THE days feel longer and the sun is out in all of its glory. June is here, which means it’s the mid-year point for 12 Months 24 Dares — the wellness initiative that uses the support of community to help people create and stick to healthy wellness habits.

This month’s nutritional dare is ‘Have a daily apple cider vinegar morning shot’. It doesn’t win on taste, but as my mother would always say, ‘If it tastes bad then it must be good for you’.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is made from fermented apple cider that contains healthy enzymes and beneficial probiotics. Although apple cider vinegar has been really popular recently with a lot of claims about its great benefits, this old remedy dates back centuries. Many of these claims, however, aren’t supported by science, so we are going to cut through the fluff and highlight three amazing scientific benefits that make drinking apple cider vinegar an amazing habit to develop.

Lowers blood sugar

It is important to maintain normal blood sugar levels, and numerous studies show that apple cider vinegar helps to do this. As a result, it is very helpful for individuals with type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetics or those who want to regulate their sugar cravings. If you are taking medication that already lowers your blood sugar, please check with your doctor before having ACV.

Helps with weight loss

Many studies support taking ACV for weight loss and belly fat reduction. A study published in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry highlighted participants that took ACV for 12 weeks lost weight as well as abdominal fat and waist circumference. This has a lot to do with ACV increasing satiety and also helping to curb sugar cravings — if you feel full, you are not as inclined to eat that high-calorie sugar treat, which will lead to weight loss.

Improves heart health, lowers cholesterol

Heart disease is one of the world’s leading causes of premature death. Several studies have shown that ACV helps to increase HDL, or good cholesterol, and also actively blocks specific enzymes that raise blood pressure. Lower blood pressure and cholesterol lessen the risk of heart disease.

What’s the best way to get started?

Make sure your apple cider vinegar is raw, organic and unfiltered. When the ‘mother’, the murky looking cluster of proteins and enzymes, is intact you are getting the real benefits (Braggs is a good one).

One to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 16 ounces of water (a glass of water) at the beginning or throughout your day is optimal.

Even though ACV has all these amazing benefits and more, the most effective and healthiest way to achieve these benefits is to pair it with a healthy diet and an active lifestyle.

Ready to try apple cider vinegar daily?

Email us at 12months24dares@gmail.com or follow us on Instagram and/or Facebook using the handle 12months24dares.

Jo-Hanna is the wellness coordinator of 12 Months 24 Dares. She is an internationally certified America Council of Exercise personal trainer, group fitness instructor and Power Vinyasa 200YT yoga instructor.