Apple Cider Vinegar - Do’s and Don’ts
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) can be safely (and beneficially) used in salad dressing and used as a remedy for some conditions but always diluted with water or juice.
As Dr. Carol Johnston, the vinegar expert, puts it – ‘Vinegar is widely available; it is affordable; and, as a remedy, it is appealing. But whether vinegar is a useful adjunct therapy for individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes has yet to be determined’. This statement is applicable to high blood pressure, cancer, arthritis, or for that matter any chronic disease.
Health tonic or not, ACV is quite safe for most adults when used short-term for medical purposes. Using it over long period of time or in larger amounts or even undiluted could have its risks.
- Since ACV is acidic, using it undiluted may cause damage to tooth enamel and mouth tissues.
- Large amounts of ACV can decrease potassium levels in the body and cause health problems associated with potassium deficiency. Diuretic drugs may interact with ACV and might decrease the potassium levels further to a dangerously low potassium level, since these drugs, too, decrease potassium in the body.
