Apple cider vinegar has been purported as a cure-all and popular weight loss tool you may have heard about on social media, but is there really any science to back this up? While an apple cider vinegar diet or consuming apple cider vinegar for weight loss won’t lead to headlining weight loss, smaller studies prove there are some apple cider vinegar benefits. We dive deep to answer, “is apple cider vinegar good for you?”.
Health benefits of apple cider vinegar
Improved glycemic control
Glycemic control is used to measure how well you’re able to manage blood glucose levels. Type 2 diabetes is uniquely associated with poor glycemic control. This is why those with type 2 diabetes have to constantly check their blood sugar levels to make sure they’re within a healthy range. A blood sugar level that’s too high will set off an unfavorable chain of reactions. Consuming balanced meals that won’t spike your blood sugar on their own is one way to avoid glycemic control becoming an issue, but if it’s already something you struggle with, one study found consuming any type of vinegar can help.
Improved insulin sensitivity
If you struggle with insulin resistance and are looking for a natural way to improve your insulin sensitivity, drinking about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar diluted in a tall glass of water after meals may help. A small study of patients with type 2 diabetes found a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity in the group that consumed apple cider vinegar post meal.
Improved blood sugar
Apple cider vinegar supplementation may not only have antiglycemic effects on diabetic individuals. A study conducted on both diabetic and non diabetic animals found apple cider vinegar supplementation to lower blood sugar levels and increase vitamin E concentration.
Antimicrobial effects
E. coli is a harmless bacterium that lives in your intestine, but some strains can be extremely harmful. Serious side effects include diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps. In hopes of finding an alternative to antibiotics, as antibiotic resistance continues to grow, apple cider vinegar has recently been studied for its antimicrobial effects. Researchers found that apple cider vinegar does in fact have the potential to serve as an alternative treatment for cases of E. coli as well as Staph and Candida.
Weight loss
It’s possible that you could lose two to four pounds from drinking apple cider vinegar daily, but it’s definitely not the way to reach long term weight loss goals. In fact, the studies that even cite such effects are often performed on animals. And in human study, participants experienced slight weight loss not from the vinegar itself, but rather the nausea it induced.
Dangers of drinking apple cider vinegar
Tooth decay
Similar to all forms of vinegar, apple cider vinegar is highly acidic, so consuming it even when diluted in water has the potential to weaken your tooth enamel. This can lead to tooth decay and cavities.
Delayed gastric emptying
For those who already suffer from gastroparesis, also known as delayed gastric emptying, vinegar was shown to delay emptying even further.
Nausea
Call it the not-so-pleasant taste or the acidity—those who drank an apple cider vinegar beverage alongside breakfast reported high ratings of nausea and indigestion.
Apple cider vinegar uses
Diluted in water
If you want to give apple cider vinegar a try, dilute it in water, aiming for a ratio of 1 to 10. Water, apple cider vinegar and honey is also a common combination. To avoid direct contact with your teeth and lessen your risk of damaging your tooth enamel, drink the beverage with a straw. Rinsing your mouth with water can also help remove some of the acidity of the vinegar that would otherwise be left behind.
In a dressing
Apple cider vinegar lends itself well to a dressing and helps balance out the fat from the oil. Try it over a salad.
For the dressing: 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar Pink himaylian sea salt and pepper to taste
