There is no research to support the claim that drinking
apple cider vinegar boosts the body's immune system, Shape magazine reports.
But believers in the medicinal powers of this yeasty, fermented liquid — and common food additive — say the immunity benefit is real: "I know it has helped improve my digestion and boost my immune function over the past 10 years," Tina Discepola, a medical doctor and
holistic health expert, told Redbook magazine.
Apple cider vinegar (sometimes called ACV) gets its healthy reputation in part from the presence of probiotic bacteria, which are believed to aid the
immune system, according to Livestrong.com.
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Those bacteria promote a healthy intestinal tract, which in turn helps "improve your overall immunity,"
Collective Evolution reports, adding, "The malic acid in ACV is also a strong antiviral, perhaps one of the reasons people often say they experience fewer colds when they take apple cider vinegar in water daily."
FitDay identifies apple cider vinegar as one of eight immune-system boosting drinks, and cites this tart tonic for its "wide range of vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to the body."
Accordingly, many health and lifestyle publications recommend a daily dose of apple cider vinegar — usually a tablespoon or two of the "cloudy, unfiltered" variety — mixed with water, fruit juice or honey for taste, Shape reports.
Some medical professionals remain skeptical of the immune-boosting powers attributed to apple cider vinegar.
"That's silly stuff,"
Ed Friedlander, a doctor of pathology, writes at HealthTap, flatly rejecting the connection between apple cider vinegar and strengthened immunity.
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