At the age of 26, I decided to quit drinking coffee. For years I relied heavily on coffee to study or work. By the age of 22, I was completely dependent on it to get through the day. I often found myself drinking coffee black, and chugging it in order to consume another cup for more energy. Like me, 62 percent of Americans drink coffee every day [1], but people rarely talk about the side effects of becoming dependent on it. I felt a severe come down after drinking coffee, which only led me to drink more — sometimes I'd have several cups in a row in order to multitask. By the end of the day, I would become lethargic and agitated. On top of that, I started to get headaches and stomach pain.
When I finally stopped drinking coffee, I couldn't find a substitute that delivered the same level of energy without causing me to feel jittery. I tried energy drinks, black tea, and pretty much anything with the word caffeine in it. Then a family member recommended that I try one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar [2] mixed with eight ounces of water every morning. Like many people, I had used apple cider vinegar when cooking — it's a great addition to any salad dressing or side dish, especially leafy greens and root vegetables — but I preferred not to drink it. However, I also knew that the benefits of apple cider vinegar [3] are endless. It's believed to promote healthy digestion, lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and even help soothe a cold.
So, I started drinking apple cider vinegar daily, and I noticed the difference immediately. I was introduced to Mother Earth Essentials Organic Apple Cider Vinegar Brew [5] ($15), which comes in convenient Keurig-compatible pods and has become an integral part of my morning routine. A cup of this apple cider vinegar blend gives me a natural boost of energy without making feel jittery — and that benefit carries into the evenings. When I drank coffee daily, I had trouble falling asleep. Once I started drinking apple cider vinegar, I was able to fall asleep more easily because I wasn't relying on caffeine to function.
Once I started drinking apple cider vinegar, I was able to fall asleep more easily because I wasn't relying on caffeine to function.
I started to feel healthier as a direct result of drinking apple cider vinegar every day. My stomach no longer burned the way it did when I drank coffee, and I even experienced less stomach pain than usual when eating or drinking dairy. When I did have too much dairy and my stomach was upset, I skipped medicine and eased the discomfort with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water.
Initially, I was hesitant to replace coffee with apple cider vinegar. I didn't want to drink something bitter, but I quickly learned that fruit-flavoured vinegar tea is naturally sweet, and having a cup each morning completely shifted my digestive system. There are so many ways to use apple cider vinegar, but I've found that drinking it from a Keurig is the easiest and most efficient way to consume it. It takes just 30 seconds for you to get your daily dose of apple cider vinegar with a sweet twist. I'll likely continue using apple cider vinegar for the rest of my life. It's made a world of difference for me.