- How is apple cider vinegar used?
- Where do most apples come from?
- Is apple cider vinegar nutritious?
- Is apple cider vinegar alkaline or acidic?
- Is apple cider vinegar gluten free?
- Is apple cider vinegar a common food allergen?
- Is apple cider vinegar low fodmap?
- Water footprint of apple cider vinegar?
- Carbon footprint of apple cider vinegar?
- Is apple cider vinegar sustainable?
- Is apple cider vinegar vegan?
- Does apple cider vinegar have human rights issues?
What are apple cider vinegar benefits and side effects? Is apple cider vinegar gluten free? Vegan? Acidic or alkaline? Low fodmap? Good for you? Healthy? Sustainable? Here are apple cider vinegar pros and cons: all the info on apple cider vinegar that every ethical consumer wants to know…
Food is something we consume every day. If you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on apple cider vinegar benefits and side effects.
You are going to learn all about apple cider vinegar benefits and side effects. This will include apple cider vinegar benefits for your health and potential risks, apple cider vinegar water footprint and carbon footprint, sustainability, if apple cider vinegar is vegan or impact animals in other ways, and much more.
After learning if apple cider vinegar is good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be able to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.
This post is all about apple cider vinegar benefits and side effects that every ethical consumer should know.
Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits And Side Effects
HEALTH
Energy: apple cider vinegar is good for / helps acid reflux, allergies, arthritis, asthma, athlete’s foot, candida, diarrhea, depression, food poisoning, heartburn, inflammation, influenza, sinus infection, sore throat
Longevity: apple cider vinegar is good for / helps cholesterol problems, diabetes, detox, gout, high blood pressure, lowers risk of cancer and heart disease, nutrient absorption, optimize pH levels in body
Appearance: apple cider vinegar is good for / helps acne, bad breath, dermatitis, hair, nail fungus, skin problems, foot odor, teeth whitening, weight loss
Apple cider vinegar is…
- Alkaline 8.0 pH level once digested
- Gluten Free
- Not a common Food Allergen
- Low Fodmap
ENVIRONMENT
Water footprint: likely low, it takes 822 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of apples / 99 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of apples
Carbon footprint: likely low, 0.7 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of apples, a car driving equivalent of 1.75 miles or 2.75 kilometers
Destruction: low, apple cider vinegar production is relatively sustainable, there is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as pesticides have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc.
Apple cider vinegar is…
ANIMALS
Kills: none, apple cider vinegar production does not require any animals to be killed
Harms: none, apple cider vinegar production does not require any animals to be used
Indirectly kills or harms: none, no animals are indirectly killed or harmed from apple cider vinegar production as long as toxic chemicals have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as pesticides harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat
Apple cider vinegar is…
- Vegan
- Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems unless organic
LABORERS
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Apple cider vinegar…
- May have labor issues
How is apple cider vinegar used?
Apple cider vinegar is used for home cleaning, cleansing, deodorant, hair washing, mouth wash, skin treatments, toner, preserving food, marinades, dressings, vinaigrettes, and more.
Where do most apples come from?
China is the world’s largest apple producer followed by the United States, Poland, Italy, and France, respectively. Apples grow commercially in 32 states. The 10 top apple-producing states are: Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Virginia, North Carolina, Oregon, Ohio, Idaho.
Is apple cider vinegar nutritious?
Yes! Apple cider vinegar is low in fat, high in antioxidants, contains chromium and is a natural healing remedy.
Other names for apple cider vinegar are ACV and Acetic Acid.
Is apple cider vinegar alkaline or acidic?
Apple cider vinegar is alkaline. What is the pH level of apple cider vinegar? Apple cider vinegar has an 8.0 pH level, once digested. However, not all vinegars are alkaline. Balsamic vinegar, for example, is acidic. Distilled vinegar and rice vinegar are mildly acidic.
When you eat food, it breaks down to an ash residue that can be neutral, acidic or alkaline. Minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper and iron produce an alkaline ash; whereas sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and iodine, which are in meat, coffee, dairy and alcohol, leave an acid ash.
Going alkaline easier than ever with this: Acidic and Alkaline Foods List
Is apple cider vinegar gluten free?
Yes, apple cider vinegar is naturally gluten free. Apple cider vinegar does not contain gluten.
While celiac disease may not be as rampant as many marketing trends lead us to believe, you may have a gluten sensitivity…
Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include:
- recurring abdominal pain
- chronic diarrhea
- constipation
- tingling
- numbness in hands and feet
- chronic fatigue
- joint pain
- unexplained infertility
- low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.
Going gluten-free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List
Is apple cider vinegar a common food allergen?
No, apple cider vinegar is not a common food allergen. Some people may experience allergic reactions to apple cider vinegar but it is relatively rare by comparison.
