Femail verdict: It’s good – but only on salads

EVER thought your salad dressing tasted so good that you wanted to drink a glassful of it?

If, like me, your answer is a resounding no, you might begin to understand the trepidation with which I approached the task of testing the benefits of apple cider vinegar.

But, I will go to any lengths in the name of beauty – and if it’s good enough for stars, it’s good enough for me.

However, drinking it is a little daunting. The acidity is 5 per cent (the same as lemon juice) – a sour prospect. Makers do suggest you can dilute it in warm water and add honey for sweetness, or even add it to fruit juice, but true devotees just sip it pure – so I do the same.

As I raised the (suddenly rather full looking) glass, my nostrils were assaulted. Cutting through the initial sweet waft of fermented apples were daggers of acidity.

Once I had finally steeled myself for the first taste I noticed some slightly worrying brown strands floating at the top of the glass. At this point I was ready to have it over with, so opted for the ‘down in one’ method. This was a mistake.

In an instant I was choking, as the acidic liquid caught the back of my throat.

It was strong and overpowering, but with a cloying taste that was sweetly rotten. Imagine a glass of week-old cider with a squeeze of lemon in it, and you’re not far off.

I will definitely just be sprinkling it on my salad in future.