Apple cider vinegar has been used in the culinary world and for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. It’s made by combining apples with yeast to create alcohol, which is then fermented into acetic acid by added bacteria. Apple cider vinegar also contains water, vitamins, minerals, and trace amounts of other acids.
A recent trend is to drink it before bed, but you may wonder whether this practice really offers added health effects. We’ll review the potential benefits and downsides of drinking apple cider, starting from its benefits.
Benefits of drinking it before bed:-
Stabilize Blood Sugar Levels
Consuming apple cider vinegar before bed can be extremely beneficial to those who live with diabetes.
A study carried out by researchers at Arizona State University assessed 11 volunteers with type 2 diabetes who were asked to take two tablespoons of ACV and snack on an ounce of cheese before bed, in addition to their prescription meds. As a result, participants saw a significant drop in their blood sugar levels the morning after.
Soothe Sore Throat
Apple cider vinegar can help clear out bacteria from the throat. The substance has antiseptic properties that help purify some disease-causing microorganisms. This can be helpful to people who may suffer from inflamed or enlarged and infection-prone tonsils.
You’ll Sleep Better
With busy schedules our brain follows suit, making it much more difficult to clock in a proper six to eight hours of sleep per night. The secret to a restful night’s snooze could be ACV. A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar spooned into a hot cup of water with honey before bed should do just the trick when you’re desperate for sleep.
Prevent Bad Breath
We all wake up smelling like dinner from the night before. Bad breath can be embarrassing, but if it’s a safe assumption that your morning breath will stink, it’s worth it to take precautionary measures beyond the standard brushing job.
Apple cider vinegar kills bacteria like no other, so one teaspoon of the stuff before bed will not only ensure healthy oral hygiene, it’s also a guarantee your partner or roommate won’t get a whiff of the undead emerging from your mouth in the morning.
Decongest Stuffy Nose
When you roll out of bed feeling stuffy and congested, though, you literally feel like you’re going to die if you can’t breathe out of your nose.
Apple cider vinegar is rich in essentials needed to eliminate mucus build-up, such as potassium, magnesium, vitamins A, B1, B2, and E. If you feel a cold coming on, you’re going to want to add a teaspoon of ACV to a cup of water and drink it slow before bed to nip that crap in the bud.
Ease Digestive
If you wake up every morning with abdominal pain, digestive issues could be the culprit. Before clinging to the short-term relief of over-the-counter prescriptions, you might want to give this holistic remedy a fair shot.
Apple cider vinegar can “relieve digestive ailments like irritable bowel syndrome and heartburn.” Take a teaspoon before bed with water, or if you truly can’t stand the bitter taste, you can opt for an ACV pill instead.
Potential downsides
Before you start drinking apple cider vinegar before bed, consider these potential downsides.
May cause nausea and indigestion
Apple cider vinegar has a pH level of 4.2. This means it is on the more acidic end of the pH scale, which goes from 0 to 14, with 0 being the most acidic. Acidic foods cause indigestion and acid reflux in some people, especially when consumed before laying down.
Furthermore, many people drink apple cider vinegar for its purported weight loss effects. However, studies observe that these effects are primarily a result of vinegar causing nausea and eliminating the desire to eat.
Can damage your tooth enamel
Regularly drinking any type of vinegar and eating acidic foods has been shown to erode tooth enamel. This means that vinegar gradually destroys your enamel, which is the outer layer of your teeth that protects them from physical and chemical damage. Enamel is the first line of defense for your teeth and cannot regrow.
For this reason, it’s recommended to rinse your mouth with water after drinking acidic beverages or eating acidic foods.
May interact with certain medications
Apple cider vinegar may lower potassium levels in your blood. As a result, it could interact with certain drugs that also lower your blood potassium, including some diabetes medications and diuretics.
Though apple cider vinegar may offer various benefits, such as weight loss, blood sugar control, and antibacterial effects, studies on drinking it right before bed are lacking. What’s more, consuming it can cause nausea, indigestion, erosion of your tooth enamel, and interactions with certain medications.
To prevent adverse effects, it’s best to enjoy it diluted or in a dressing and at least 30 minutes before laying down.
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