Are you wondering about the differences between cider vinegars, and which product to use for cooking or your health? Archie tells you all about the difference between supermarket apple cider vinegar and premium apple cider vinegar.
It can sometimes be difficult to know where to buy quality apple cider vinegar. To help you find your way, we have organized the match of the year. To our left, the condiment, enthroned in the supermarket, a faithful mustard jar since always. On our right, an organic cider vinegar containing the mother with strict specifications (no product placement, but if you insist we're talking about this cider vinegar ;)).
Where to buy apple cider vinegar according to your desired uses?
The result may not be as unanimous as you think... Let the match begin!
Round 1 – Buy on price
“ Your product is great, but it’s 3 times more expensive than the one I find when I go shopping! ” Ok this argument is strong… but not very valid. It would be really relevant if we could compare two equal offers. From the packaging to the manufacturing process, what they have in common is just their name. So for the sake of semantics and because we're good players, we'll award supermarket vinegar this point.
Supermarket cider vinegar 1 -Premium cider vinegar 0
Round 2 – Choosing for cosmetic use
Although they are not directly ingested, the products we use for our skin or hair are far from harmless. But let's be honest: when it comes to apple cider vinegar, even low quality won't put you at any risk. If you are looking for efficiency then your choice could be very different.
For shine, it only comes down to the acidity of the product. So if the consumption of non-organic products with distant origins and a more pronounced smell does not put you off, for your hair, buying cider vinegar in the supermarket will do the trick. For skin problems it's a different story. In facial lotion the power of archi'v lies not only in its PH identical to that of the skin but also in the presence of its mother. Bacteria are necessary for the health of our skin. The fact that our cider vinegar is organic and French is also of great importance. Remember that products applied to the face enter your body through the epidermis. We will therefore always advise you to opt for zero pesticides to take care of your skin, too.
Supermarket cider vinegar 0 – Premium cider vinegar 1
Round 3 – Taste
The taste of cider vinegar is so special! Full of aromas, the flavor of apple and a slight acidity…. To appreciate its true value, take it with a spoon and chew it (little secret from our favorite chef which we will tell you about soon).
By giving nature time to do its work, the aromas of apples and cider had time to emerge. That's all the difference. Our apples all come from a single grove and have been selected for their nutritional and taste qualities. The quantity is limited since, like any precious good, it is rare and more expensive.
Supermarket cider vinegar has this quality that it is always accessible. Always there to help out in case of lack of sourness in a green salad. We are far from the symphony of the senses but it has the merit of being available everywhere. As it is a round about its taste virtues, it does not win this round.
Supermarket cider vinegar 0 -Premium cider vinegar 1
Round 4 – Environment
Supermarket vinegars are available everywhere, all the time, in quantities and at unbeatable prices... not without impact on the environment. We nevertheless welcome the fact that recently, they are mainly packaged in glass bottles (most often made in China with plastic caps of course, but it's a nice step forward!). Beyond that, to produce such quantities, the products are necessarily processed to increase yields. There are organic vinegars at attractive prices, but they are generally made from apples from various farms that have crossed France, sometimes Europe, sometimes further afield... Archi'v is made from apples from the same orchard in Normandy. Without pesticides, not even the dose tolerated by the AB label. Bottle level made in France, natural unvarnished wood as a cap and a recycled label and vegetable ink. We can hardly do better.
Supermarket cider vinegar 0 -Premium cider vinegar 1
Round 5 – Health benefits
Archi'v was created to improve the image of cider vinegar in France and show that it can be of incredible flavor and a great help for many ailments. As long as it is unpasteurized, unfiltered and organic, produced with respect and a particular eye on the origin of the apples, it is. Supermarket vinegar, to be sold at this attractive price, is produced from apples of various origins. Artificially aged and pasteurized, it is of little interest. Despite the identical list of ingredients, it remains a processed product. So for the sake of health, let's prioritize the presence of bacteria (we'll explain why here ), apples not exposed to pesticides and quality vinegar. It would be the same to compare the nutritional contributions of sourdough bread made from organic flour to a slice of American sandwich.
Supermarket cider vinegar 0 -Premium cider vinegar 1
Supermarket vinegar 1 – Archi'V 4. Everything opposes them but the arguments have spoken
