bacteria by inhibiting the growth and spread of harmful bacteria. This helps in the optimal absorption of nutrients in your body as well as helping avoid several ailments related to the gut.
Conclusion
There are several supplements available in the market that offer various benefits for your body. Apple cider vinegar is a widely used supplement from which many have benefitted. However, it is essential to understand whether your body requires those benefits before opting for it.
It is important to note that authorities like the FDA do not regulate supplements, and therefore caution must be exercised while picking a product. Choose a reputed manufacturer that has its products authenticated by independent bodies.
Consult your healthcare provider to identify whether consuming ACV would be helpful for your particular body and health. Consume ACV at a time that offers the benefits that you are most interested in.
FAQ
1. Which is the best time to consume apple cider vinegar?
Ans: There isn’t enough evidence to suggest that consuming apple cider vinegar at one time is better than the other. It can be consumed first thing in the morning before bed, before taking your meals, or before going to bed. The benefits offered can vary, and you must choose a time according to the benefits that you are most interested in.
2. Can we drink apple cider vinegar directly?
Ans: No, apple cider vinegar is an acid that can harm your tooth, mouth, and food pipe. It is necessary to dilute it in water to ensure it doesn’t cause erosion or harm to your mouth and food pipe.
3. Does apple cider vinegar help with weight loss?
Ans: Yes, but not directly. Apple cider vinegar helps manage blood sugar levels and improves insulin sensitivity. This helps the body metabolize body fat for energy instead of breaking down carbohydrates and sugars.
Furthermore, ACV helps promote a feeling of satiety which can help achieve a calorie deficit with ease. Therefore, consuming ACV while following a freshly prepared, balanced diet can help with weight loss.
4. Can apple cider vinegar help prevent diabetes?
Ans: Apple cider vinegar has remarkable potential to help combat, manage, and prevent type 2 diabetes. This is because of ACV’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity in the body.
Type 2 diabetes occurs due to the body’s inability to regulate blood sugar levels due to constant sugar spikes and decreased insulin sensitivity. By addressing these issues directly, ACV can help prevent type 2 diabetes.
5. Is it okay to drink apple cider vinegar multiple times a day?
Ans: Yes, if sufficiently diluted and spaced, ACV can be consumed up to three times a day. However, caution must be exercised as consuming too much can be counter-productive for your body. Consuming too much can disturb the pH of your digestive tract and can worsen symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux.
When taken in the correct quantity, it can help prevent these very same ailments. Furthermore, the ideal dosage and timings depend on your personal medical history and the characteristics of your body, like acid production levels.
It is therefore recommended that you consult your healthcare provider before deciding on dosage and timing of consumption.
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