With summer right around the corner, you may be making extra efforts to slim down and achieve the flat belly of your drinks in time for bikini season. As it turns out, there are several steps you can take to reach these goals, from making a balanced diet a priority to getting your digestive health in order. Not only does maintaining a healthy digestive system make it easier to lose weight, but it can also help keep bloating at bay—which can be crucial when it comes to keeping your tummy as flat as possible. Luckily, there are plenty of gut-healthy foods and beverages you can add to your diet in order to reap these benefits, including one ingredient that works perfectly in a cup of tea.
To discover the best tea ingredient you can sip on daily for a healthier digestive system and a flatter belly, we checked in with registered dietitian and nutritionist Krutika Nanavati. She told us that apple cider vinegar can do wonders for your overall health, especially when it comes to these areas. Learn more about the benefits of apple cider vinegar—and even find a recipe to a tasty detox tea containing this ingredient—below.
Apple cider vinegar
You may have already heard some buzz around apple cider vinegar, as it's long been praised for its health benefits—and according to Nanavati, those benefits include digestion, debloating, and weight loss. "Adding a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to your tea is an excellent way to improve digestion and achieve a flatter belly," she says. We'll dive into these benefits below:
Apple cider vinegar for gut health and digestion
Nanavati explains that apple cider vinegar is one of the best bloat-blasting ingredients to add to your tea because it contains acetic acid, "which helps break down food in the stomach and reduce bloating." Additionally, when you sip on apple cider vinegar, "It helps the body absorb minerals more effectively, giving you an extra nutritional boost" and "encourages healthy bacteria growth in the gut and fights inflammation." Together, all of these properties can promote a healthier digestive system, which she points out "leads to better overall health, as well as a flatter belly." Nice!
READ MORE: How To Improve Gut Health Naturally: 12 Tips To Consider
Apple cider vinegar for weight loss
In addition to the fact that it can aid digestion, which is crucial for healthy weight loss, Nanavati points out several other benefits of apple cider vinegar that can help you shed pounds faster, including the fact that it can:
- Boost metabolism
- Suppress appetite
- Reduce water retention
Overall, she tells us that "when combined with a balanced diet and regular exercise, apple cider vinegar can help you reach your weight loss goals faster."
Apple cider vinegar detox tea recipe
So, now that you know all about how apple cider vinegar can promote a healthier gut and a flatter belly, what's the best way to reap these benefits? Nanavati says it can be as simple as adding a spoonful to your tea. In fact, she recommends one simple recipe for an apple cider vinegar detox tea:
- 1 tbs. ACV
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- Cinnamon sticks
- Ginger
- Honey
All it takes is adding these ingredients to 200ml boiling water, and voila! A tasty, healthy detox tea to get your gut back on track and your tummy flatter than ever.
The bottom line
There are many factors that play into both digestion and weight loss. At the end of the day, there's no magic ingredient that can fix your digestive system or shrink your stomach immediately. However, in addition to implementing other healthy habits into your routine, sipping on apple cider vinegar tea as Nanavati suggests is one great step to take.
