I have to admit, I’ve never thrown up from drinking apple cider vinegar. But there’s no doubt about it. That stuff, for all its benefits, is vile.
I don’t like the way it smells or tastes, and I think I’m a pansy because I only drink a teaspoon or two at a time. A full tablespoon burns my throat despite being diluted with water.
I honestly don’t know how some people manage to chug two tablespoons of the stuff down in one sitting. But I suppose those who do are the more resilient folks.
If you’re one of those who handle it like a champ throat-wise and all you want to know is how to drink apple cider vinegar without throwing up, I’ve got you covered.
As hard as it may be to believe, you can make it taste better. I’ll be sharing a few recipes so you can pick one that works for you.
I’ll also go through what the scientifically-proven benefits of apple cider vinegar are because there is a lot of false and even harmful information out there.
Don’t be like the girl who drank a full glass of apple cider vinegar every day and ended up with burnt skin around her mouth and being deficient in potassium.
Nope, not even kidding. That really did happen… and I know what you’re thinking. How did she even keep it down? That is one question I can’t answer either.
The Benefits of Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar
Just in case you need a recap to make sure it’s all worth it, let’s take a look at the benefits again. As a caveat, make sure you’re drinking the unfiltered raw apple cider vinegar. It should be cloudy.
It has a few extra benefits that the filtered clear kind doesn’t have.
It Helps to Lower Blood Sugar Levels
ACV not only lowers your blood sugar levels but also improves insulin sensitivity. This means that your body will be able to utilize glucose (the simplest form of carbohydrates) for fuel.
Type two diabetics suffer from low insulin sensitivity which hampers their bodies from absorbing and using glucose to fuel their cells effectively.
This leaves excess glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream. ACV may help to alleviate this problem to an extent and may help you stave off diabetes if you are prediabetic.
A true lifestyle change is needed to truly effectively manage diabetes or reverse it.
It Aids Weight Loss
Although the effect of using ACV as a weight loss aid on its own is small, every little bit helps.
A study found that consuming just a tablespoon a day for 6 months resulted in a weight loss of 2.6 lb. Two tablespoons daily resulted in a loss of 3.7 lb.
Just be careful, drinking more than two tablespoons per day isn’t recommended as it can lead to low potassium levels.
Rather maximize your weight loss by exercising regularly and eating at a calorie deficit.
It Contains Beneficial Substances
The ingredient in ACV that is responsible for most of these health benefits is acetic acid which is caused by the fermentation process.
But raw unfiltered ACV also contains the mother which is full of enzymes and healthy bacteria.
Although you might not be able to replace your probiotics or probiotic-rich foods, it may still benefit your gut health as long as you don’t overdo it.
The Dangers of Consuming too much ACV or Drinking it Undiluted
I already mentioned that low potassium is a risk if you consume too much ACV, but drinking it straight like a shot isn’t a good idea. Nor is it any fun.
Drinking undiluted apple cider vinegar (ACV) can cause burns to your esophagus and skin, and exacerbate stomach ulcers and heartburn. Yikes!
It can also erode your teeth. Diluting it goes a long way to prevent that or minimize the effects. Even better would be to dilute it and drink it through a straw if you’re really concerned.
I always just drink it out of a glass and then give my mouth a rinse with some water to wash away the worst of the acid.
I’ve had a few dentists over the years just because we moved a lot, but they are always happy with my teeth, so my method must work.
A special note to type 1 diabetic:
ACV slows down the rate of stomach emptying which is likely how it reduces blood sugar levels. But this will make it harder for you to time your insulin shots.
So speak to your doctor before drinking ACV in these quantities.
How to Make Tastier Apple Cider Vinegar Drinks
If you find that you barf every time you drink ACV, these recipes and remedies may just help.
Reduce Your Dosage
If you’re experiencing nausea, it might not just be due to the taste. Large amounts of apple cider vinegar at once can irritate your digestive system leading to nausea and even vomiting.
You shouldn’t drink more than two tablespoons in one sitting. If you struggle at this dose, lower it to one tablespoon and see if that helps.
Use a Straw
Not only will it keep your teeth safe, but if you put the straw further back, you can reduce the amount of vinegar flavor in your mouth.
It goes without saying that you shouldn’t put the straw so far back that you end up vomiting anyway.
Mix it With Water
If you’ve been shooting it straight and it triggered your gag reflex, I’m not surprised. But as you now know, drinking it straight definitely isn’t the way to go.
I usually dilute ACV with at least half a glass to a full glass of water. It makes it much more palatable and helps to prevent burning and erosion.
