Why apple cider vinegar is better than lemon water for your gut health

Maintaining a healthy gut is important for all aspects of your health.

Ensuring that the trillions of bacteria that live in your intestines are happy and well-balanced can help to reduce the risk of life-threatening heart disease, stroke, cancer and even Alzheimer’s disease, according to experts.

Consuming apple cider vinegar and lemon water have long been touted as solutions for improved digestion. But one is better than the other.

“Apple cider vinegar obviously can and should be diluted, but its potency can be too much for some people with sensitive systems, so a little goes a long way. But because of its strength, I've heard more anecdotal gut success stories from my patients when they use apple cider vinegar over lemon water,” functional medicine practitioner William Cole wrote.

The key to apple cider vinegar’s effectiveness lies in its probiotics. Products with probiotics can help keep a healthy ratio of good bacteria and bad bacteria in the intestines.

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“Because of its antibacterial properties and improvement of gut microbiota, this ultimately will improve gut health, which indirectly improves cellular health,” registered dietitian Beth Czerwony told the Cleveland Clinic.

Because apple cider vinegar is so acidic, it’s recommended to dilute it in water or another liquid.

Take no more than one tablespoon mixed into an eight-ounce serving of water each day, wellness dietitian Lindsey Wohlford advised.

People can take the tablespoon at any time of day, but there is evidence that right before eating may help reduce blood sugar levels, according to the University of Miami Health System.

"Drinking it in addition to a meal helps," Houston Methodist’s Dr. Neeharika Kalakota said. "That way your stomach lining is a bit more shielded from the acid since there's other food there, too."

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Lemon water does not have probiotics but drinking a glass has been shown to aid digestion at any time of day, according to the clinic. So, why is it beneficial?

“Acid helps break down food - that’s why there’s so much of it in our stomachs. The acid in lemons may be especially helpful in supplementing stomach acid levels, which tend to decline as we age,” registered dietitian Julia Zumpano explained.

Just a half of a lemon in an eight-ounce glass is enough for these benefits and more.

Lemon water is a source of the immune-benefiting antioxidant vitamin C, providing 21 percent of the daily recommended value in a glass containing 48 grams of juice.