What Happens When You Drink Apple Cider Vinegar Every Day?

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is one of the top "superfoods" to sweep the internet, with health and wellness experts and influencers recommending a daily shot of ACV. Though it does make a great addition to salad dressing, there are many more ways it can be used. It is seen as a healthy cure-all for everything from weight loss to digestive issues, to preventing cancer, and even helping to clear up acne.

If it has such a multitude of health benefits, including weight loss, improved digestion, blood sugar, heart health, better breath, and more, how much should you be drinking and how often? Is a daily shot really the answer?

Weight Loss:

Those who are trying to lose weight may benefit from drinking apple cider vinegar. The ACV makes you feel full faster, so you eat fewer calories overall. This is attributed to higher levels of acetic acid, which makes you feel full longer and use less total energy throughout the day - via Mind Body Green.

Another way that ACV may contribute to weight loss is by reducing cravings for sweets, according to The Healthy.

Digestion:

Vinegar improves your gut health by providing good microbes. The fermentation process that creates ACV encourages growth of good bacteria. Fermented foods are high in probiotics, which improve the immune system, digestion, and even mental health. The probiotics in ACV are found in the "mother", which is a unique way to describe the cloudy yeast and bacteria that may appear as strands or sediment in the vinegar.

Blood Sugar Levels:

Apple cider vinegar may help those with insulin resistance gain better control of their blood sugar levels - via Healthline. A study has shown that vinegar may reduce the production of glucose and insulin after a meal, meaning drinking ACV could contribute to lowering glycemic levels.

Apple cider vinegar also has anti-inflammatory effects, which could help ailments like skin issues. It also boosts your immune and digestive systems. Apple cider vinegar contains malic acid, which can help your gut, which has a major effect on your overall health via Well+Good.

As with many natural remedies, ACV can have negative side effects if too much is consumed, or it is used incorrectly. It is highly acidic, so it can potentially damage tooth enamel. One way to prevent this is to drink your dose with a straw.

Apple cider vinegar is also potentially dangerous in large amounts. According to the Mayo Clinic, it can cause low potassium. The recommended dose is 1 to 2 tablespoons.

The actual health benefits of drinking ACV everyday may vary by person. Many articles have been written about individual's experience with it, over various time periods- Some find that it improves aspects of their health, while others didn't.