As a nursing mom, you must pay extra attention and take care of your diet. Whatever you eat passes on to your baby through breast milk. Many of us may have used apple cider vinegar, either for its health benefits or as a taste enhancer. There may be a phase when you are craving something tangy like apple cider vinegar, as you love its taste and look forward to adding it to your food. Is apple cider vinegar while breastfeeding a good option?
The tanginess of the vinegar adds a burst of flavor to any dish, especially salads. With its weight-reducing, colon cleansing, diabetes control, and heart health-maintaining benefits, ACV might be tempting for any new mother. As new mothers, we are in a hurry to lose weight, and adding ACV to our diet may seem tempting. We explain if this is a good idea and what precautions you should take when adding this ingredient to your food, especially when you are breastfeeding.
In This Article
- What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
- Is it Good to Use Apple Cider Vinegar While Breastfeeding?
- Advantages of Apple Cider Vinegar While Breastfeeding
- Precautions to be Taken While Having Apple Cider Vinegar While Breastfeeding
- Side Effects of Taking Apple Cider Vinegar During Breastfeeding
- How Can You Consume Apple Cider Vinegar?
- FAQ’s
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is made by crushing apples and then fermenting them. This process turns the pulp into alcohol and finally into acetic acid. This fermented concoction is aerated, bottled, and is ready for commercial sale. The final product is called apple cider vinegar and is quite popular among health and food connoisseurs. The total production time of this product takes two years. Most companies also ensure pasteurization of the final product to avoid contamination by bacteria such as E.coli.
Is it Good to Use Apple Cider Vinegar While Breastfeeding?
Yes, you can add apple cider vinegar to your diet if you are breastfeeding. Be cautious, however, to consume only pasteurized, organic apple cider vinegar while breastfeeding. Unpasteurized and raw ACV can be very nutritious, but could also contain bacteria from raw apple juice.
We do not know for sure if mothers consuming unpasteurized ACV have any effect on breastfeeding babies. However, the mother herself can get food poisoning and suffer from other intestinal diseases, which can indirectly affect the health of the breastfeeding baby as well.
Advantages of Apple Cider Vinegar While Breastfeeding
Apple cider vinegar has a lot of benefits and is proven to provide relief from a variety of illnesses and health conditions like skin issues, osteoarthritis, obesity, and some chronic disorders. Some ACV proponents go as far as claiming that pregnant women who consume apple cider vinegar give birth to babies with the perfect chemical pattern that makes them adaptable and strong to survive changing environments.
Given below are some benefits of consuming apple cider vinegar while breastfeeding.
1. Fights Diabetes
Apple cider vinegar can help neutralize blood sugar levels and thus fight Type 2 diabetes in breastfeeding moms. It serves as an anti-glycemic ingredient, and the acetic acid present in apple cider vinegar lowers blood sugar levels.
[Read: Breast Feeding and Gestational Diabetes]
2. Improves Digestive Health
Consumption of apple cider vinegar while breastfeeding provides an excellent respite from heartburn and other digestive issues that you experience post-delivery. It is often used to soothe intestinal spasms due to the presence of pectin.
3. Prevents Urinary Infections
Apple cider vinegar is extremely useful in keeping urinary infections at bay. As apple cider vinegar has umpteen minerals and enzymes that help to cure bacterial infections, this drink is ideal for getting rid of all kinds of bacteria.
4. Aids in Weight Loss
It is ideal for helping you reduce weight. Having around 15 to 30 ml of apple cider vinegar diluted with is proven to aid weight loss considerably, especially after delivery.
5. Helps with Nasal Problems
Apple cider vinegar can effectively clear a blocked nose and ensure sound sleep throughout the night. Having this vinegar with lukewarm water helps to clear stuffy noses and averts sinus issues.
6. Helps in Lowering Blood Pressure
Apple cider vinegar is also found to regulate levels of blood pressure and lower its levels.
7. Improves Good Cholesterol Levels
The polyphenols and chlorogenic acid found in Apple cider vinegar help to reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, thus improving heart function. It also helps to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol in your system, thus protecting your heart.
8. Keeps Skin Healthy
Apple cider vinegar, when topically applied, can alleviate many skin issues that new mothers face post-delivery.
