Too much acidity in the human body can lead to many health problems. This is where apple cider vinegar for pH balance comes in. Acidity and alkalinity are measured by the pH scale.
The acronym, pH, stands for “potential of hydrogen”.
Water is neutral with a pH of 7.0. Anything below 7.0 is considered acidic, and anything above 7.0 is considered alkaline.
The ideal pH range for the human body is between 6.0 and 6.8. You can purchase pH test strips and test your pH levels at home.
A poor pH balance in the body can cause many health problems and a general feeling of ill health.
High acidity symptoms include:
- insomnia
- headaches
- frequent sighing
- water retention
- low blood pressure
- difficulty swallowing
- bumps on the tongue
- fatigue
- low body temperature
- depression
- frequent infections
- teary eyes
- sensitive teeth
- gastritis
- dry skin
- brittle nails
- hives
- leg cramps
How Can Apple Cider Vinegar help Restore Proper pH Balance?
Apple cider vinegar will help maintain your pH balance either upward or downward whichever is needed.
That probably doesn’t make sense, but think about it…
If you burn your hand what is the first thing you do to cool it off?
You blow on it?
What do you do if your hands are cold?
The same thing.
In the same way, apple cider vinegar, will both help your pH balance either upward or downward.
So you might be wondering, how can vinegar be alkaline?
There are two properties of food that must be considered.
- Foods that are either acidic or alkaline. Referring to the acidity or alkaline that is contained in the food.
- Foods that are acidic or alkaline forming. Referring to the affect that digesting them has on the pH balance of your body.
Apples are acidic by nature. When they are turned into apple cider vinegar they contain malic acid and acetic acid. However, their true nature is still alkaline.
The process of digestion involves adding some very strong acid to the food in your stomach. If we were to consider only property number 1 above, wouldn’t this make all foods acidic? After all they all contain lots of acid while they are being digested.
Apple cider vinegar has both acidic properties and alkaline properties that can come to play depending on the circumstances (as do other fruits). In this case, digestion is the circumstance that applies (see item number 2 above).
All foods, including vinegar, undergoes oxidation when it is digested by the body. This oxidation process turns vinegar alkaline because that is it’s natural state even though it “contains” malic acid and acetic acid. (Other foods may become more acidic when digested.)
Your body’s pH balance is more acidic when you are sick. Therefore, alkaline effect of digested apple cider vinegar has the ability to “nudge” an acidic body towards a more alkaline (healthy) state.
Apple Cider Vinegar Drink Recipe for Balanced pH Levels
If you are feeling a little “off” and maybe not 100%, you can try testing your pH balance. Then take 2 tablespoons of raw organic apple cider vinegar and honey (for taste) in 6 ounces of hot water give your system a nudge back in the right direction.
The temperature of the water doesn’t really matter. However, hot water makes the drink more enjoyable and easier to take.
If the taste doesn’t suit you try using apple juice instead of water and honey.
We recommend that you purchase Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar as it is a very dependable brand for raw, organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar.
Taken from NaturalAppleCiderVinegar.com
Does Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar Affect Your Body's pH?
People have used vinegar as medicine for thousands of years, and drinking it may potentially help lower your blood pressure and blood sugar levels, according to a review article published in "Medscape General Medicine" in 2006. Because of its acidity, you might expect it to make your body more acidic, but this isn't the case. There are other potential risks of drinking apple cider vinegar, however, so check with your doctor before adding it to your diet.
Apple Cider Vinegar Acidity
Apple cider vinegar, like other types of vinegar, contains acetic acid. It's made by fermenting apple cider into alcohol and then allowing acetic acid bacteria to convert the alcohol to acetic acid. Apple cider vinegar is typically 5 to 6 percent acetic acid, while distilled white vinegars tend to be between 4 and 7 percent acetic acid.
Effect on Body Acidity
A classic article, published in the "American Journal of Public Health," discussed the concept of acid- and alkali-forming food. The article noted that your body is very good at regulating its acidity level, so the foods you eat aren't going to affect your blood acidity level as long as you're healthy. You'd need to consume quite a bit of apple cider vinegar to affect your body's acid-base balance.
The kidneys play a role in regulating your blood and body acidity levels, and they cause excess acidity to be excreted as part of your urine. This means that foods can affect your urine's acidity level. Some versions of the alkaline diet claim that although apple cider vinegar contains acid, it actually has an alkaline effect because of the way your body metabolizes it.
A study published in the "Journal of Medicinal Food" in March 2008 found that people who consumed straight vinegar had increases in the acidity of their urine, while those who consumed pickles, which contained about half the acetic acid of straight vinegar, experienced a slight decrease in the acidity of their urine. Thus, a small amount of apple cider vinegar might not increase the acidity levels of your urine, but consuming a lot of vinegar might make your urine more acidic.
Potential Considerations
If you do drink apple cider vinegar, mix it with a less acidic beverage and rinse your mouth afterward. Otherwise, the acidity of the drink may cause damage to your teeth or esophagus. Some people have also experienced decreases in their potassium levels when consuming apple cider vinegar regularly in medicinal amounts. This could cause your bones to become weaker and increase your risk for osteoporosis.
Apple Cider Vinegar Acidity
Apple cider vinegar, like other types of vinegar, contains acetic acid. It's made by fermenting apple cider into alcohol and then allowing acetic acid bacteria to convert the alcohol to acetic acid. Apple cider vinegar is typically 5 to 6 percent acetic acid, while distilled white vinegars tend to be between 4 and 7 percent acetic acid.
Effect on Body Acidity
A classic article, published in the "American Journal of Public Health," discussed the concept of acid- and alkali-forming food. The article noted that your body is very good at regulating its acidity level, so the foods you eat aren't going to affect your blood acidity level as long as you're healthy. You'd need to consume quite a bit of apple cider vinegar to affect your body's acid-base balance.
The kidneys play a role in regulating your blood and body acidity levels, and they cause excess acidity to be excreted as part of your urine. This means that foods can affect your urine's acidity level. Some versions of the alkaline diet claim that although apple cider vinegar contains acid, it actually has an alkaline effect because of the way your body metabolizes it.
A study published in the "Journal of Medicinal Food" in March 2008 found that people who consumed straight vinegar had increases in the acidity of their urine, while those who consumed pickles, which contained about half the acetic acid of straight vinegar, experienced a slight decrease in the acidity of their urine. Thus, a small amount of apple cider vinegar might not increase the acidity levels of your urine, but consuming a lot of vinegar might make your urine more acidic.
Potential Considerations
If you do drink apple cider vinegar, mix it with a less acidic beverage and rinse your mouth afterward. Otherwise, the acidity of the drink may cause damage to your teeth or esophagus. Some people have also experienced decreases in their potassium levels when consuming apple cider vinegar regularly in medicinal amounts. This could cause your bones to become weaker and increase your risk for osteoporosis.