A group of the eight major allergenic foods, AKA the Big-8, include:
- milk
- eggs
- fish
- crustacean shellfish
- tree nuts
- peanuts
- wheat
- soybeans
These foods account for about 90% of all food allergies in the United States.
Severe food allergies can be life threatening. Following ingestion of a food allergen, a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.
Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List
Is apple cider vinegar low fodmap?
No, apple cider vinegar is low fodmap, a food you can eat if on a low fodmap diet.
A low FODMAP diet may help those with bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain, and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).
It’s all about knowing your body. Observe what works and what doesn’t. You body might even react negatively to a low-FODMAP food simply due to intolerance. Everyone is different! Be mindful and patient. Take time to get to know what’s best for your physical health and overall wellbeing.
Water footprint of apple cider vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar likely has a relatively low water footprint compared to other foods.
It takes 1,141 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of apple juice / 137 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of apple juice.
Did you know that water is a finite, non-renewable resource?
We must do what we can to conserve fresh water and a major way to reduce needless water consumption is to change the way we eat. That’s not to say we need to reduce our water intake….quite the opposite. It’s important for our health to drink lots of water and eat foods that hydrate. The kind of water conservation we’re talking about here is behind the scenes.
How much water does it take to produce an apple? A serving of rice? A steak dinner?
We need to be aware of “water footprints”. That is, the amount of fresh water utilized in the production or supply of goods we consume. As it turns out it takes significantly more water to yield foods that come from animals than foods that come from plants. Imagine how much water a cow needs to consume to generate a piece of beef. Not only how much water a single cow drinks, rather all the water that went into producing the crops that the cow ate.
Find out how much water your food consumes with this: Water Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
Carbon footprint of apple cider vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar likely has a relatively low carbon footprint compared to other foods.
It takes around 0.19 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of organic apples, a car driving equivalent of 0.5 miles or 0.75 kilometers.
Food not only has a water footprint but also a carbon footprint, known as CO2e, which stands for carbon dioxide equivalent. Since carbon measurements are a bit more difficult to comprehend, it is common to equate CO2e to the distance which a car drives in miles or kilometers.
When calculating carbon emissions, some factors may include…
- farm equipment
- animal feed production
- hothouses (greenhouses)
- food processing
- packaging
- transport
- refrigeration
- freezing
- package waste and more
There are a number of steps we can take to reduce energy output. According to Oxford Martin School researchers, if the world went vegan, eliminating animal-derived products, it could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds and avoid climate damages of $1.5 trillion.
But that’s not all!
t’s best to keep the following in mind when grocery shopping:
- shopping locally reduces transportation emissions
- food without packaging reduces waste as well as the carbon footprint
- refrigerated and frozen foods increase carbon emissions
- seasonal foods reduce carbon emissions from hothouses (greenhouses)
- growing plant-based foods at home is the most environmentally sustainable method with zero carbon footprint
Find out how much carbon your food emits with this: Carbon Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
Is apple cider vinegar sustainable?
Apple cider vinegar production is relatively sustainable since there is no significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as pesticides are not used. Be sure to buy non GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc. when using regenerative practices.
A 2018 Oxford University study – which is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet – found that ‘avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earth’ as animal farming provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of our farmland.
Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts of pollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes of climate change.
A 2010 United Nations report said that a global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world the worst impacts of climate change.
Read more about ‘What Makes Food Sustainable Or Unsustainable?’
Is apple cider vinegar vegan?
Yes, apple cider vinegar is vegan. Apple cider vinegar is a vinegar made from fermented apple juice and not an animal product or byproduct, therefore making it a vegan food.
According to Sentient Media, “more than 200 million land animals are killed for food around the world every day. Including wild-caught and farmed fishes, we get a total closer to 3 billion animals killed daily.”
Animals of factory farms and the livestock industry are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environments…so much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. They’re also injected with growth hormones to become fatter faster and live short lives, being slaughtered as soon as they finish growing and are killed prematurely, well before their natural lifespan.
Because we cannot see for ourselves how these animals live and what they endure does not mean it isn’t happening. The meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.
Go vegan for animals!
It’s the best way to help animals and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Speak for animals with your actions, for they cannot speak at all.
Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non Vegan Foods List
Does apple cider vinegar have human rights issues?
At this time there are no major concerns with apple production but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening! It’s important to stay aware of human rights concerns and worker exploitation that may be associated with specific brands.
Did you know the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? The labor involved behind each and every product cannot go unrecognized.
Sadly, many labor concerns exist around the world in both developed and developing countries. We must be vigilant to ensure what we buy is not contributing to industries that are unfair to their valuable workers. Some known problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
We can improve people’s lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.
Be sure to read up on this list of ‘Foods You Should Always Buy Fair Trade‘
This post was all about apple cider vinegar benefits.
Sources:
Vinegar, cider – FoodData Central – USDA
apple cider vinegar: Topics by Science.gov
Effect of Apple Cider Vinegar in Type 2 Diabetics
