Apple cider vinegar has been used for its health benefits for centuries – including weight loss!
Now, researchers are starting to provide scientific backing for many of the health benefit claims of apple cider vinegar. These include lowering blood sugar levels, decreasing insulin levels and even speeding up metabolism, among others,
In this article we will look at some of the claims behind using apple cider vinegar for weight loss. We will also look at how to include it in your diet and answer some of the most frequently asked questions about apple cider vinegar.
If you know exactly what you’re looking for, you can just jump straight to the specific section:
Let’s take a look!
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is a type of beverage that is made from apples, yeast and acetic acid-forming bacteria using a 2-step fermentation process.
The process begins by mixing apples with yeast. Yeast consumes the fructose (sugar) from the apples and converts it into alcohol. Then, acetic acid forming bacteria and water is added in the mix to finish the process and make vinegar.
Acetic acid, also known as ethanoic acid, is the main active ingredient in apple cider vinegar. It’s what gives vinegar its strong odor and a sour taste. In fact, the word acetic comes from the Latin word acetum, which means vinegar.
This process usually takes around 1 month to complete, however it can be accelerated to massively reduce the wait time.
Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss
Around 5-6% of apple cider vinegar is made up of its main active ingredient – acetic acid. When ingested, acetic acid is broken down by body into acetate and hydrogen.
Some scientific studies on animals have shown that acetic acid in apple cider vinegar can promote weight loss in a few different ways. These include:
Reduced Appetite
This study showed that acetate can signal the part of your brain which controls appetite that you’re full. The feeling of fullness can help you to reduce your food intake and therefore, help to control your weight.
Faster Metabolism
A study in rats showed that acetic acid produces an increase in an enzyme called AMPK. This enzyme can increase fat burning and reduce fat and sugar production in the liver.
Control Blood Sugar
Another study using rats showed that acetic acid helped the liver and muscles to take up more sugar from the blood, rather than storing it as fat.
Break Down Fat Storage
In these 2 studies, obese and diabetic rats were given acetic acid, which helped them with weight loss and reduced belly fat, as well as liver fat.
Reduced Insulin Levels
The same study that showed acetic acid helped to control blood sugar, also showed that it has the ability to reduce insulin levels. Reducing the ratio of insulin to glucagon can potentially help with weight loss.
Fat Burn
A study focused on feeding rats a high-fat diet combined with acetic acid. It found that acetic acid can lead to an increase in genes responsible for reducing body fat.
Even though the above mentioned studies only featured animal subjects, the results look very promising. However, more research using human subjects is needed to confirm the benefits of apple cider vinegar on weight loss.
But are there any scientific studies that show the benefits of apple cider vinegar in humans? Yes! Take a look below:
Apple Cider Vinegar Can Make You Feel Fuller
The obvious way to achieve weight loss is to reduce your calorie intake. Apple cider vinegar might help you do just that with its appetite suppressing properties.
A study of 11 people showed that consuming vinegar even with a high-carb meal resulted in 55% lower spike in blood sugar 1 hour after eating. Overall, the subjects also ended up having 200-275 less calories for the rest of the day.
Apple cider vinegar has also been shown to reduce the rate at which food leaves your belly, literally making you fuller for longer. In this study, people consumed apple cider vinegar along with a starchy meal and found that stomach emptying was significantly reduced. A full belly helps to control blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to feeling fuller for longer!
It’s worth noting that this can be counterproductive in people who suffer from gastroparesis – a common issue in Type 1 Diabetes patients. Since apple cider vinegar can slow down the rate of stomach emptying, it could worsen gastroparesis and cause an unwanted spike in blood sugar.
Apple Cider Vinegar Has Fat Burning Properties
A study by the Central Research Institute in Japan found that apple cider vinegar has strong fat burning and weight loss properties.
With 144 obese adults taking part, they were given 1 or 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar every day. The only restriction was that they were told to reduce their alcohol consumption, but other than that their diet and daily activity should remain the same as normal.
