Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is made through a process called fermentation. The process has two steps. First, the apples are crushed and yeast is added to speed up the fermentation process, so the sugar converts into alcohol after a few weeks. Then, natural bacteria break the alcohol down into acetic acid, which gives vinegar its tangy taste and odor.

Most ACV you find in the grocery store is the clear, pasteurized, and filtered type. But, you can also buy raw, unfiltered ACV that contains a cloudy sediment. Called "the mother," this substance is made up of settled bacteria and yeast.

Some people give the mother credit for ACV's health benefits. And it's thought to contain small amounts of probiotics (healthy bacteria) that are good for gut health. But research hasn’t shown that the mother offers any particular health benefit.