The list of super foods is growing. A super food is something that contains a high number of essential nutrients that, when consumed on a regular basis, can have a positive effect on your health. Hardly a week goes by without another super food being championed by the media.
Why do we need super foods? In a nutshell, the typical diet is very low in essential nutrients. Manmade processed foods are convenient and easily available but tend to be very low in essential vitamins and minerals. Without vitamins and minerals, your body won't function properly and your health is likely to suffer as a result.
Super foods such as pure cocoa, blueberries, green tea, spinach and maca are all promoted as having amazing health qualities but the newest (but also the oldest!) super food is raw apple cider vinegar...
What is apple cider vinegar?
It has been around for centuries and was used in both cooking and medicine. Manufactured from fermented whole apples, the best apple cider vinegar is raw. That is to say it has not been pasteurized, distilled or filtered as these processes can reduce the healthful properties of the vinegar.
Raw apple cider vinegar is best purchased from health food stores rather than grocery stores. This is because the vinegar sold for cooking is of a lower quality than the vinegar made for consumption as a health supplement. When it comes to apple cider vinegar, it pays to read the label and get the best product you can find.
An age-old remedy
For centuries, apple cider vinegar has been used as a medicinal remedy for a wide number of illnesses. At one time or another, it has been used as a treatment for warts, fighting infection, as an antiseptic and even to increase fertility!
While it's hard to say if this super food really helped any of these conditions, there is no doubt that it can be very useful for improving general health and helping with weight loss.
Apple cider vinegar and health
It's very rich in essential nutrients. Nutrients are vital for health. Without nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, your cells, organs and bodily systems will not function properly and ill health is likely to follow.
Modern diets are often very low in essential nutrients and many people eat too much processed food. Processed food, as the term suggests, has been through a refining process to change the taste, texture and/or shelf life of the food and this usually means fewer or no healthful nutrients.
Many people's diets are very high in calories but low in essential nutrients so even an overweight and clearly overfed person can be suffering from malnutrition!
Consuming raw apple cider vinegar is an easy and convenient way to get a daily dose of essential nutrients.
So, what nutrients does this powerful food contain? I'm glad you asked! It's quite a long list but apple cider vinegar (and remember, go for the raw stuff and avoid any vinegars that have been filtered, pasteurized or distilled) contains these and many other essential nutrients...
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin B1, B2 and B6
• Beta carotene (a form of vitamin A)
• Vitamin K
• Potassium
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Phosphorous
• Copper
• Iron
There aren't many foods, raw or otherwise, that can boast such a wide variety of nutrients!
A power weight loss aid?
In addition to being a miraculous health food, apple cider vinegar has been shown to be very useful for fat loss.
With such a large proportion of the population overweight, many people are looking for ways to make fat loss less of an ordeal. Exercise, strict diets, certain drugs and even surgery are all used in an effort to loss fat but recent research and plenty of anecdotal evidence suggests that good old raw apple cider vinegar can really help your fat loss efforts.
In numerous studies, apple cider vinegar has been shown to...
• Increase metabolism - the rate at which you burn calories
• Decrease appetite
• Increase energy and vitality
• Lower blood glucose levels
• Improve fat burning
In a 2004 study published by Science News Online, subjects reported a one pound per month fat loss while using apple cider vinegar despite not making any dietary or exercise changes! Just imagine how much more effective apple cider vinegar would be if combined with some moderate dietary changes and regular exercise!
How to use apple cider vinegar
If health is you aim, you should consume one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar first thing in the morning and last thing at night. This will ensure you get a good nutritional start to your day and also provide essential nutrients for the repair process that happens while you sleep.
If you are more interested in weight loss and as this food is an effective appetite suppressant, consume one tablespoon 15 minutes before all main meals. For most of us, this means one tablespoon three times a day.
If you are feeling hungry between meals, you could also try a tablespoon to ward off an unruly appetite. As well as preventing hunger, this also means you get an extra shot of healthy vitamins and minerals.
Is it safe for everyone?
Apple cider vinegar is a 100% natural product and as such is safe for a vast majority of the population to use. Not only is it safe, if can help treat a huge number of medical conditions including:
• Arthritis
• High blood pressure
• Circulatory problems
• Depression
• Indigestion
• Digestive upsets
• Headaches
• Nasal congestion
• Rashes
• Ulcers
That being said, you should never attempt to self-medicate with apple cider vinegar and should always discuss your medical requirements with your family physician. It's unlikely your doctor will tell you not to take this food but it's always better to be safe than sorry.
Providing your doctor gives the all clear, you might find that your condition and symptoms improve rapidly soon after you start taking apple cider vinegar.
Grab your spoon... !
It's clear that this super food is both healthy and useful for fat loss but only if you actually move from reading to doing. Make sure you get "apple cider vinegar with the mother." It's relatively cheap, easy to get hold off and could be one of the best things you do for your health!
Now that you understand how apple cider vinegar is a powerful weight loss aid.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Laurenzi