Why you need this simple yet effective hair hack in your weekly routine.
Yes, it smells kind of funky. Some drink it, others use it as a salad dressing substitute - I like to use it on my locks. Apple cider vinegar is SO easy to make at home, and it's a zero/low waste mixture. Learn more about the process, benefits and how to use!
Who said ACV was a good idea?
“Jarvis found that the natural acid in apple cider vinegar, contains potassium that floods your blood and frees your blood vessels from calcium deposits. Potassium is responsible for drawing fluid into cells, which hold 50 percent of our body fluid. Jarvis explains that because our body composition is partly mineral, it is important that we keep potassium-sodium in balance. In so doing, we can eliminate many health conditions and be energized every day.” (https://www.newmobility.com/2016/11/apple-cider-vinegar-elixir-fixer/)
Apple cider vinegar has been used medicinally for thousands of years. Historically, it has been used for a variety of ailments - such as toothaches and digestive problems. It was used as a perscription by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates to treat various infections. A dilution of apple cider vinegar was drunk by Ancient Persians to prevent the accumulation of fatty tissue in the body, and D.C. Jarvis, M.D. wrote a book about the potassium properties and claimed it was the 'cure-all' drink. Yes, he was dismissed by medical authorities but hey, studies now show he was right about a few things at least. In short, there are historical records showing a myriad of uses for apple cider vinegar from all over the world and it's still being used today.
How does ACV even happen?
The natural fermentation process that is coupled to create apple cider vinegar is a fascinating miracle to witness. When raw apple juice meets a complex of yeast and bacteria known as the “Mother”, the sugars are transformed into alcohol. With exposure to oxygen, the cider is additionally transformed into acetic acid (the main ingredient in vinegar). By allowing this natural process to take place in a controlled environment, the result is a tangy-tasting, or a hair revamping vinegar with many bioactive components.
What exactly is in ACV? And what are the benefits?
Here's a list of the goodies found in apple cider vinegar:
vitamins B1, B2, and B6; biotin; folic acid; niacin; pantothenic acid; and vitamin C. It also contains small amounts of the minerals sodium, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium. Apple cider vinegar can also contain significant quantities of acetic acid and citric acid.
The benefits:
1. ACV helps restore your hair and scalp's natural PH balance.
According to a past study in the International Journal of Trichology the higher alkaline pH a shampoo has, the higher your scalp pH will be. This means your hair is more likely to suffer from cuticle damage, frizz and a dry, irritated scalp. The acidity in apple cider vinegar counteracts alkaline pH, helping to improve your scalp’s health.
2. Ultra Hydration for your your locks.
Apple cider vinegar will naturally remove buildup while charges hair with hydration by clarifying and exfoliating the scalp.
3. Prevent and treat an irritated scalp.
Due to its antibacterial and antifungal qualities, apple cider vinegar can help if you’re afflicted by dandruff (combination of yeast on oily skin - yuck!)
4. Hello shine!
Applying ACV works by closing the cuticle of the hair, which makes light reflect off of it. In other words, it makes your hair super shiny.
How to make your own ACV
Making ACV at home is super simple and uses minimum ingredients. The key is to be patient, and if it doesn't work out the first time around, try again! I found this recipe online:
Apple Cider Vinegar Making Tips
1. Use organic apples free of pesticides.
2. Select fruit free of mold, fungi or rot.
3. Rinse fresh apples under running water.
4. If you’re using whole apples, soak them in a bowl of water along with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar for five minutes before peeling. The apple cider vinegar serves as a fruit wash to kill bacteria and remove any fungicide or pesticide residue.
Supplies and Ingredients:
- Quart canning jar
-Canning lid and ring, and muslin cloth, or you can use a clean, unused coffee filter.
-Apple cores and peels, spring water, and sugar (optional)
Instructions:
1. Fill a sterilized quart jar with clean apple peels and cores. Or add apple scraps over the course of several days from your snacking apples (be sure to cut away bitten areas). Add spring or filtered water, free of chlorine, to the jar, ensuring that the apple scraps are completely covered.
2. (Optional step) To speed up the fermentation process add ¼ cup of sugar to the jar and stir.
3. Cover the filled jar with a circle of muslin cloth or the coffee filter and secure it with a rubber band or canning jar ring. This will help keep fruit flies out of the jar and permit the mixture to breathe.
4. Place the jar out of direct sunlight, in a warm place, near a hot water heater, refrigerator, wood stove, or on top of the gas range, (but not directly on a burner), to speed up the fermentation process.
5. After a few days, the contents of the jar should start to thicken. The mixture will begin to foam and bubble.
6. After two weeks, strain out the apple scraps and pour the liquid into a clean quart jar. Cover as you did before with a muslin cloth and canning jar ring. Store on a pantry shelf.
7. After a few weeks, the mixture should appear cloudy and a film will form on the surface. This is the “mother,” which can be used to start future batches of ACV.
8. At six week from the start, the fermentation process should be complete. There will be a residue inside the bottom of the jar and the vinegar will taste tangy. If the ACV smell or taste is undeveloped, allow it to sit longer.
9. Once the ACV has developed, cap the jar with a lid and store in your pantry until needed.
10. When you’re ready to make another jar of ACV, remove the “mother” and add it to a new batch of apple scraps and water and repeat the process.
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