The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Recipes
Posted by Becky (Riesel, Texas) on 12/27/2009
★★★★★
I recently lost 40 lbs on a popular diet. I knew that ACV was a natural diuretic and just generally good for you so I started drinking about 2-3 tablespoons full in a glass of water every day. It also cured my acid reflux... I still didn't like the taste so one day I was drinking some lemonade that I made and I poured the vinegar into that. It's really good! Tastes sort of like a whiskey sour...actually if you add a shot of whiskey, you'll be pleased if you like whiskey sours.
It is so good that my husband has me make him one occasionally...after forcing him to taste mine. I probably use more vinegar that the 2-3 tablespoons I was drinking to begin with, but it makes a really enjoyable beverage.
Recipes
Posted by Tams (Chicago, Illinois) on 11/13/2009
★★★★★
I have been taking the acv drink off and on for a couple of years. I am bad about taking multiple doses in a day so I usually end up with just a morning dose. I also do not do a "full" dose. My recipe has been 1 tsp of organic, raw acv, 1 tsp of honey, 8oz of water. With this recipe first thing in the morning before any other food and a waiting time of 30-60 minutes before eating I notice I always have a great bowel movement soon after. Also, while there are small, almost unnoticable benefits, like having a cold for two days instead of ten, I mostly notice the benefits when I stop drinking it for several days. I suddenly feel sicker, more unhealthy and have less energy. After reading all these posts, I plan on increasing my daily dose to the two tablespoon dosage to get the full effects of acv. ACV is also known for balancing your pH levels, too.
On another note, I'm not sure why honey is frowned upon in the recipe. If it is because of the sugar aspect then I have a suggestion. For the last year I have used raw agave nectar in my drink instead of honey. Agave nectar has no glycemic index, making it safe for diabetes. It also does not spoil, like honey, has a similar although lighter taste and texture, but mixes a lot quicker and fully compared to honey, even in cold water. I put in just a little more than a tsp in my concoction. With agave I can add more if I need to without worrying about glucose levels. (I am not diabetic, but more hypoglycemic so I need to be careful.) Hope this is helpful to those who need some sweet to their drink!
EC: The problem with agave nectar is that some products have been found to contain maple syrup or corn syrup!
Read this October 27th article in the WSJ: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704335904574497622806733800.html
"...But the Glycemic Research Institute, a Washington, D.C., laboratory, issued a warning Friday that diabetics experienced "severe and dangerous side effects" during testing of an agave nectar. "The diabetics passed out on the floor and had to be taken to the hospital," says Ann de Wees Allen, chief of biomedical research at the lab. She declined to say how much of the product the diabetics consumed during the test, saying that would be disclosed after a complete analysis of the results.
The product tested was a maple-flavored version of the Volcanic Nectar brand agave, sold by Global Goods Inc., of Highland, Utah. Company President Brian Oaks said the product, which has never been sold, had a significant amount of maple syrup in it, which likely caused the problems. Dr. Allen says the nectar had an extremely small amount of maple syrup in it and is almost identical to the company's flagship agave product. Previous tests, in which diabetics consumed a small amount of Volcanic Nectar agave, had resulted in the lab awarding a "diabetic friendly" seal to the Volcanic Nectar product, which it has since rescinded.
The lab has stopped testing agave on humans amid safety concerns. Also, Dr. Allen says the lab refused to test four other agave products after a chemical analysis it commissioned from another lab found they were mixed with high-fructose corn syrup, which was not disclosed on the label. She declined to name the brands.
Recipes
Posted by K. (Atlanta, Ga) on 11/08/2009
★★★★★
I also sing the praises of Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey. I have started adding one clove of crushed garlic. Please note: You will not taste, smell like, burp or have any other side effect from the garlic. I don't know how or why but it works:
One half cup water
l teaspoon apple cider vinegar
l teaspoon very good honey
l clove crushed garlic
I make this up in batches and keep in glass jar in the refrigerator. Just do the math and mix. Drink morning and sometimes at night. Unlike some others on this site, I love the taste so have no reason to add anything.
Recipes
Posted by Anita (St. Petersburg , Florida, Usa) on 11/03/2009
★★★★★
My brother and son came up with a similar recipe, 2 teaspoons each of apple cider vinegar and pure honey in glass of cold water, and found that a dash of Lemon extract added made it taste just like lemonade! You don't taste the vinegar or honey, just the lemon flavor. Further, in hot weather, put the glass in the freezer for a few minutes and it becomes like a 'slushy'! I have used the honey & cider vinegar since 2003 and found it knocks a sore throat or cold right out.
