Does Apple Cider Vinegar Help With Bloating?
Apple Cider Vinegar Is Your Magic Potion to Help You Curb Bloating
I tell people that 99 percent of the time when I get moody, it's because I'm feeling bloated and desperately want to take off my formfitting jeans and pull on the baggiest pair of sweatpants that I own. Having a bloated stomach, whether it's from PMS, the food you're eating, or just too much stress, is an uncomfortable feeling to walk around town with. Your stomach feels like an inflated balloon, and you're passing gas when you least expect it and always at the most inconvenient times.
I've heard again and again that apple cider vinegar is one of the most versatile ingredients you can keep in your home, as it seems to be the magic potion that can cure so many things (from internal issues to external problems with your skin). I wondered if it could help with bloating and if so, how?
"One of the major benefits of ACV is its role in detoxing the body and fighting bloating. In addition to naturally lowering the body's levels of cholesterol and sugar, apple cider vinegar can also ease digestion, fight bad bacteria, and even boost metabolism," said Caleb Backe, a health and wellness expert for Maple Holistics. Backe explained that the high levels of acetic acid, the main chemical component in vinegar, help to lower your body's water retention, while also reducing inflammation in the abdominal cavity.
Another reason, I learned, that apple cider vinegar is the best trick to combat bloating is because it contains probiotics.
"The probiotics in the apple cider vinegar plant themselves in the small intestines as healthy bacteria," said KJ Landis, an author and creator of the Superior Self series. "Our intestines hold millions of healthy bacteria that assist with the absorption of vitamins and minerals from the food we eat. ACV is a natural anti-inflammatory. When we ingest it, our stomach does feel less bloated."
So if you're going to incorporate apple cider vinegar into your diet, Claire Martin, a registered dietitian and cofounder of Being Healthfull, said to do it before you eat. "Taking a dose of ACV before meals helps correct your stomach environment before you begin to eat, and you may find that you experience less bloating using this method," Martin said.
