Why you should always keep apple cider vinegar in your pantry

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is an absolute pantry stable. This golden and inexpensive elixir has been used for centuries as a healing tonic, and modern research is finally catching up to what generations have known intuitively.

Whether you’re looking to balance hormones, support your gut boost energy, or get glowing skin, apple cider vinegar might just be your new best friend.

What exactly is apple cider vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting crushed apples with yeast and bacteria. The result is a tangy acidic liquid, rich in acetic acid, enzymes, probiotics, and trace minerals.

Apple cider vinegar – what is it used for?

1. Balancing blood sugar (especially before meals)

Studies show ACV can reduce blood sugar spikes by slowing carbohydrate digestion and improving insulin sensitivity. Add a tablespoon to water before a meal.

2. Supports natural weight loss

Apple cider vinegar increases satiety, making you feel full and therefore reducing food cravings. It’s not a magic pill, but when combined with a whole foods diet, it can naturally support your body’s fat-burning efforts.

3. Helps relieves acid reflux.

It may sound counterintuitive, how can something acidic help with acid reflux? But it works.

Most people reach for antacids like Rennie or Tums to soothe that burning feeling in the chest. But here’s the catch, what feels like “too much acid” is often too little. Low stomach acid is often the root cause of acid reflux.

When you don’t produce enough stomach acid:

• Food sits too long in the your stomach (not being digested)
• It ferments, causing gas and pressure
• That pressure pushes acid back into the esophagus causing heartburn and acid reflux.

Instead of shutting off acid production (which is what antacids too), apple cider vinegar helps restore stomach acidity to healthy levels. This supports proper digestion and reduces the root cause of acid reflux symptoms.

• Start with 1 tsp of raw ACV in a glass full of water, about 20 minutes before meals. Note: If you experience burning, try less ACV, or take it with food. And if you have stomach ulcers, or a damaged esophagus, please consult with a practitioner first.

4. Skin & scalp saviour

Use diluted apple cider vinegar as a natural toner to balance skin pH and fight breakouts. It can also be used in your shampoo routine, to clarify the scalp and reduce dandruff. Alternatively, I use it as a foot soak, helping remove dead skin cells and fight fungal infections.

5. Boosts bone broths & collagen absorption

Adding a splash of apple cider vinegar when simmering bone broth helps extracts more minerals like calcium, magnesium, and collagen from the bones. It’s an old chef’s trick that actually improves both nutritional value and flavour.

6. Soothes sore throats and boosts immunity

Thanks to its antimicrobial properties, apple cider vinegar can be added to warm water with lemon and honey as a natural remedy for sore throats and colds.

7. Natural household cleaner and deodoriser

ACV’s antibacterial properties make it a non-toxic alternative to harsh cleaners. Use it with water and essential oils to clean counters, mirrors, and even freshen up your yoga matt.

What to look for when purchasing apple cider vinegar?

Make sure get:

• Raw & unfiltered
• With “the Mother” which is the murky strands of beneficial bacteria and enzymes
• Glass bottle to avoid leaching toxins from plastic
• Organic to avoid pesticide residues

For quality, purity and effectiveness, I always keep a bottle of Braggs apple cider vinegar in my pantry. It’s the OG for a reason, raw, unfiltered and made with organic apples.

Apple cider vinegar is one of those beautifully simple, affordable tools that fits right into a holistic lifestyle.