You’ve made it this far, so you must be wondering if there’s more than just liquid vinegar out there. The short answer? Yes! You can get your apple cider vinegar input in a powder or capsule form if the taste of the liquid is too abrasive. Each different form of apple cider vinegar has different pros and cons, so we listed them below.
Liquid Vinegar
Advantages
As mentioned, ACV is the most popular fruit derived vinegar in the United States. It is available in a variety of different brands and comes raw, filtered and unfiltered, pasteurized or unpasteurized and certified organic. For maximum benefit, use one that is least processed, organic, unpasteurized, unfiltered and contains “the mother.”
Considerations
When drinking it for health reasons, make sure to dilute it in an ample amount of water, or drink it in apple juice or other fruit juice. Undiluted, it is highly acidic and could erode the enamel of your teeth and damage the delicate tissues of your esophagus over time.
Powder Vinegar
Advantages
Dehydrated apple cider vinegar has many useful culinary applications. For example, it can be used as a dry rub instead of a marinade and it can be used in baking, in seasoning blends or sprinkled on popcorn or French fries. It is also good for adding to sauces or sprinkling on roasted vegetables to give them a bit of zing.
Powder vinegar can be used instead of liquids where weight might matter. For example: on backpacking or camping expeditions, boating, and visiting foreign countries that may not have apple cider vinegar available. It can easily be rehydrated with water.
Considerations
Liquids, when made into powders, especially liquids that don’t contain any substantial amounts of fiber like ACV, must be bound to a solid in order to make a powder. This is usually maltodextrin, which dissolves easily. So, on your label, you will notice that maltodextrin may be the first ingredient listed.
Gluten-Free Note: It may also contain food starch, both of which will dissolve in water. If you are gluten sensitive or celiac, make sure the label states that it is “gluten free” as some forms of maltodextrin are made from wheat, but usually, in North America, it is made from corn.
The powders can be purchased easily on the Internet if you cannot find them at your local health food store. If you have questions, make sure the label on your cider vinegar product gives you a phone number you can call if you have questions.
Capsules of Vinegar
Advantages
Many people prefer to take capsules because they don’t like the taste of vinegar or they can’t handle the acidity. Capsules are also easily portable, can be carried in a purse, briefcase or suitcase for traveling when liquids are not allowed aboard airplanes.
Limitations
Take the capsules with plenty of liquids as they could potentially get stuck in your esophagus, causing damage and discomfort as the capsule dissolves and releases the vinegar.
Make sure to purchase capsules from a reputable company that does their own manufacturing and testing and that applies proper FDA guidelines to their labels, as sometimes brands have been tested and shown to not meet their label claims.
Tablets of Vinegar
Advantages
Tablets or caplets are also a convenient way to take ACV if you don’t like the taste of vinegar. A tablet may be smaller than a capsule for easier swallowing and may be coated with a pleasant flavor. Other tablets are chewable and fruit-flavored to make taking them a more pleasant tasting experience. 500 mg equals approximately 3⁄4 of a teaspoon of liquid vinegar.
Certain tablets state that they contain 35% acetic acid, which seems much stronger than liquid vinegar at 5% acetic acid. However, doing a little math, the 35% acetic acid in a 500mg tablet equals 175mg of acetic acid per tablet, which equals to 11⁄2 teaspoons or 1⁄2 tablespoon of liquid vinegar at 5%, so it equals much less than what is implied.
Limitations
With tablets, it is all a matter of taste or size. They contain many more additives—binders, tableting agents, flavors and sweeteners. If you don’t like the taste of vinegar but want the benefits of ACV, as long as the sweeteners and flavors are natural, the advantages of a tablet should outweigh the added ingredients.
If you’re interested in snagging all the benefits of ACV without the potent taste, check out Zhou’s Cider Detox for an alternative that’s easier on the taste buds.
