If you’ve ever tried apple cider vinegar, chances are you do not like the taste of it. It’s a very strong and potent taste that can be tough to swallow if it’s not mixed with other ingredients.
However, if you can get past the initial taste of the drink you’re more likely to reap some of its benefits such as blood sugar regulation, improved cholesterol levels, and potential weight loss.
To incorporate more apple cider vinegar into your diet, it’s important to both drink it at certain times of the day when it can be most effective. It’s also helpful to prepare it so that it covers up its harsh taste, making it more palatable and easier to consume regularly.
We spoke with a member of our Medical Expert Board, registered dietitian Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, who tells us the best ways to drink ACV, both when to drink it and how to drink it. Once you’re done finding the best methods, be sure to check out The Best Apple Cider Vinegar Supplements, According to Dietitians.
According to Shapiro, drinking apple cider vinegar before meals may help to curb your appetite. It also can potentially help with the digestion of carbohydrates. This would then lower any blood sugar spikes.
In fact, research has concluded that people who ate food while consuming vinegar during a meal felt more full afterward. This led to researchers believing that consuming vinegar (especially with higher acidic levels) before a meal could help you feel fuller faster.
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Shapiro also believes that drinking apple cider vinegar in the morning is one of the best ways to consume it. This is because apple cider vinegar would help fill your gut with healthy bacteria.
Since apple cider vinegar is a fermented food, Shapiro believes it can promote a balanced and nourished microbiome—the community of microorganisms in your body—which is very important for your health by helping control digestion and benefiting your immune system as well as other aspects of your overall health.
“I definitely recommend diluting with water, otherwise you risk irritating your esophagus,” says Shapiro.
She believes 1 tablespoon of ACV in 8 ounces of water to be a good balance.
Shapiro says that some people like to add ginger, lemon, cinnamon, and/or a sweetener such as a stevia, monk fruit, or honey to make it more palatable.
“Over time you’ll get used to the interesting flavor,” Shapiro says. “I like to add cinnamon as cinnamon also helps to manage blood sugar levels and promotes weight loss.”
Luckily, ACV can be used in a variety of ways, which makes it a good ingredient to add to other drinks. Shapiro also recommends trying the following:
- Adding hot water and opting for it instead of tea.
- Adding it to cold water as a refreshing beverage.
- Sweetening it with honey and cinnamon in water.
- Adding it to seltzer to make it a spritzer.
- Enjoying it on a salad as a dressing instead of drinking it.
Kayla Garritano
