This Is Why Apple Cider Vinegar Looks So Gross, But Feels So Good For Your Body

There seems to be this trend in the world of wellness, in which the substance you're supposed to consume basically has the most unappealing appearance, taste, and even texture to it.

And, of course, this is is as true for apple cider vinegar as it is for all the other health trends out there right now.

I can't lie to you. Apple cider vinegar looks, and sometimes even tastes, kind of nasty.

But the benefits of ACV simply cannot be disputed, and therefore, you have to learn how to look past the ugliness of this magical beverage.

Here's why apple cider vinegar tends to look like it possibly went bad about a year ago.

First, my friends, I must teach you about the mother.

Not your mother, and no, not my mother, either.

"Mother" in apple cider vinegar is basically a collection of bacteria that's actually responsible for turning apple cider into ACV.

The mother in a bottle of the good stuff signifies how organic, wholesome, and pure the substance is.

If your apple cider vinegar doesn't have the mother, leave it alone.

It looks nasty, but your ACV needs that foundation to work its magic on your body -- it all starts with the mother.

(Anyone else getting their mind f*cked by the philosophical double entendres happening here?)

Bragg, one of the top brands to sell apple cider vinegar, explains the purpose of the mother best:

The mother is the dark, cloudy substance in the ACV formed from naturally occurring pectin and apple residues -- it appears as molecules of protein connected in strand-like chains. The presence of the mother shows that the best part of the apple has not been destroyed. Vinegars containing the mother contain enzymes and minerals that other vinegars may not contain due to over-processing, filtration and overheating.

The mother in ACV is filled with probiotics, which is why apple cider vinegar aids with digestion and constipation.

The mother truly is the life of it all, from lowering blood sugar, to whitening your teeth, and even clearing your skin -- mama (OK I know, it's mother, but you get me) has you covered.

So really, the more murky and unrefined the ACV looks, the more trustworthy it is.

According to Wellness Mama, clear and pasteurized vinegars typically do not contain the mother culture, and thus don't carry the same benefits as apple cider vinegar.

Trust the ACV mother just as much as you trust your own mother.

It only has your best interest at heart.