As the days get shorter and the evenings draw in, there's something comforting about the simple, seasonal foods of late autumn. The apple harvest is in, the fruit bowl is full, and tucked away in many of our grandparents' cupboards there was always a bottle of cloudy, tangy apple cider vinegar, reached for whenever someone needed a little pick-me-up. It turns out they may have been onto something.

Apples have been grown, pressed and fermented in Britain for centuries, and apple cider vinegar is one of the oldest and simplest ferments there is. It's also enjoying a real revival, with more and more people adding a splash to their daily routine.

At Loving Foods, we love a traditional ferment. So as autumn turns to winter, we're taking a closer look at apple cider vinegar (ACV), what makes it special, and how it links to the health of your gut.

What is apple cider vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting apples not once, but twice. It's a slow, living process, and every stage matters:

Stage one: from apple to cider. Crushed apples are left to ferment, and natural yeasts get to work turning the fruit's sugars into alcohol. The result is cider.

Stage two: from cider to vinegar. Next, a group of friendly microbes called acetic acid bacteria (Acetobacter) take over. They turn the alcohol into acetic acid, which gives vinegar its sharp, tangy bite.

The mother. As the bacteria do their work, they form a cloudy, jelly-like web of cellulose and cultures, known as "the mother". In raw, unfiltered vinegar you'll see it as wispy strands or a little sediment at the bottom of the bottle. That's not a flaw. It's a sign your vinegar is just as nature made it.

Apple goodness. Because it starts life as whole apples, ACV also carries small amounts of plant compounds called polyphenols, the same natural compounds found in the fruit itself.

How does ACV link to gut health?

Your gut is home to trillions of microbes, collectively known as the gut microbiome. One of the most important things these microbes do is ferment fibre from your food into short-chain fatty acids, which help keep the gut lining healthy and support digestion.

Here's where it gets interesting. The main short-chain fatty acid your gut bacteria produce is acetate, and acetic acid, the star of apple cider vinegar, is essentially the same compound. It's one of the reasons researchers have become curious about vinegar and what it might do inside the body. A few findings that have caught scientists' attention:

• A small study published in Diabetes Care in 2004 found that taking vinegar before a high-carbohydrate meal improved the body's response to insulin in people with insulin resistance.
• A 2005 study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that adding vinegar to a bread meal led to lower blood sugar and insulin responses afterwards, and helped people feel fuller for longer.
• Vinegar appears to slow down how quickly the stomach empties, which may be one reason for its steadier effect on blood sugar and on appetite.
• A 12-week Japanese study (2009) found that people who drank one to two tablespoons of vinegar a day saw modest reductions in body weight and body fat compared with those who didn't.

It's important to be honest here: most of these studies are small and short, and much of the research on ACV and the gut microbiome itself has so far been in animals. ACV isn't a miracle cure, and anyone who tells you it is should be taken with a pinch of salt. But as part of a varied, fibre-rich diet, it's a tasty, time-honoured way to add a little fermented goodness to your day.

Why "with the mother" matters

Most vinegar on supermarket shelves has been filtered and pasteurised. That makes it crystal clear and very shelf-stable, but it also removes the mother and heats away much of what makes a traditional ferment special.

That's why our Apple Cider Vinegar (With The Mother) is organic, raw, unfiltered and unpasteurised, with the mother left in. It's real, traditional food, the way we believe it should be. You'll notice it's a little cloudy, with a fresh, fruity tang, and that's exactly how we like it.

It's also a natural partner to the rest of the fermented family: kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut and kombucha. One well-known Stanford University study (published in Cell in 2021) found that eating a variety of fermented foods every day increased the diversity of people's gut microbes, and a diverse microbiome is generally seen as a sign of a healthy gut.

Simple ways to enjoy apple cider vinegar

You don't need to knock back shots of the stuff. A small amount, taken regularly, goes a long way:

1. Always dilute it. Stir one to two teaspoons into a large glass of water to start with, and build up to a tablespoon or two if you enjoy it. A little honey, fresh ginger or a squeeze of lemon makes a lovely morning tonic.
2. Try it before a meal. Some people like to sip their diluted ACV shortly before a carb-rich meal, which is how it's been used in many of the studies.
3. Shake up a dressing. Mix ACV with good olive oil, a spoonful of mustard, honey and a pinch of salt for a zingy salad dressing. Salad greens and fibre-rich veg feed your gut microbes too.
4. Make a quick pickle. Thinly slice red onion, cucumber or radish and cover with ACV, a little water, salt and sugar. Ready in an hour and wonderful on almost anything.
5. Look after your teeth. Vinegar is acidic, so never drink it neat. Sip it through a straw if you can, and rinse your mouth with water afterwards.

Small habits for the colder months

As winter approaches, it's natural to crave comfort: warming soups, slow-cooked stews and long evenings indoors. It's also a lovely time to build small, steady habits that support your gut, rather than waiting for a big New Year overhaul.

So this season, why not try something simple? Start the day with a warm mug of water, a splash of ACV, a little honey and a slice of fresh ginger. Brighten up a winter slaw or a bowl of roasted veg with a zingy dressing. Or make a jar of quick pickles to share around the table. Food has always been one of the best ways to bring people together.

From orchard to glass, apple cider vinegar is fermentation at its most simple and its most traditional. So let's raise a (well-diluted) glass to the humble apple, and to looking after our guts, one small step at a time.

A little care goes a long way

Apple cider vinegar is acidic, so always dilute it and avoid drinking it neat. If you have diabetes, a digestive condition such as gastroparesis or reflux, or you take medication such as insulin, diuretics or heart medicines, please speak to your GP or pharmacist before making ACV part of your daily routine.

Find out more

• Loving Foods Apple Cider Vinegar (With The Mother)
• Loving Foods: What is the mother in apple cider vinegar?
• Diabetes Care (2004): Vinegar improves insulin sensitivity to a high-carbohydrate meal
• European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005): Vinegar, blood sugar and satiety
• Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry (2009): Vinegar intake and body weight
• Cell (2021): Stanford University study on fermented foods and the gut microbiome

This article is for general information only and isn't a substitute for medical advice. If you have concerns about your health, please speak to your GP or a qualified health professional.