The new series about disgraced wellness warrior Belle Gibson is a global hit. But it’s not the only reason to Google “Apple Cider Vinegar”. Here’s why and how to use it.
Apple cider vinegar is back in the headlines, in large part due to the release of the hit wellness fraud TV drama of the same name, which tells the true-ish story of the spectacular rise and fall of wellness scammer, Belle Gibson.
From boosting the immune system to making your skin glow, the benefits of apple cider vinegar were celebrated long before Gibson featured it in her book of questionable claims, The Whole Pantry. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is it?
Raw, unpasteurised apple cider vinegar is a “live” food, rich with enzymes and potassium. It’s the healthiest vinegar you can put in your body, according to health foodists and faddists, as it undergoes a two-stage fermentation process that converts the fruit sugars to acetic acid. The result is a deliciously tart-sweet vinegar with around five per cent acidity.
Where did it come from?
Hippocrates was using apple cider vinegar to cleanse and heal back in 400BC. Since then, mashing apples into a slurry and leaving them to ferment has resulted in a vinegar that’s part folk remedy and part magic, it is claimed. One study claims that two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar slows down the release of sugar into the blood. It is also said to boost the immune system, stop the build-up of fat in our bodies, and make our skin glow. All that, and it makes your kitchen benches sparkle, too.
In Sydney, Josie Rickards says customers of the family’s two Wholefoods House stores love their Bragg’s apple cider vinegar. “They use it for cooking, and drink it as a tonic,” she says.
What’s the mother?
That cobweb-like clump you see floating in cloudy, unfiltered vinegar (such as the world-famous Bragg’s brand) is the vinegar “mother” – the good stuff – so don’t toss it. Look for apple cider vinegar that is raw, unpasteurised and unfiltered to fully reap the benefits.
Why do I care?
Because it tastes like a crisp, tart, early-season green apple.
How do I use it?
Add it to coleslaw, wholegrain salads, beans and warm roasted vegetables, or use in pickles and chutneys. Or drink it – one to two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of lightly sweetened hot or cold water taken before meals is said to boost the digestive system.
Apple Cider Vinegar is currently screening on Netflix.
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Jill Dupleix is a Good Food contributor and reviewer who writes the Know-How column.
