Benefits of ACV and How to Make it at Home
ACV (Apple cider vinegar) is such a versatile product. It works for your body internally and externally, in the garden, the kitchen, as a household cleaner, in the bathroom.
Benefits of ACV
Let's delve deeper into the benefits of this incredible natural product.
In the body
LOWER BLOOD SUGAR
Some studies show that drinking ACV after a high-carb meal helps the body create more insulin and lower blood sugar levels.
SORE THROAT RELIEF
Is your throat itchy and sore? Gargle some diluted ACV to kill any bacteria growing in the throat.
AS A MOUTHWASH
The antibacterial properties of ACV help to combat bad breath. Also, ACV makes teeth whiter over time as the acidity removes stains.
External use on the body
A NATURAL DEO
Apply diluted ACV under your arms to keep you smelling fresh all day. ACV's antibacterial properties fight off body odors.
FACIAL TONER
Dab diluted ACV onto your skin to prevent signs of aging and keep your skin's pH balance even.
ADD IT TO YOUR BATH
Enjoy the benefits of ACV toner on your whole body.
ALLEVIATE DANDRUFF
ACV contributes to stopping the growth of a fungus that produces dandruff. Including it in your final hair rinse helps remove build-up on the roots of your hair.
Household uses
ALL-NATURAL, ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER
Dilute some ACV with water for an instant antibacterial cleaner that's tough on grease.
WEED KILLER
Spray weeds with a mixture of lemon juice and undiluted ACV to keep your garden healthy
WASHING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Sometimes fruits and veggies have a coating of wax or preservatives and pesticides. Use ACV to remove this coating.
Other uses
BOIL AND POACH EGGS
The egg whites firm up better when exposed to acidity. Adding a little ACV to your boiling water gives you firmer poached eggs.
TRAPPING FRUIT FLIES
Pour ACV and dishwashing soap into a bowl and set it in the corner of a room to keep fruit flies away. The ACV attracts them while the dish soap keeps them stuck in the bowl.
DIY apple cider vinegar
If you cook with apples often, use the apple scraps (peel and core) to make ACV and reduce waste. Alternatively, you can make it using whole apples if you cut them into medium or big sized chunks.
PREP
Clean a large glass jar then let it dry. This step keeps unwanted bacteria out of your fermentation process. Next, put apple scraps or chunks into the jar until iot is ¾ full.
MIX
In a bowl, dissolve two tablespoons of table sugar for every 2 cups of filtered water. Don't let the amount of sugar scare you- most of it is used up in the fermentation process and doesn't remain in the final ACV.
SINK
Pour the sugar water into your glass jar with apples. Ensure the apples are fully submerged in the sugar water to ward off mold.
If any pieces of apple float to the surface, use a fermentation weight placed on top of the apples to hold them down.
COVER
Cover the mixture with a coffee filter or cheesecloth. Fasten it as a lid, using a rubber band. This keeps flies away while giving your ACV enough air for fermentation.
WAIT
Store the concoction for about three weeks in a dark, room-temperature area, for example, a cabinet or pantry. Check it daily to ensure the apples are still submerged, and there is no mold. White scum on the surface, however, is typical as a result of fermentation.
STRAIN
After three weeks, strain out the apple scraps and return the jar to where you were storing it for another 3-4 weeks. Stir it every day.
After this time, you should find something similar to a SCOBY growing in your ACV. This is what's called "the mother," and it contains most of the health benefits of ACV.
Leaving "the mother" in your ACV maximizes the benefits you'll receive. If you decide to filter it out, though, the ACV still has the same effects for cleaning and external uses.
TEST
After 3-4 weeks, smell the ACV and decide whether or not it has reached the fermentation level that you like. Remove the cheesecloth or coffee filter and replace it with a lid. Store the ACV at room temperature.
With love,
The Sole Toscana Beauty Team