This pantry item is kept in many households to fulfill one purpose: salad dressing. Apple cider vinegar is a versatile ingredient that can even rival tea tree oil and other natural aids with its abundance of nutrients derived from fermented apples. These substances play a crucial role in health and healing and can provide us with wide-ranging uses for our bodies. Add this inexpensive natural remedy to your lifestyle by adopting these six healthy uses of apple cider vinegar to rejuvenate and replenish your body.

1. Teeth whitener

Teeth whitening treatments can cost a fortune, and dental cleaning at the dentist may not be feasible for the uninsured. To quickly remedy plaque, stains, and kill bacteria in your mouth and gums, gargle apple cider vinegar in the morning and brush your teeth afterward. MindBodyGreen suggests rubbing the vinegar directly onto your teeth and rinsing with water. It is the astringent, highly acidic nature of this healing ingredient that provides the teeth-whitening benefit.

2. Regulates pH of Skin

Skip the expensive name brand skin creams and acne treatments; this healing ingredient acts as a great natural toner that can leave your skin looking healthier. Our skin is naturally acidic with a pH of 4.5-5.5, but since we tend to use harsh cleansers and soaps, this natural acidity goes away and destroys the acid surface of our skin. Apple cider vinegar can treat acne and other skin conditions due to its malic and lactic acids that soften and exfoliate the skin to reduce red spots. Simply mixing the vinegar with two parts water, dip a cotton ball into the mix, and put it over your face as a toner.

3. Balances Inner Body System

Just as apple cider vinegar can restore your skin’s PH levels, it can also do this for your inner ecosystem, or body system. The ingredient helps restore alkalinity, and therefore helps treat health ailments such as allergies and acne, due to its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties. According to Body Ecology, apple cider vinegar can help keep our blood slightly alkaline and balance its pH to be healthy.

4. Weight Loss Aid

You don’t need supplements or to go on crash diets to lose weight. Apple cider vinegar can help you shed the pounds by suppressing your appetite, increasing your metabolism, and reducing your water weight. Although there is little scientific evidence supporting these claims, a 2009 study found an intake of 30 milliliters of vinegar can reduce body weight, body fat mass, and serum triglyceride levels. As a weight loss aid, Natural News recommends mixing 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and drinking it.

5. Massage Treatment

To alleviate sore muscles and mild back pain, apply apple cider vinegar to the affected area to provide temporary relief. The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar enters and soothes the muscles, especially after a workout, according to "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Household Solutions.” It can help treat strained muscles, menstrual cramps, and tired feet and legs.

6. Gets Rid of Dandruff

The acidity of apple cider vinegar helps change the pH of your scalp, making it harder for yeast to grow. On Dr. Oz’s website, he suggests mixing a quarter-cup apple cider vinegar with a quarter-cup water and pouring this mix into a spray bottle to spritz onto your hair and scalp, while avoiding the eye and ear area. This should be followed by wrapping your head in a towel and leaving it on for anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Then, remove the towel to wash your hair. This treatment can be applied twice a week as an alternative to anti-dandruff shampoos that contain harsh chemicals.