When it comes to natural remedies, apple cider vinegar (ACV) and honey get a lot of attention. Both are used to heal so many ailments. They’re also affordable and easy to find! Both ingredients are amazing on their own. But what if they are combined? When consumed as a drink, ACV and honey form a remarkably healthy tonic. Here’s what ACV and honey, when taken every morning, do to your body:
7 Benefits Of ACV And Honey
1. Suppress Appetite
This tonic controls your appetite even before you take the first bite of the day. ACV promotes satiety, making you feel full for a long time.1 Meanwhile, honey regulates the appetite hormones: leptin, ghrelin, and peptide YY.
Thanks to these benefits, this drink doubles as a natural weight-loss aid. Adding to this, honey has been proven to reduce body weight and fat in humans.2 Combined with ACV, it can enhance your weight loss journey.
2. Improve Blood Glucose
When ACV is taken right before a meal, it reduces postprandial glucose. This holds true even if the food is rich in carbohydrates. Plus, this reaction was also seen in type 2 diabetics, suggesting ACV’s use in diabetes management.3
Honey is also good for diabetes as it lowers blood glucose and promotes insulin secretion. It also increases liver uptake of glucose, a factor that is linked to better glycemic control. Researchers think that these properties come from the honey’s fructose.4
Together, imagine what this can do for type 2 diabetes. Even if you’re pre-diabetic, ACV and honey will keep the disease at bay.
3. Cure Bad Breath
ACV is a strong anti-bacterial useful in treating infections, and honey has powerful antimicrobial properties.5 6 When used together, these two ingredients can put an end to bad breath.
Bad breath is a condition often caused by bacterial buildup and is common in the morning.7 So what better time to drink ACV and honey?
4. Prevent Cavities
Between ACV and honey, cavities won’t stand a chance. Tooth decay, after all, is also caused by bacterial buildup in the mouth. Before even eating, you can destroy bacteria that’s lingering your mouth.
This combo also works against the acids that bacteria release, causing cavities over time.8 ACV is alkaline and not acidic, as you might think.9 It converts the alkaline in the body, making it useful for fighting cavity-causing acids.
5. Balance Body pH
The alkalinity of ACV will improve your body’s pH. The typical Western diet is very acidic, a factor that’s linked to conditions like hypertension, osteoporosis, and age-related muscle wasting. And as kidney function declines with age, acidity worsens.
All of these diseases are worth preventing and ACV will do just that.10 Honey, too, is alkaline as long as it’s raw and not processed.
6. Detoxify The Liver
When it comes to liver health, most people think of ACV, which can clear out toxins from your liver while fighting oxidative stress.11 12 Honey, on the other hand, protects the liver from various kinds of damage.
This tonic is useful after a night of alcohol overdose. If you’re dealing with a hangover, ACV and honey will help minimize the damage.
7. Balance The Gut Bacteria
When your gut is healthy, so are you. It all depends on bacterial balance. Drinking ACV promotes the growth of healthy gut bacteria, just like probiotics.13 Honey also has prebiotic effects, making it easy for probiotics to do their job.14
How
To Make The ACV And Honey Tonic
To prepare this drink:
- Take 1 cup of water.
- Add 1 tablespoon each of ACV and raw, natural honey.
- For a boost of flavor, add a splash of lemon.
- Mix well and enjoy on an empty stomach.
A Few Safety Notes
To safely drink ACV, always dilute it with water. Avoid drinking large amounts of it every day. This can lead to harmful tooth erosion, as one Dutch journal reported.15
Are you a type 1 diabetic? Approach this drink with caution. If you have gastroparesis, a disorder that delays gastric emptying, ACV might make it worse. This is bad news for glucose control.16
References
