Apple Cider Vinegar 450mg | 180 Capsules | NOW Foods

Apple Cider Vinegar 450mg by NOW Foods

A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water is a morning ritual for many people. But far from everyone likes that sharp, sour taste. That is why NOW Foods has dried it into a powder and put it in a vegetarian capsule: 450mg per piece, 180 capsules in a bottle. This way you get apple cider vinegar without tasting it and without the sourness cutting through your teeth.

How apple cider vinegar is actually made

Apple cider vinegar starts as regular apple juice. Yeasts first convert the natural sugars from the apples into alcohol, just like with cider. Then acetic acid bacteria take over. They convert the alcohol into acetic acid, the substance that gives vinegar its typical smell and taste. What remains is a sour liquid with acetic acid, a little malic acid, and traces of polyphenols (plant substances) from the apple. Unfiltered varieties also contain the cloudy 'mother', a network of bacteria and cellulose. For this product, the liquid vinegar is dried into a fine powder. To keep that powder stable and free-flowing, NOW Foods adds a little maltodextrin as a carrier.

Capsules or liquid vinegar, what is the difference

Many people wonder if capsules are the same as a shot of vinegar in water. The short answer: the base is the same, the experience is not. Liquid apple cider vinegar is quite sour, with a pH around 3. If you drink it regularly undiluted or with little dilution, that acid comes into direct contact with your tooth enamel and your esophagus. A capsule bypasses that and only breaks down in your stomach. You taste nothing, you smell nothing and you don't have to mix a glass. Good to know: with a capsule you do get a smaller amount than with a full tablespoon of vinegar. Two capsules provide 900mg of apple cider vinegar powder. On the other hand, you know the dosage exactly, while a shot from the bottle is just a little different every time.

How it fits into your day

The label recommends 1 to 2 capsules, up to 3 times a day, with a meal. That timing is no coincidence. Vinegar has traditionally been part of food: in a dressing, with pickled vegetables, over a salad. The capsules follow that pattern. Take them with a glass of water at breakfast, lunch or dinner, and swallow them whole. If you have a sensitive stomach or suffer from heartburn, start with one capsule at a time and see how you react. If you use medication, for example for diabetes or birth control pills, consult your doctor first. Vinegar can affect how some medications work. Natural color differences between capsules occur and say nothing about the quality.

What you can and cannot expect

There are no approved EU health claims for apple cider vinegar. This is apple cider vinegar in a practical form, with a clear amount per capsule and without the disadvantages of the sour liquid. Anyone who wants to use it as part of a varied diet has an easy option at home with this.

A bottle of 180 capsules lasts three months at 2 capsules per day. Convenient for those who like to keep apple cider vinegar in their routine, without their kitchen cabinet smelling like vinegar.