Precautions to be Taken While Having Apple Cider Vinegar While Breastfeeding
Some precautionary measures are mandatory when it comes to consuming apple cider vinegar during breastfeeding.
- Ensure you consume only the pasteurized form of apple cider vinegar when breastfeeding. Harmful bacteria like E. Coli, salmonella, and Cryptosporidium are destroyed during pasteurization rendering ACV safe for consumption.
- Ensure that apple cider vinegar that you consume comes within PH levels that you can safely consume during this phase.
- Check whether the apple cider vinegar has all the necessary safety and health checks and is verified by the concerned authorities.
- Always speak with your doctor, gynecologist, or lactation specialist before you start taking apple cider vinegar.
- Check labels and read the constituents carefully before purchasing ACV from the store.
- Do not use concentrated apple cider vinegar as it is very strong and can harm the lining of your mouth and throat. Always dilute it with water before drinking. An ideal ratio would be 1 part of ACV to 10 parts of water.
- Use the only appropriate amount of Apple cider vinegar and avoid going overboard with it in cooking, mainly when you are using it in salad dressings.
[Read : Benefits Of Chia Seeds During Breastfeeding]
Side Effects of Taking Apple Cider Vinegar During Breastfeeding
Apple cider may have many health benefits for you, especially when you are breastfeeding. But you must always consume it in moderation. Excess consumption of apple cider vinegar while breastfeeding can have the following adverse effects:
1. Dental Issues
Apple cider vinegar has a high amount of acidic levels. It can cause damage to your teeth and trigger erosion of your tooth enamel. Apple cider vinegar can also trigger itching and irritation of the gums.
2. Fall in Potassium Levels
Consuming excess quantities of apple cider vinegar while breastfeeding can cause a drastic drop in the levels of potassium in your body, which can be quite dangerous for you and your baby.
3. Skin Rashes
Some people report suffering from skin rashes when they consume apple cider vinegar during this period.
How Can You Consume Apple Cider Vinegar?
Some simple and easy to consume apple cider vinegar for breastfeeding mothers are:
1. Dress Your Salads
If you like salads, then you can prepare a simple dressing with apple cider vinegar and consume it. All you need to do is to whisk together ¼ cup cider vinegar, one teaspoon lemon juice, and ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil to make the sumptuous dressing. Add some salt, black pepper for an additional taste!
2. Drink it Up With Honey
Ready your detox drink with ½ teaspoon of organic honey, one tablespoon apple cider vinegar, one teaspoon lemon juice, and some ice cubes in a tall glass. Mix really well to get a sweet-sour tangy taste. You could add a dash of pepper for that additional zing!
3. Drink it Up With Herbal Tea
If you like it hot, let your regular green tea steep in the water for a few minutes, and then add one teaspoon apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon lemon juice, and 2-3 drops of honey. A dash of cinnamon could really enhance the taste!
Apple cider vinegar is perfectly safe to consume while you are breastfeeding, as long as you have it in moderation. Also, consult your doctor before having AVC, so you are sure it is safe for you.
Did you take apple cider vinegar while breastfeeding? Please share your experience in the comments section below.
[Read : Is Spirulina Safe To Consume During Breastfeeding?]
FAQ’s
1. Is Apple Cider Vinegar Acidic?
Yes, it is quite acidic. It has a pH level of 2-3. A pH level of 1 is considered to be the most acidic.
2. How Can I Lose my Pregnancy Weight With the Help of Apple Cider Vinegar?
Consuming apple cider vinegar can accelerate weight loss. You can mix it with water and drink it in the morning. You can even add it to your salads and other foods as a flavoring agent.
3. Can I Have Apple Cider Vinegar With the Mother When am Breastfeeding?
There is no research to show if this is good or bad for you and your baby. Opting for a natural variety that has been pasteurized is safer than others. When it is with the mother it is not usually pasteurized.
4. Can be Consuming Apple Cider Vinegar Change the Taste of my Breast Milk?
It may. There is not enough research in this area. However, since it is quite acidic and strong tasting in nature, it might have an impact on the taste of the milk.
Read Also: Senna During Breastfeeding – Its Safety And Health Benefits
