Adding Apple Cider Vinegar to Your Diet
Fresh starts are great for your mind and body and for a lot of people, embracing a new diet plan can be a great way to implement a healthier lifestyle. While some diets can be useful in the short term for weight loss, at OSU we do not believe in following fad food trends.
Based on our rich Japanese roots, we stand against the rise and reliance on quick fixes. We believe in making small and sustainable changes to your routine, that is the key part to achieving holistic wellness. In this article, we discuss apple cider vinegar, fad diets and what we can learn from the ‘Japanese Diet’.
What Is The Apple Cider Vinegar Diet?
The apple cider vinegar detox is about making small changes to what you choose to eat rather than demanding a complete overhaul. According to the NHS, making small changes is said to be the healthiest and most achievable way to lose weight in the long term. Small changes can add up to make a big overall difference to your diet.[1]
Something as simple as adding a little bit of OSU Apple Cider Vinegar to your (hopefully already sensible) eating regime is a small step in the direction of holistic wellness.
In the morning, instead of coffee, have our tasty and energising OSU Mediterranean Refresher drink to provide a natural pick me up without the inevitable energy dip[2]. For lunch, swap your high saturated fat salad dressing for our delicious OSU apple cider vinegar infused salad dressing. For dinner, reduce down your salt intake by opting for our Coconut Fried Brown Rice Bowl instead of a processed takeaway.
This detox is different from other famous diets you may have heard of. Other diets like the Paleo diet, 5:2 diet and New Atkins diet promote quick fat loss & food alienation without adequate substitutes[3]. We highly recommend the opposite; we believe in long-term, sustainable changes rather than short-lived fixes.
The Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
There have been no applications made concerning approved health and nutrition claims for OSU ACV within E.U.
It is important to understand the rich history that apple cider vinegar has in Japanese cultures and why we embrace introducing it into your daily food consumption. Vinegar, known as ‘o-su’ in Japanese, has long been an important ingredient in Japanese cuisine. It is the condiment that gives the rice in sushi its sharp flavor.[5]
The practice of drinking vinegar is popular amongst Japanese natives and dates all the way back to 1200 BC; Japanese warriors believed that the vinegar boosted their energy and helped keep them with extremely good health, so they consumed it regularly. The true masters of drinking vinegar are and have always been, in Okinawa – the southernmost prefecture of Japan. It is often said that the Okinawan family tradition of special drinking vinegar recipes, handed down within the family over the centuries is why the residents of Okinawa live longer than most people.[6]
Japanese Healthy Eating Traditions
A study done by the British Medical Journal in 2016, discovered that those who adopted and stuck to the Japanese dietary guidelines (which is a diet high in vinegar, grains, vegetables, with moderate amounts of animal products and soy but minimal fruit and dairy-based foods) had a lower/reduced risk of dying early and dying from heart disease and stroke.[7] The traditional Japanese diet is high in vinegar, soy, and fish, this has been claimed to play a significant role in lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease.[8] Japanese natives also have the lowest rates of obesity amongst men and women as well as the longest life expectancy.[9]
Traditionally, Japanese natives have an extremely healthy attitude to food and eating. The Japanese saying “hara hachi bu”, means to eat until you are 80% full, and is taught to children from a young age [10]. On top of this, the way food is served in Japanese cultures is key.
Rather than having one large plate, eat from a small bowl and a few different dishes. E.g. One bowl of rice, a bowl of miso, some fish or meat, and a few vegetable dishes. In Japanese culture, the idea of ‘flexible restraint’ is highly adopted. This means, when it comes to treats and snacks, enjoy them from time to time but in smaller portions [11]. Below is our Steamed Ginger & Garlic Cod Fillet served Japanese diet style.
Is The Apple Cider Vinegar Detox For You?
So, you’re tired of restrictive diets? Studies suggest that will power in maintaining new healthy practices is highest when the changes are both something that you enjoy, as well as, providing you with positive results. Incorporating apple cider vinegar, avoids exclusion and constraint, focussing instead on the small ingredient swaps or additions to your favorite staple meals. Try any of our OSU Apple Cider Vinegar drinks today and kick start your journey towards inner wellness.
References
- https://www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.i1209
- https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/osu-apple-cider-vinegar/759378-745377-745378#productReviews
- https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/why-japanese-diet-so-healthy
- https://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B0813WQLX8/ref=cm_cr_unknown?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=five_star&reviewerType=all_reviews&pageNumber=1&filterByKeyword=health+benefits
- https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/healthy-food-swaps/
- https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/top-diets-review/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/apple-cider-vinegar-weight-loss#section3
- https://web-japan.org/trends/lifestyle/lif050125.html
- https://www.plumdeluxe.com/japanese-healthy-living
- https://www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.i1209
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-020-02330-0