The results showed that participants who consumed 1 tablespoon (15ml) of apple cider vinegar daily, on average, experienced the following weight loss benefits:
- Weight loss: 1.2kg (2.6 lbs)
- Reduced body fat percentage: 0.7%
- Reduced waist circumference: 1.4cm (0.5in)
Those who consumed 2 tablespoons (30ml) of apple cider vinegar per day, on average, experienced these weight loss benefits:
- Weight loss: 1.7kg (3.7 lbs)
- Reduced body fat percentage: 0.9%
- Reduced waist circumference: 1.9cm (0.75in)
It’s interesting to note that the placebo group in this study actually ended up gaining, on average, 0.4kg (0.9 lbs) of body weight.
Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
Now that we have covered the benefits of apple cider vinegar for weight loss, let’s look at some of its other health benefits. These include:
Its Antibacterial Effects
Vinegar has been shown to kill certain viruses up to 95% and bacteria that can cause food poisoning up to 90%, including E. coli.
Reduces Your Cholesterol
A study in diabetic and healthy mice and rats found that apple cider vinegar was able to reduce the “bad” LDL cholesterol and increase the “good” HDL cholesterol.
Reduces Fasting Blood Sugar
Apple cider vinegar has been shown to reduce fasting blood sugar in Type 2 Diabetes patients by up to 2 times, following the consumption of a high-protein snack in the evening.
Lowers Your Blood Pressure
In animal studies, vinegar has been shown to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure is associated with reducing the risk of strokes and heart attack, among other conditions.
Improves Insulin Sensitivity
In a study featuring Type 2 Diabetes patients and other people with insulin resistance it was shown that consuming vinegar along with a high-carb meal improve insulin sensitivity by 34%!
Reduces PCOS Symptoms
In this study, women who suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) consumed vinegar for 90-110 days. The results showed that 57% of the subjects resumed ovulation within 40 days – likely attributed to improved insulin sensitivity.
How To Drink Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss
If you want to drink apple cider vinegar for weight loss, you can do this by mixing 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) with some water, per day. It’s recommended that you spread this into 2-3 doses per day and drink it before your meals. Make sure that you don’t consume more than 1 tablespoon (15ml) at a time!
Other commonly used methods to add apple cider vinegar to your diet is by mixing it with olive oil and using it as a salad dressing. It goes really well with leafy greens and other vegetables!
We recommend that you use the Apple Cider Vinegar With The Mother by Braggs. It’s classic formula is unfiltered, unheated, unpasteurized and only has 5% acidity. It contains the amazing Mother of Vinegar – a substance, which occurs naturally as strand-like enzymes of connected protein molecules.
It’s also naturally gluten free, kosher certified and comes packaged in a glass bottle to reduce much of the negative impact on the environment from single-use plastics.
You can also get apple cider vinegar in convenient tablet form. We recommend these Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies by SuperSelf. Each gummy contains the equivalent to 10ml of apple cider vinegar, making it easy to spread the doses throughout the day and conveniently take them before your meals.
As an added bonus, each gummy also contains Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid (Vitamin B9). These vitamins contribute to normal energy production and can reduce tiredness and fatigues, as well as boost your metabolism and immune system.
Apple Cider Vinegar F.A.Q
Apple cider vinegar has many documented benefits, including weight loss, appetite suppression, faster metabolism, lowered blood sugar and insulin, reduced cholesterol and improved insulin sensitivity among others.
It’s safe to drink apple cider vinegar everyday, unless you suffer from conditions like gastroparesis. In fact, most clinical studies in the use of apple cider vinegar involved the subjects consuming it every day.
You can mix 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) of apple cider vinegar with water and consume it before your meals. Another common method for consuming apple cider vinegar is mixing it with olive oil and using it as salad dressing.
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This article first appeared on GYMNASIUMPOST.com on 31st May, 2020
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