Five amazing little ways to use apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is amazing. Not sure why? Let us tell you…

Vinegar has long since been known for it’s amazing versatility in the home- for cleaning, cooking, remedies and preserving. But apple cider vinegar is just that little bit more wonderful, in our opinion. Made from pulverised apples (and we all know how fantastic apples are for your health), apple cider vinegar contains an array of acids, vitamins, mineral salts and amino acids.

Here are five amazing little ways to use apple cider vinegar.

For your hair

Yes, we know that vinegar is wonderful for producing and maintaining extra clean, extra shiny and extra bouncy hair- but if you use apple cider vinegar you will find that you can combat problem hair too. Apple cider vinegar helps to neutralise dull, greasy hair and strip it of product build up too. So you can say goodbye to all those nasty chemicals you’ve been putting on your hair- and hello to shiny, healthy, happy hair instead!

You could make a hair mask and allow your hair to soak a while, but if you don’t have a spare thirty minutes or so, try this tonic instead.

Dilute one part vinegar to 3 parts water and spray over your hair after you shampoo. Massage into the scalp for a couple of minutes and then rinse. Do this as part of your hair care routine regularly.

For your skin

Vinegar is a deep cleaner (see how shiny those windows come up!) and it’s no different for your skin either. If you suffer from acne, you might want to keep a bottle of apple cider vinegar handy in your bathroom cabinet because it helps to restore the skin’s Ph balance, cleans deep down into the pores, and neutralises excess oil in the skin too. You can use apple cider vinegar as a simple toner- just dampen a cotton wool ball and apply to the face with gentle pats after cleansing. Leave for five minutes, then rinse. Follow with moisturiser and use as part of your daily routine.

For your stomach

Stay with us here. If you suffer from feeling bloated after meals, you might want to embrace apple cider vinegar as a remedy. The natural acid actually helps to slow the digestion of starch (the cause of blood sugar spikes after meals), break down fat and aid bowel movements too. So if you follow a healthy diet already, but suffer from occasional bloating and discomfort, this curious cocktail might be just what you need…

To make it you need:

4 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar (the cloudy stuff, usually found at health shops rather than supermarkets)
10 drops of liquid stevia (again health food shops will stock this)
Optional- one quarter of a teaspoon ground ginger

Simply shake all ingredients together and drink. It won’t be the tastiest concoction ever, but it will make a difference after a couple of weeks.

For fresh breath

It doesn’t seem likely, but when you think about how apple cider vinegar is able to clean deeply then it starts to make sense that it can help with fresh breath too. The acid in the vinegar works to break down the plaque and bacteria that cause bad breath in the first place, and if you rinse daily you’ll see what we mean. Simply mix one part vinegar with 3 parts water, swish around your mouth and spit.

For Winter coughs and sniffles

It’s that time of year, and if you’ve already caught your first cold of the season, you might want to hang on to this remedy for the next one. Apple cider vinegar is packed with vital minerals such as potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and iron. This means that it’s abilities to provide relief to the common cold is well documented. To make a simple Winter remedy you need: