Lifestyle

This Is What Apple Cider Vinegar Really Tastes Like If You Drink It Straight

by Imani Brammer

When it comes to wellness trends, apple cider vinegar might just take the cake for the most magical of them all.

From lowering your blood sugar to clearing up your skin, ACV can do wonders for your body from head to toe.

But it can be a little tricky to figure out how exactly to ingest this stuff.

Apple cider vinegar doesn't look very pretty, and TBH, the taste isn't much better.

In fact, you're really not supposed to drink apple cider vinegar straight.

ACV erodes your teeth enamel and can destroy your esophagus.

So dramatic, I know.

This can happen because apple cider vinegar is highly acidic, with a low pH balance typically between about two and three (the lower the number, the higher the acidity).

If the enamel on your teeth erodes, you're more susceptible to some particularly awful things like tooth sensitivity, decay, and cavities.

And, once your esophagus is damaged, the consequences can be permanent, as that part of your throat is lined with a mucus membrane that, when exposed to acid, can burn.

Yeah, I'm cringing too just thinking about it.

If you're still feeling ballsy, however, I took one shot of ACV to test it out so you don't have to.

And, well, it tastes exactly like what it is: apples, acid, and vinegar.

Does that sound like a delectable combination? No, because it's not. And it tastes like it's not.

Keep in mind, I'm talking specifically about apple cider vinegar with the mother, which is the collection of bacteria that actually turns plain old apple cider into the magic that is ACV.

And, honestly, ACV with the mother has this intrusive taste on my palate.

It's weird, it's uncomfortable, and it insists on sticking to the top of my inner lip -- a body part I literally never think about except when apple cider vinegar decides to park itself there for the day.

So, needless to say, between the havoc this stuff can wreak on your mouth, and the downright disgusting taste of drinking it straight, it's probably best to mask its natural taste.

Here's what you can do to dilute the taste of apple cider vinegar.

Thankfully, there are plenty of options out there.

You can dilute straight-up ACV with some water, in a cup of tea, or even in your smoothies.

Though something like a smoothie would certainly do more to mask the taste, my personal favorite method is to drink ACV with water.

Once you've got a little H20 in there, the drink actually tastes quite refreshing with only a slight hint of acidity.

And, TBH, I like having just a little bit of that acidic taste. It kind of makes me feel like I'm doing something right with my day -- like I'm doing my body a real favor.

Go ahead and do your body a favor, too. You know you deserve it.