Question of the day: does apple cider vinegar make you poop?
Let’s explore that and many other things about ACV (apple cider vinegar).
Apple Cider Vinegar
I’ll date myself here a minute, but when I was in high school, taking shots of apple cider vinegar promised to “help one lose weight.”
So, my friends and I got into it for a period of time.
I’ll never forget my one friend. She had been doing it for probably a week or less when her boyfriend told her, “You have lost weight.”
She believed it; we all believed it. So we kept doing it.
Until one day, that is.
I was standing in our kitchen with my friends. I took a huge shot of it, and it burned my throat so badly that I couldn’t talk and barely could breathe. One of the worst feelings ever.
So I never, ever did that again.
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
For many reasons, the scenario presented above was all wrong.
And for many years, I would avoid it like the plague because I was terrified of it.
But then I got sick and we learned I had almost no stomach acid left. I learned so much about apple cider vinegar (in a new light), and the rest is history.
So what is it anyways?
Simple put, apple cider vinegar is a vinegar that is made from fermented apple juice. But this isn’t the apple juice you buy on a grocery shelf with multiple ingredients and 32g of added, random sugars.
No, the best apple cider vinegars are made by taking fresh, organic apples, crushing and juicing them and creating the vinegar from that.
Does apple cider vinegar go bad
Although rare, apple cider vinegar can go wrong in specific circumstances (primarily due to some contaminants that found their way into the bottle).
Vinegar does not have an expiration date, but its quality will decline over time, (and most people are not fond of the changes in taste occurring) especially after opening the bottle.
Apple cider vinegar can get cloudy or hazy, although this is not a health hazard. As previously stated, the taste and odor of vinegar alters over time as it grows more acidic and the flavor becomes more powerful.
Does Apple Cider Vinegar Make You Poop?
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But the question for you, for us, today is really this,
Does apple cider vinegar make you poop?
Many people use apple cider vinegar for various reasons, and if you’ve included the vinegar in your regular diet, you’ve probably experienced some improvements.
However, you should know that there really isn’t any science behind this, if any at all.
Even still, here are some speculations for why ACV might help in the #2 department:
- The pectin content in apple cider vinegar is high, as is the range of apples. In the digestive system, pectin can aid in the movement of food.
- Contains a small amount of magnesium, which helps with constipation.
- The high level of acidity acts as a natural laxative by stimulating the colon into peristalsis (muscle contractions that move waste through the colon).
- It contains natural probiotics, which may help with your immune system and gut health.
- ACV contains acetic acid, and research shows that both acetic acid and butyric acid could relieve constipation.
Sources: HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.
My personal experience likely leaned towards #3 from the list above.
ACV is a natural way to increase stomach acid. I incorporated it into my everyday life, and found it to be extremely helpful.
However, there are some tips and tricks to doing this.
Best apple cider vinegar
First, the apple cider vinegar you use should be very high quality.
Here is a list of my top 5 ACV’s to consider for your pantry:
1. Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the “Mother”
Hands down, my favorite. This is pretty much all I buy today and all I bought back when I first started using ACV on my healing journey.
Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is made from organically farmed apples and contains only organic ingredients.
It is raw, unfiltered, and unpasteurized.
Bragg’s is one of the oldest, and most trusted brands of apple cider vinegar on the market, as well as one of the most widely available.
On their website, they even have a page dedicated to the science behind their product. You’ll find it HERE.
2. Vermont Village Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the “Mother”
Vermont Village Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, sometimes known as sipping vinegar, is a product intended for immediate drinking.
It differs from plain apple cider vinegar in that it has been blended with things like honey and turmeric root, which helps to mitigate the harsh apple cider vinegar flavor.
The flavor of this product is fantastic. We frequently purchase it because it’s available at the local Walmart (which is a huge plus in my book = accessibility for all).
3. Eden Foods Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
Eden Foods Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is one of their many products obtained through sustainable techniques, using only organic macrobiotics and locally sourced ingredients.
4. Thrive Market Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
Because I love my Thrive Market Membership so much, I would be remiss to not share this one with you.
While you can purchase Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar directly through Thrive Market, you can also get the Thrive Market brand which is a smidge cheaper.
5. Fairchild’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the “Mother”
Fairchild’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, made by Golden Valley Vinegar, is a pure, organic, raw, and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar that contains the “Mother,” the acetobacter bacteria that ferments the alcohol.
The apple cider vinegar has a deep golden color and a delicious flavor, and it contains no concentrates, peels, or cores.
It has a strong flavor, which allows you to use modest amounts of vinegar while still getting big results. Because it is undiluted, it has a higher acidity level, but it also has a more intense hue.
When to take apple cider vinegar
Another trick is when and how you take the apple cider vinegar.
I always took the ACV just prior to meals or during a meal. And this leads me to how to consume the vinegar.
Remember, do not just take shots of it. Believe me, pain is bound to happen and then you definitely won’t reap any benefits.
