Apple Cider Vinegar Drinks

By now most everyone has heard about the magic of Apple Cider Vinegar.  It has been used for centuries to cure everything from acne to diabetes.  I think the most familiar brand of organic Apple Cider is Bragg, and they have so much information on their website about the many benefits of this liquid gold (also those Liquid Aminos).

I always buy Apple Cider Vinegar to keep in my cabinet.  It is good for my skin, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol, and is great for cleaning – my mom always ran apple cider vinegar through the coffee pot to clean it, and now I do too!

The hardest part of drinking apple cider vinegar for your health is drinking apple cider vinegar.  It doesn’t taste great, and you shouldn’t expect it to.  It’s vinegar, and it burns going down.  Fortunately, several companies have come out with Apple Cider Vinegar Drinks, or ACV, drinks to make it a little more palatable, and I am Really Into them.  I am going to tell you about the three that I keep in rotation: Bragg’s Apple Cider Drinks, Sparkling Vinegar Drinks by Live Beverages & Cide Road Organic Switchel.

Even though Cide Road proclaims to have the original vinegar drink, the first one that I tried was Bragg.  I was browsing the healthy section at Raley’s, looking for my favorite chocolate coconut water, when I saw these drinks on the end cap.  I decided to pick a couple of them up, and the rest is history (really boring me drinking vinegar history).  The flavor I picked up that day was the Concord Grape Acai, and it is actually delicious, but it has a good amount of sugar.  When I went to get my next round I picked out the Ginger Spice, and it is by far my favorite.  Yes, it has a real bite, but it is super refreshing and I feel like I get an energy boost when I drink it.  Bragg has several flavors of these drinks; find your favorite!

I had been stocking the Bragg brand, but one day I left my drink at home, so I went across the street to the Safeway to see find something comparable.  To my surprise, they had several brands in the cold beverage section!  I picked up the Sparkling Vinegar Drink by Live Beverage because I am familiar with their brand of Kombucha, and it is from Austin like me!  It was instant love.  I am Really Into the sparkling aspect of these because it just gives it that extra oomph.  These also have a very small amount of sugar and the flavors are great.  I am partial to the tart cherry, and I am not going to lie I am seriously considering making a cocktail out of these things.  If I ever have a hot day by the pool in Northern California, I will be accompanied by some Sparkling Tart Cherry Vinegar drink and Tito’s vodka, and no one here will understand how freaking Austin that moment will be!

Last, but certainly not least, is Cide Road Switchel.  Check out their website – it has some great information on the history of the drink that has been made for over 100 years.  I have tried both the Maple Ginger and the Blueberry, and while the Maple Ginger is good, the blueberry just kills it!  It has such a great blueberry flavor and it is not overly sweet, but tangy and delicious.  I am Really Into the story of this brand and I happy that it has found its way to California.  I actually think that Cide Road is the easiest one to try for a first time ACV drinker.  My only complaint is that it contains quite a bit of sugar, so I tend to drink this one sparingly.

Moral of the story, give these drinks a try!  I have half of my office hooked on these babies, and it is fun to see who prefers which drinks.  Some people have told me that these drinks can be difficult to find.  I have had luck at Safeway, Raley’s, Whole Foods and Nugget Markets.  Just keep your eyes peeled and you should be able to find them.  Let me know if you are Really Into these drinks, or if you are ready to try!