Need a Vocabulary Lesson

[revdrcyn]

I am embarrassed to ask, but what does "ACV with the mother" mean?

I know ACV means apple cider vinegar, but not sure about the "mother" part.

Thanks!

[DebB]

Hi ~ It's unfiltered ACV. If you're in the health food store or section - take a look at Bragg's brand (a brand which most seem to carry here). You'll see what looks like sediment in the bottom - this is the 'mother'. It's a good thing!

I just thought of this - I went to Bragg's site (http://www.bragg.com/books/acv_excerpt.html):

ACV – Mother Nature's Perfect Food

Natural (undistilled) organic, raw ACV can really be called one of Mother Nature's most perfect foods. It is made from fresh, crushed apples which are then allowed to mature naturally in wooden barrels, as wood seems to "boost" the natural fermentation. Natural ACV should be rich, brownish color and if held to the light you might see a tiny formation of "cobweb-like" substances that we call the "mother." Usually some "mother" will show in the bottom of the ACV bottle the more it ages. It never needs refrigeration. You can also save some "mother" and transfer it to work in other natural vinegars. When you smell natural ACV, there's a pungent odor and sometimes it's so ripened it puckers your mouth and smarts your eyes. These are natural, good signs.

*Ü*

[revdrcyn]

Thanks Deb -- I already have Bragg's ACV, so I'm all set!

I learn something new every day on RFT!

[DebB]

You're welcome! Wow - I didn't realize that it doesn't need to be refrigerated! lol You're right, there's always something to learn!

Hmmm - it'll be hard for me to keep it out of the fridge, I'm going to have to wrap my mind around that :)

And I read somewhere not to shake the ACV and try to mix the mother in. It said that it can be gently swirled though. I haven't a clue where I read that, but it rang true to me. *Ü*

[snoops]

And I always mix it thinking you want to get a bit of the mother. I'll have to stop that!!

[streetsurfer]

And I read somewhere not to shake the ACV and try to mix the mother in. It said that it can be gently swirled though. I haven't a clue where I read that, but it rang true to me. *Ü*

I've never heard this before about ACV, but it makes perfect sense based on what I know about compost, compost tea, and soil biology. In compost, tea, and soil, you also have beneficial colonies (akin to the mother), and the less forcefully you disturb them, the easier it is for them to reproduce, to devour the bad, and produce the good. The related hyphae, or strands of fungus and/or bacteria (in ACV's case it's acetic acid bacteria) reproduce at their growth tips and breaking those off would disturb reproduction, their abilty to translocate nutrients and waste, and thus the growth of the colonies. You can look at this in a larger scale by thinking of sprouts-you don't want to damage the fine root hairs or the root tips, as that is where the new growth takes place. I imagine that is why it is recommended not to forcefully shake the mother. Bragg says you can shake their vinegar, so I suppose not shaking is most vital in the production/fermentation or growth phase of it. Once it is converted, I imagine you'd be ok with a little shimmy and shake now and then. That's my guess anyway.

And that leaves me curious.....for those who don't refrigerate their ACV, does the colony expand over the storage time? I've not noticed it in the fridge.

[margoss]

I don't refrig mine. I buy it by the gallons then refill the 32oz bottle. I use for everything, bathing, hair conditioning, laundry rinse so it goes quickly.

[DebB]

That's good to know - I'll definitely try leaving it out of the fridge.

I also buy it by the gallon, Azure Standard's brand (http://www.azurestandard.com/product.php?id=CO128). I love ordering throug them. Their price is $8.45 for a gallon. I wish it came in glass though. *Ü*

[betty boop]

I didn't know about not shaking it, thanks.

[HereAndThere]

I don't refrig mine. I buy it by the gallons then refill the 32oz bottle. I use for everything, bathing, hair conditioning, laundry rinse so it goes quickly.I've heard that using acv as a rinse is bad because it leaves sugary deposits on your clothes. The white stuff is supposedly better suited for laundry because there's no deposits left.

But now here's my question (I'm full of them tonight. Sorry.): Why is raw acv better than commercial acv? Aren't they both pasteurized in the bottling process?

[DebB]

I don't recall where I read not to shake the ACV with mother -- but in poking around after Googling it, I found 2 sites that say to shake it. So.... beats me! lol *Ü*

[RawKnitster]

Yes, shake the ACV! You want to get a little of the Mother in every serving. :) I think it is Balsamic vinegar that should not be shaken or stirred up because of the sediment in the bottom of the bottle.

[revdrcyn]

But now here's my question (I'm full of them tonight. Sorry.): Why is raw acv better than commercial acv? Aren't they both pasteurized in the bottling process?

I'm just bumping up HereAndThere's question - anybody know the answer?

[Aleesha Sattva]

ACV – Mother Nature's Perfect Food

Natural (undistilled) organic, raw ACV can really be called one of Mother Nature's most perfect foods. It is made from fresh, crushed apples which are then allowed to mature naturally in wooden barrels, as wood seems to "boost" the natural fermentation. Natural ACV should be rich, brownish color and if held to the light you might see a tiny formation of "cobweb-like" substances that we call the "mother." Usually some "mother" will show in the bottom of the ACV bottle the more it ages. It never needs refrigeration. You can also save some "mother" and transfer it to work in other natural vinegars. When you smell natural ACV, there's a pungent odor and sometimes it's so ripened it puckers your mouth and smarts your eyes. These are natural, good signs.

*Ü*

raw is raw... cooked is cooked.

[Theobroma]

This is embarrassing but what does SAD mean on this board?

[revdrcyn]

This is embarrassing but what does SAD mean on this board?

Standard American Diet :D

[Theobroma]

that made me LOL