Apple cider vinegar is simply vinegar made from apple juice and water. You can find it in salad dressings, sauces for meats, and even on its own as a shot – bottoms up!
It also has a growing reputation as a natural home remedy for a range of ailments, from heartburn to headaches.
Yet, before you reach for a swig of ACV, is it safe to do so while pregnant? And if so, what do you need to know? Here, we’ve got the answers.
In this article 📝
- Can you drink apple cider vinegar while pregnant?
- What brand of apple cider vinegar is pasteurized?
- What are the benefits of apple cider vinegar?
- Does apple cider vinegar help with morning sickness?
- Does apple cider vinegar for heartburn during pregnancy work?
- How to take apple cider vinegar during pregnancy
Can you drink apple cider vinegar while pregnant?
Yep, you can—but with a degree of caution.
Like a lot of foods that are safe to eat while pregnant, it’s a certain type of ACV that gets the thumbs up.
That’s pasteurized apple cider vinegar, to be exact.
The process of pasteurization removes any harmful bacteria, lowering the risk of the vinegar causing nasty (and potentially life-threatening) foodborne illnesses.
However, many of the suggested benefits of ACV are actually attributed to the unpasteurized variety.
That’s because it plays host to probiotics or so-called “good” bacteria that may help alleviate tummy troubles.
Unfortunately, it’s widely suggested that you avoid unpasteurized products in general throughout your pregnancy.
Whether it’s unpasteurized juice, milk, or apple cider vinegar, the risk of exposure to listeria, salmonella, or toxoplasma just isn’t worth the potential benefits—especially when your immune system is weaker than normal when pregnant.
What brand of apple cider vinegar is pasteurized?
There are several popular brands of pasteurized apple cider vinegar on the market today. If you’d like to try ACV for yourself, always check the label first.
Beyond that, look at the contents of the bottle. Unpasteurized ACV, like Braggs, will look cloudy and contain sediment.
Pasteurized apple cider vinegar is usually filtered and will appear clearer.
What are the benefits of apple cider vinegar?
It’s important to know that the safety and efficacy of apple cider vinegar during pregnancy are still largely unknown and unproven.
That said, anecdotally, ACV may help alleviate certain pregnancy symptoms, such as morning sickness and heartburn — however, there are other, better-studied remedies available.
Does apple cider vinegar help with morning sickness?
If you’ve been experiencing the nauseating symptoms of morning sickness, you may have been suggested apple cider vinegar as a remedy by a friend or relative.
The acidic quality of ACV has been known to help bring relief where other gastrointestinal complaints are concerned. So, in theory, it could potentially help with pregnancy nausea too.
However, there aren’t any studies out there to back this up. And if you drink too much ACV, it might just leave you feeling worse.
If you’re struggling with morning sickness, check out these 13 tips from mamas who’ve been there instead.
Does apple cider vinegar for heartburn during pregnancy work?
It’s common to experience heartburn, indigestion, and acid reflux during your second trimester. Not fun. So, could a glug of ACV do the trick?
A 2015 study discovered that apple cider vinegar might help heartburn sufferers who didn’t respond to over-the-counter antacids.
The bad news? The study specifically looked at the effects of unpasteurized ACV—not recommended for mamas-to-be.
How to take apple cider vinegar during pregnancy
If you’re wondering, how can I use vinegar during pregnancy?, here are a few ideas.
Remember to use pasteurized ACV to stay on the safe side.
Even if unpasteurized ACV might be safe, we just don’t know, so better safe than sorry:
- As a drink: Simply mix one to two tablespoons of ACV in a tall glass of cold water. Drink up to twice per day. As mentioned above, the acidity of the vinegar could help settle your stomach.
- As an ingredient: If you don’t like the taste of ACV, you could sneak it into your food or smoothies. Use it as a salad dressing in a nutritious kale and chicken salad, or stir it into a slow-cooked winter stew. Yum!
Curious to learn more about ACV and pregnancy?
Chat to your fellow mamas-to-be in the Peanut Community.