My favorite way to incorporate it is to use it as part of a sauce and/or salad dressing. Over the years, I have created so many different recipes in this manner.
You’ll find a ton in The Leaky Gut Meal Plan.
If you want a quick recipe to try today, try my Low-FODMAP Homemade Vinaigrette Salad Dressing HERE.
Best apple cider vinegar supplements
Because ACV is trendy currently, the market has demanded for supplements.
In addition to the liquid, there are also:
- capsules/pills
- gummies
ACV Capsules/Pills
Here are 3 on the market created by brands I know, like, and trust:
1. Paleovalley Apple Cider Vinegar Complex
This Apple Cider Vinegar Complex also contains four additional superfoods (turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and lemon) shown to support gut health and inflammation reduction.
Paleovalley uses all organic ingredients in order to avoid the pesticides and herbicides so prevalent in our food system today. They also do not use any flow agents as part of “additional ingredients” in their products.
Use THIS link to purchase the Paleovalley ACV brand and automatically save 15% at checkout.
2. Enzymedica Apple Cider Vinegar
These are raw and unfiltered. They contain acetic acid from the Mother as well as other naturally occurring components found in high-quality liquid Apple Cider Vinegar, along with 10-20 real apples in every bottle.
The Enzymedica promise includes: Vegan and contains no gluten, milk, casein, soy, egg, artificial colors, flavors, or GMOs.
Purchase this product HERE. Otherwise, you’ll find this through my Fullscript dispensary HERE, which is my private online supplement store where you’ll always save on high-quality supplements.
3. NOW
This supplement provides 450 mg of apple cider vinegar in a convenient capsule form.
I’ve long been a fan of NOW because they are a family owned and operated company since 1968. I’ve been to their facilities, and love what they are doing in the world.
Purchase this product HERE. Otherwise, you’ll find this on my Fullscript dispensary HERE, which is my private online supplement store where you’ll always save on high-quality supplements.
Best apple cider vinegar gummies
Besides the capsules and pills, you can also try apple cider vinegar via gummies.
These days, it seems like gummies are a preferred supplement form.
I’m not totally sold on gummies for every supplement, all the time, but they do allow us to swallow fewer pills. Not sure about you, but I loathe swallowing allllllllll those pills!
Here are 3 on the market with great reviews:
1. WellPath Pure Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies
Endorsed by publications such as The New York Times, Vogue and Men’s Fitness, WellPath has long proven itself to be a dependable health and fitness supplement supplier, and its apple cider vinegar gummies prove just that.
Each serving contains both ACV + ginger root (also great for digestion).
2. Enzymedica
Similar to the pill form, only these are an easy-to-take, convenient 2 gummy dose – equal to 1 fluid oz of liquid Apple Cider Vinegar. They are also formulated with 1,000 mcg of Vitamin B12 to provide energy and metabolic support.
Purchase this product HERE. Otherwise, you’ll find this on my Fullscript dispensary HERE, which is my private online supplement store where you’ll always save on high-quality supplements.
3. myKind Organic Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies
I love that these contain 500mg of unrefined apple cider vinegar, including 5% acetic acid, and vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin). Methylcobalamin is the superior form of B12, btw.
Purchase this product HERE. Otherwise, you’ll find this on my Fullscript dispensary HERE, which is my private online supplement store where you’ll always save on high-quality supplements.
ACV Q&A
Are you on my weekly e-newsletter yet?
Each Friday I send out the Friday 4 newsletter where I share 4 things from the week. It’s a short and to-the-point newsletter that people love.
Anyways, one week I sent out a newsletter and included ACV. Then, I asked if you wanted to know more on the vinegar + any questions you had.
So many responses, which is how this post came to be.
In addition to everything from above, here is another main question I got.
I want to try apple cider vinegar, but if I have SIBO and it’s a probiotic, won’t this increase my gut bacteria rather than help me remove excess?
This is a great question due to the nature of ACV and the conditions present with SIBO.
The first thing I’ll say, as always, is this….you should absolutely work with your practitioner on it.
However, let’s break it down for a second.
So often SIBO lingers and/or relapses because of too little stomach acid. In this case, apple cider vinegar is used to help increase the stomach acid. And if stomach acid increases, SIBO can resolve.
On the other hand, if your present SIBO is not due to low stomach acid then the acid in the ACV combined with the fact that it’s fermented likely makes you worse.
How to know?
Remember, work with your practitioner. But also…..keep that meticulous journal!
Even after all the information, research, etc. experts never agree on the HCL (hydrochloric acid), apple cider vinegar debate. If you’re interested in seeing more ideas and thoughts around this, check THIS article out.
Which brings me back to the journal. Top experts can’t even agree and that’s because every single person’s situation is different.
Therefore, use your journal and work with your practitioner. That’s how you’ll heal in the long run!
If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:
- All About HCL
- How to Test At Home for Low Stomach Acid HCL Challenge
- Matula Tea {+ all about H. Pylori)
Xox,
SKH
