No, That Gelatinous Glob Floating In Your Apple Cider Vinegar Isn't A Bad Thing: Here's What It Is
Apple cider vinegar is a bit of a multifaceted kitchen and garden wonder. It can take a starring role in your homemade ketchup recipe, add both sweetness and tang to homemade salad dressing, and can even help you say bye-bye to pesky kitchen fruit flies. That being said, many people have a serious question when they bring home a jar of apple cider vinegar for the first time. What, exactly, is the gooey blob that takes up residence at the bottom of the jar — and is it safe to eat?
Good news: The glob in your apple cider vinegar, often referred to as "the mother," isn't just safe to eat — many say that it's actually super good for you. The goo in the bottom of your non-pasteurized apple cider vinegar is actually a clump of yeast and bacteria, and some believe that it's what helps apple cider vinegar positively impact health. While research hasn't shown that drinking apple cider vinegar with the mother is more beneficial than the pasteurized, mother-less version of the stuff, it certainly won't hurt you to use vinegar that has a visible, gelatinous clump at the bottom of the bottle. If the texture bothers you, you can give your vinegar a shake to help break up clumps, or you can run it through a strainer to filter out the clumps before use.
Here's what some people say about drinking apple cider vinegar with the mother
Like we mentioned, research has yet to show clear health benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar with the mother. That being said, plenty of people claim that ingesting apple cider vinegar with pieces of the gelatinous blob can help with a number of health ailments. Fans of the mother say that it contains a ton of probiotics, which can support healthy digestion and gut health, help the body regulate blood sugar, and even support weight loss efforts. Of course, these benefits are anecdotal, and you may or may not notice health benefits if you start adding a bit of apple cider vinegar to your morning tea or glass of water (an important note: it's always important to dilute apple cider vinegar before ingesting, be sure to use 8 ounces of water per 1 to 2 tablespoons of vinegar).
If you prefer mother-less vinegar, simply pick up a filtered bottle at the store. You may find, however, that your open bottle of apple cider vinegar develops its own mother over time, to the point where it's visibly noticeable. You can simply filter it out if you like, or toss the bottle and pick up a new one.