10 Amazing Healing Powers of Vinegar
From weight loss to taming tummy troubles to whitening teeth, simple vinegars have healing powers you never dreamed of.
1. Weight loss
Japanese scientists reported in a recently completed study that when mice were fed a high-fat diet and given vinegar supplements, they developed about 10 percent less body fat than mice that got only the fatty food. They discovered that vinegar worked at a genetic level by influencing genes linked to fatty acid oxidation and energy-burning proteins. The scientists believe that vinegar suppresses body fat accumulation, though more studies are needed to see whether vinegar can have the same effect in people.
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2. Lower blood sugar
When you're indulging in high-carb foods (pasta, potatoes, or rice, for example), serve salad, too - and make sure the dressing contains vinegar. Consuming one and a half tablespoons of vinegar can lower your blood sugar by 42 percent, a small study showed last year.
3. Beat workout exhaustion
Exercise and sometimes extreme stress cause lactic acid to build up in the body, causing fatigue. Interestingly, the amino acids contained in apple cider vinegar act as an antidote. What's more, apple cider vinegar contains potassium and enzymes that may relieve that tired feeling. Next time you're feeling beat, add a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar to a glass of chilled vegetable drink or to a glass of water.
4. Whiter teeth
Gargle with apple cider vinegar in the morning. The vinegar helps remove stains, whiten teeth, and kill bacteria in your mouth and gums. Brush as usual after you gargle. Brush your teeth with baking soda once a week. This will help remove stains and whiten your teeth. Use it just as you would toothpaste. You can also use salt as an alternative toothpaste. If your gums start to feel raw, switch to brushing with salt every other day.
5. Tummy troubles
Sip some vinegar water. If a bacterial infection is at the root of your diarrhea, apple cider vinegar could help contain the problem, thanks to its antibiotic properties. What's more, some folk remedy experts contend that apple cider vinegar contains pectin, which can help soothe intestinal spasms.
Plus: 15 Folk Remedies Worth a Try
6. Hiccups
Take a teaspoonful of vinegar. Its sour taste could stop a hiccup in its tracks.
7. Indigestion prevention
Sip this before eating. If you know you're going to indulge in foods that will make you sorry later, try this folk remedy first. Add 1 teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar to a glass of warm water and drink it 30 minutes before you dine.
Don't miss the free Home Remedies app for quick easy cures.
8. Nighttime leg cramps
Sip some vinegar water. This old folk remedy should please apple cider vinegar fans. Add 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and a little honey to a glass of water and drink to ease nighttime leg cramps. Of course, by the time you walk to the kitchen to put the drink together, your cramp is likely to be history - but maybe that's just the point.
9. Stuffy nose
Sip some vinegar. Mix a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and drink. This helps sinus drainage.
10. Sore throat
Reach for the vinegar. As soon as you feel the prickle of a sore throat, employ germ-busting vinegar to help head off the infection at the pass. Turns out, most germs can't survive in the acidic environment vinegar creates. Just mix ¼ cup apple cider vinegar with ¼ cup warm water and gargle every hour or so.
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