Once A Home Remedy, Study Finds Apple Cider Vinegar Could Transform Your Health
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It's been around for decades, but the list of apple cider vinegar's medicinal uses keeps growing.
It's rich in vitamins, minerals, probiotics, enzymes, and it might be able to transform your health.
As CBS2's Emily Smith explained, some people may not love the taste, but others swear by apple cider vinegar as a natural elixir.
Nutritionists said it's been a natural home remedy for centuries, but it's picking up steam -- particularly when it comes to matters of the heart.
"It seems apple cider vinegar is the new kid on the block that's really showing to have a reduction in cholesterol," Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, Lenox Hill Hospital said.
Dr. Steinbaum said a recent study done in the United Kingdom shows a dose of apple cider vinegar a day can decrease cholesterol by about 13 percent.
"What we know is some of the properties in apple cider vinegar can decrease the absorption of starches and because of that decrease triglycerides," she said.
Nutritionists suggested starting with a teaspoon mixed with water about 30 minutes before a meal.
It has to be organic, and the label should say 'the mother' which means it's unfiltered and still contains strands of proteins filled with health benefits.
"Certain enzymes prevent our body to absorb certain carbs. So that's why it's also good for diabetes and weight loss," nutritionist Monica Amsterdam said.
For those who can't get over the taste there is a pill, but nutritionists said the body doesn't absorb it as quickly, so it's best to drink it.
"If it could do all of that quickly, I would probably suffer through it," one New Yorker said.
Nutritionists said it can't replace a healthy diet, but within several months of daily use it can be the cherry on top of a quest for optimal health.
Amsterdam said she drank it while pregnant to calm her acid reflux and to soothe a sore throat. She said unless you are allergic to apples, it's a natural, safe remedy.