Recipes
Posted by Kittenheels (Charles City, Iowa) on 08/17/2009
★★★★★
A Recipe That I Designed to help if you just can't bear the thought of drinking ACV
I have had a hard time getting started with the thought of the taste of ACV yet I realize I need to get on the bandwagon because I've been dealing with this horrid sinus, postnasal drip, Bronchi, etc.and feel for all you others who have so graciously put all your private experiences for everyone to peruse. I say a prayer you all will be soon and forever healed! Here's a simple trick to make it more desirable:
11/2 cups Water
2 whole Cinnamon
Sticks
24 Whole Cloves
Boil these for 10 minutes then strain into a cup. Add 2 tablespoons Honey and your Lovely ACV yum yum stir well had your 2 Cinnamon Sticks and sip for a Wonderful Potion for those late nights kept up by a hacking cough. Cheers To Your Health!
Recipes
Posted by Will (Henderson, NV, USA) on 07/12/2009
★★★★★
I started taking ACV as a cure for gout, and have not had any attacks in the 1 1/2 yrs that I have been taking it. I HATE the taste (and smell) of vinegar, but I do like apple cider, so what I do, is every morning, I put 2 tablespoons of ACV in a large glass, and fill the glass with a good, natural apple juice. Tastes like cider to me! I do use organic ACV. After much research on these sites concerning the benefits of ACV, I will continue to make my "morning cocktail" every day.
Recipes
Posted by Justin (Kirksville, MO United States) on 06/10/2009
★★★★★
This apple acv cure is an excellent cure indeed. My uncle taught me the worst tasting remedy I've ever heard of, but it'd cure colds in no less than 3 days. My mom used to give it to me, and I had to plug my nose in order to even drink the stuff down, but it was amazing. What to do is, you throw an entire clove of garlic (not just a small piece, but the whole clove, peeled of course) into a 1 quart jar (one whole clove of garlic per quart), or even a 2 quart would work. Fill the jar the rest of the way with ACV, and then, you put the lid on the jar, and let it sit on the counter overnight to start the fermentation process. We would sometimes let it ferment for two days, but no more than that usually to keep bacteria from growing. After that, you can store it for a very long time in the refrigerator to use when needed, leaving the cloves of garlic in it. Then, when a cold would strike, we'd put about 4oz of the liquid into a coffee cup, and then microwave it for about 30 seconds (to warm it up a little, but not make it too hot), then to get rid of the acidity and horrible taste of ACV, put 2 tablespoons of honey, and then about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (all of which you can get at a grocery store). Vuala. We call it "Natures Pennicilin" because it has just enough bacteria from the mother of vinegar, plus it pulls the antioxidants from the garlic, and honey helps it spread through the body quicker as it's good for you, and the tablespoon full of lemon juice is enough to flavor it almost to a tea-like state, as well as an excellent source of ascorbic acid (vit c). I had a cold and tried the onion thing recently... and was still sick for a week. Tried the ACV cure on a wart, and it worked overnight... Amazing how ACV can work for the entire body. :)
Recipes
Posted by Mike (Cravey, Texas) on 06/03/2009
★★★★★
I just started taking acv three weeks ago, and I find that mixing two tablespoons with an equal amount of cranberry juice makes it very easy to take. Also, I take one more swallow of straight cranberry juice to wash the acv taste away. I couldn't be more pleased with this dosage.
Recipes
Posted by Emily (Orlando, Florida) on 03/15/2009
★★★★★
Use a straw. Whatever your acv recipe is. After reading all the postings about how to make the apple cider vinegar tolerable to drink I realized I had not read the one trick I've always used with my kids when something tasted dreadful. By placing the end of a drinking straw in your mouth as close to your throat as you can stand, suck it down, quickly It doesn't saturate your taste buds (tongue) and it's down in no time. (I always let gravity help as well and tilt my head back slightly) I have chronic upper respiratory problems, brought on mostly by environmental and food allergies, and right now happen to be sick so...I'm trying 2 tbsp acv mixed with 12 oz of some beverage, probobly cranberry/grape-no sugar added juice. Also the colder the acv brew, the easier. I'm going to give this a try and if it works wonders for my current symptoms I'll take it on as a daily maintainance program, reducing the acv to 2 tsp.
Recipes
Posted by Rob (Middletown, Connecticut) on 03/02/2009
★★★★★
Here is a recipe I use for energy, circulation,and to keep my LDL and HDL in check.
In a mug (not a cup) 30 drops of aged garlic extract, 10 drops of Cayenne extract, a slice of ginger root,2 tsp of raw honey, and 2 Tblsp of raw apple cider vinegar.
Accompany this with 2 tea bags of green tea. Fill mug with hot water let steep for 5 to 7 mins. Take tea bags out, leave ginger root in and sip away. Do this in the morning and just before bedtime. You'll feel great and sleep like a baby !!
Recipes
Posted by Wendy (Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin) on 02/26/2009
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar: I have for many years (20 or so) taken daily 1tbs 3 times daily of the following home remedy. I do not get sick (sinuses once in a while) but almost never a cold. it helps with my arthritus, my hdl and ldl are good. and it help keep my blood sugar numbers down. a chiro gave it to me.
take one head garlic, chopped
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup bottled water
soak over night ( plastic container)
in the a.m. add 1 cup bottled water
take 1 tbs 3 times a day ( i usually follow it with 6 oz of juice)
i swear by it.
Recipes
Posted by Tracy (St Louis, MO) on 01/21/2009
★★★★★
I tried and tried all day to take each of the above. I tried water, acv, and honey, couldn't swallow it. I tried tea, honey and a.c.v., couldn't do it. I tried tea, honey, b.s.m, couldn't do it, I tried warm milk, honey, b.s.m. couldn't do it. Each of them made me gag then I read a post with grape juice and I tried it and IT WORKED! Grape juice with the a.c.v. you can't even taste the a.c.v. I used about 3 oz of the grape juice and swallowed fast. Then I warmed up about 1 oz of water till it was hot, disolved the b.s.m. in the hot water, put some ice cubes to make it cold and then added some cold grape juice and it worked!!!!! Now I will just need to drink plenty of water today but wanted to share for those of you looking for something to mask the taste with out gagging over the taste! Good luck and I LOVE THIS SITE!!!!
Recipes
Posted by Anita (Georgetown, IL) on 01/20/2009
★★★★★
I find that if I mix it with grape juice, it tastes like wine. My favorite way to take it is with orange juice or with any of the V8 Fusion juices. Enjoy good health!
Recipes
Posted by Angela (Brooklyn, NY) on 01/04/2009
★★★★★
Thank you Martha for your wonderful and simple recipe! Once you likened it to Coke, I was sold and had to try it. About a week ago, I stumbled upon organic blackstrap molasses in the supermarket. I instinctively picked up the bottle and said, "I want to swallow this whole thing." I guess my body was asking for it.. Anyway, that's what prompted me to look into it here on earthclinic. When I saw all that it was good for... wow. So back to your recipe. I've always had a major craving for Coke.. like sometimes I could drink a 2 liter over the course of a day. So needless to say, your recipe caught my attention! I more or less cut your recipe in half. I used 1 tbsp bsm, 1 tbsp acv, and maybe a half a mug (or a little more) of club soda.. and I just LOVE it! I have plenty of Coke in the fridge, but I cant even bring myself to drink it now. I make this concoction for myself twice a day, and somehow it satisfies whatever it was that used to make me reach for the Coke. Sooo funny! I wasn't trying to stop drinking Coke, but its nice to have a healthy, satisfying replacement. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Recipes
Posted by KM (Oulu, Finland) on 01/02/2009
★★★★★
Hi there,
After reading so many wonderful comments and suggestions on this site I have adopted the use of both organic apple cider vinegar and organic coconut oil.
My post is to offer my own way to drink ACV, as its a cold climate here and I find this a fairly pleasant way to drink a strongly flavoured thing such as this:
I use a large mug, so you may need to adjust down accordingly.
About 1 1/2 Tsp ACV
Tablespoon of organic or raw honey
Cinnamon stick
Hot water to fill
I pop the first three into the mug and simply pour in the hot water to taste. The cinnamon has its own health benefits, and honey is not the same as sugar in terms of how our teeth, digestive systems or insulin levels react so though I do not eat much sugar I find a little of this is quite nice - and I find the cinnamon adds a nice touch.
My plan is to drink this twice a day, and we'll see how that goes for a start!
Enjoy!