Sticking to a teaspoon to one tablespoon of ACV at a time mixed with water will also help with the taste.
Still, it’s not great, so try adding some honey or stevia to see if that’s more to your taste.
Mix it With Water, Honey, and Lemon
This might seem like quite a weird combo, especially since lemons are also acidic and they’re sour. But don’t know it till you try it.
What you’ll need:
- ACV
- Water
- Honey or stevia
- Lemon juice
- Salt (optional)
Method:
Step 1: Put a tablespoon of ACV in a glass
Step 2: Add a teaspoon to a tablespoon of honey
Step 3: Squeeze in some lemon juice, up to a tablespoon’s worth
Step 4: Add a pinch of salt, or not, I didn’t
Step 5: Fill the glass up with water, mix well, and bon appetit
Add Apple Cider Vinegar to Your Tea
I only tried this once with rooibos tea on a recommendation from a friend’s dad. It was gross. But maybe you’ll enjoy it or at least find it easier to drink.
Note that I don’t add sugar or honey to my tea but you are welcome to sweeten yours. Do not add milk unless you enjoy curdled milk in your tea.
What you need:
- Tea, rooibos, or any other herbal tea you’d like, you can also try black or green tea.
- ACV
- Honey, stevia, or whatever sweetener you enjoy with your tea (optional)
Method:
Step 1: Brew your choice of tea
Step 2: Add the sweetener and a teaspoon to a tablespoon of ACV
Step 3: Stir and drink
Add ACV to Your Smoothies
Again, if your smoothies contain milk or even plant milk, it may curdle. This might not be the worst thing in a smoothie, however.
Berry, pineapple, pear, carrot, and apple smoothies are probably your best bet. You can mix your greens in there too if you are a fan of those.
You might have to go with some trial and error here to see which you prefer.
Try this Pear-Berry Blast smoothie from Better Nutrition.
What you need:
- Cutting board
- Peeler and/or knife
- Blender
- 1 Medium pear
- 1 Cup of raspberries
- 1 Cup of blackberries
- 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- 2 Cups of water
Method:
Step 1: Wash all the fruit
Step 2: Peel the pear if you prefer and core it, chop it into quarters
Step 3: Put all the ingredients into the blender and blend it until smooth
Step 4: Enjoy
This smoothie can be stored in the fridge for up to four hours as long as it’s sealed. If you struggle to consume it in that time, just halve the recipe.
Mix it With Juice
Fruit juice is high in sugar, so I recommend that you stick to only one glass a day. This is especially true for commercial fruit juices.
But you can also blend or juice your own. Then you control how much fruit is in your drink. You can also add veggies for a nutrient boost without the extra sugar.
Try this carrot, apple, and orange juice with ACV.
What you need:
- Cutting board
- Peeler and/or knife
- Blender or juicer
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Apple
- 1 Orange
- 1 Cup of water
- 1 Tablespoon of ACV
Method:
Step 1: Wash the fruit and carrot
Step 2: Peel them if you prefer, and cut them into quarters
Step 3: Remove the pips of the fruit
Step 4: Put everything in the blender and blend it up
Step 5: Enjoy
Don’t Drink It, Eat It
If all those recipes fail you, there are other options that may work better for you:
Make a Healthy Salad Dressing with Apple Cider Vinegar
This recipe comes from Healthy Seasonal Recipes. If you like a little sweetness in your salad dressing, give this one a go.
What you need:
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Blender
- 1 Small shallot
- 1/3 Cup of extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ Cup of ACV
- 2 Teaspoons of Dijon mustard
- 2 Teaspoons of honey
- ½ Teaspoon of salt
- ¼ Teaspoon of ground pepper
Method:
Step 1: Peel the shallot, core it and quarter it
Step 2: Put all the ingredients into a blender
Step 3: Blend it until it’s smooth or for approximately 30 seconds
Step 4: Pour it over your salad
This apple cider salad dressing is best consumed immediately according to the website. But it can also be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
If it becomes solid, just bring it to room temperature before serving.
Apple Cider Vinegar Capsules or Tablets
If you really can’t stand ACV, but still want to reap the benefits, consider a supplement like Nature’s Nutrition Apple Cider Vinegar capsules.
These are lab-tested and good manufacturing product (GMP) certified. They contain only natural ingredients and are vegan and vegetarian-friendly too.
A full serving will give you around two tablespoons of ACV. If you prefer, you can half the serving to get around one tablespoon’s worth of ACV.
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The 14 Day Apple Cider Vinegar Challenge
