Unless you’ve been living under a rock, then you probably have heard about the apple cider vinegar craze. People are using it for everything from shampooing their hair to taking shots of it in the mornings.
Apple cider vinegar is known in the medical world for treating a variety of illnesses and issues. Fortunately for pregnant women, the tangy vinegar is relatively safe to consume during pregnancy.
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is a type of vinegar that is derived from fermented apples, hence its name. It is typically found at any grocery store or pharmacy and has been known to do everything from remove bacteria, heal gastrointestinal issues, and heal skin infections.
To gain the most benefits from apple cider vinegar, it is important to find unpasteurized vinegar. This type of apple cider vinegar is commonly only found at health food stores and is often referred to as “the mother” apple cider vinegar.
The unpasteurized apple cider vinegar is held up high in the natural medicine community for its health benefits.
Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has been shown to help people with diabetes, digestion problems, weight loss, and even the common cold. Plus, it has shown to help people who suffer from leg cramps, especially at night.
Apple cider vinegar may actually help lower blood sugar levels in a patient who has diabetes. If you are not diabetic, then the vinegar can help your body respond to sugar more appropriately. It may be able to help your body have a more appropriate insulin response to glucose in your system, which can keep your diabetes risk relatively low.
Apple cider vinegar may also improve your overall digestion. Taken regularly, it may improve your bowel function and regularity, while also decreasing heartburn. Due to its ability to regulate your digestion, it may also help with weight loss and keep you feeling full for longer throughout the day.
Apple cider vinegar also has antibacterial and antiviral properties which can help you fight the common cold and other illnesses. If you suffer from frequent illnesses, then adding apple cider vinegar to your daily meal plan may help you boost your immunity and stay illness-free.
Pregnancy and Apple Cider Vinegar
If you are pregnant, then you may want to think twice about everything that you place into your body. Anything that you eat or drink will somehow reach the baby.
For this reason, it’s important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables and healthy lean meats during pregnancy.
It also is extremely important to always research new items that you want to incorporate in your diet, or just ask your OB/GYN their opinion on the new product.
Apple cider vinegar is considered relatively safe in pregnancy. Research hasn’t shown any harmful effects throughout pregnancy, but the research also hasn’t really shown apple cider vinegar to be extremely beneficial throughout pregnancy.
According to most medical sources, there just isn’t enough research that shows whether or not apple cider vinegar should be incorporated into your diet while pregnant.
However, if you would like to incorporate the vinegar into your diet, do so sparingly. Since there isn’t any research stating that apple cider vinegar is harmful during pregnancy, it is relatively safe to consume. However, don’t consume it on a daily basis.
As with any type of food group or drink, it is never a good idea to consume a massive amount of one type of food. Instead, it is always the healthier option to consume a variety of foods and drinks each day to gain the most nutrition from what you eat.
Eating a well-balanced diet is essential during your pregnancy. Apple cider vinegar can be incorporate into your diet on a weekly basis to help improve indigestion, digestion, and your overall blood glucose levels.
Adding apple cider vinegar to your water in the morning may help you keep your blood sugars in check and keep your heartburn down to a minimum.
If you find that apple cider vinegar can keep you more comfortable during your pregnancy, then add a little bit to your diet. Anything that keeps you healthy throughout your pregnancy and helps your comfort level is a good thing.
If you are going to incorporate apple cider vinegar into your diet during pregnancy, then look for the pasteurized type.
Pasteurized apple cider vinegar will be free of bacteria and sediment that may make you feel ill during your pregnancy. You can still gain some health benefits from the pasteurized type and switch to the unpasteurized apple cider vinegar once you deliver.
