1. Apple Cider Vinegar is High in Acetic Acid, Which Has Potent Biological Effects
Vinegar is made in a
two-step process, related to how alcohol is made (1).
The first step exposes
crushed apples (or apple cider) to yeast, which ferment the sugars and turn
them into alcohol.
In the second step,
bacteria are added to the alcohol solution, which further ferment the alcohol
and turn it into acetic acid… the
main active compound in vinegar.
In French, the word
“vinegar” actually means “sour wine.”
Organic, unfiltered apple
cider vinegar (like Bragg’s) also
contains “mother,” strands of proteins,
enzymes and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky, cobweb-like
appearance.
This
is what it looks like:
Some people believe that
the “mother” is responsible for most of the health benefits, although there are
currently no studies to support this.
Apple cider vinegar only
contains about 3 calories per tablespoon, which is very low.
There are not many vitamins
or minerals in it, but it does contain a tiny amount of potassium. Quality
apple cider vinegar also contains some amino acids and antioxidants.
Bottom
Line: Apple
cider vinegar is made by fermenting the sugars from apples. This turns them
into acetic acid, the active ingredient in vinegar.
2. Acetic Acid is a Potent Antimicrobial and Can Kill Some Types of Bacteria
Vinegar can help kill
pathogens, including bacteria (2).
It has traditionally been
used for cleaning and disinfecting, treating nail fungus, lice, warts and ear
infections.
However, many of these
applications have currently notbeen
confirmed by research.
Hippocrates, the father of
modern medicine, used vinegar for wound cleaning over two thousand years ago.
Vinegar has been used as a
food preservative, and studies show that it inhibits bacteria (like E. coli)
from growing in the food and spoiling it (3, 4, 5, 6).
If you’re looking for a
natural way to preserve your food… then apple cider vinegar could be highly
useful.
There have also been anecdotal reports of diluted apple cider vinegar helping
with acne when applied on the skin, but I didn’t find any research to confirm
this so take it with a grain of salt.
Bottom
Line: The
main substance in vinegar, acetic acid, can kill bacteria and/or prevent them
from multiplying and reaching harmful levels. It has a history of use as a
disinfectant and natural preservative.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar May Lower Blood Sugar Levels, Which is Very Useful For Diabetics
By far the most successful application of
vinegar to date, is in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is
characterized by elevated blood sugars, either in the context of insulin
resistance or an inability to produce insulin.
However, elevated blood
sugar can also be a problem in people who don’t have diabetes… it is believed
to be a major cause of ageing and various chronic diseases.
So, pretty much everyone
should benefit from keeping their blood sugar levels stable.
The most effective (and
healthiest) way to do that is to avoid refined carbs and sugar, but apple cider vinegar may
also have a powerful effect.
Vinegar has been shown to
have numerous benefits for insulin function and
blood sugar levels:
·
Improves insulin sensitivity during a high-carb meal by 19-34%
and significantly lowers blood glucose and insulin responses (7).
·
Reduces blood sugar by 34% when eating 50 grams of white bread (8).
·
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bedtime can reduce
fasting blood sugars by 4% (9).
·
Numerous other studies, in both rats and humans, show that
vinegar can increase insulin sensitivity and significantly lower blood sugar
responses during meals (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15).
For these reasons, vinegar can be useful for people with diabetes, pre-diabetes, or those who want to
keep their blood sugar levels low to normal for other reasons.
If
you’re currently taking blood sugar lowering medications, then check with your
doctor before increasing your intake of apple cider
vinegar.
Bottom Line: Apple cider vinegar has shown great promise in improving
insulin sensitivity and helping to lower blood sugar responses after meals.
4. There Are Some Studies Showing That Apple Cider Vinegar Can Help With Weight Loss
Given
that vinegar lowers blood sugar and insulin levels, it makes sense that it
could help you lose weight.
Several
human studies suggest that vinegar can increase satiety, help you eat fewer calories and even lead to actual pounds lost on
the scale.
Vinegar
along with high-carb meals can increase feelings of fullness and make people
eat 200-275 fewer calories for the rest of the day (16, 17).
By
reducing calorie intake, this should translate to reduced weight over time.
A
study in obese individuals showed that daily vinegar consumption led to reduced
belly fat, waist circumference, lower blood triglycerides and weight loss (18):
·
15mL (1 tablespoon): Lost 2.6 pounds, or 1.2 kilograms.
·
30mL (2 tablespoons): Lost 3.7 pounds, or 1.7 kilograms.
However…
keep in mind that this study went on for 12 weeks, so the true effects on body
weight seem to be rather modest.
That
being said, just adding/subtracting single foods or ingredients rarely has a
noticeable effect on weight.
It’s
the entire diet/lifestyle that counts… you need to combine several effective methods to see
results.
Overall,
it seems like apple cider vinegar may be useful as a weight loss aid,
mainly by promoting satiety and lowering glucose and insulin levels.
But
it won’t work any miracles on its own.
Bottom Line: Studies suggest that vinegar can increase feelings of
fullness and help people eat fewer calories, which can lead to weight loss.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar May Have Some Benefits For Heart Health
Cardiovascular
disease (heart disease and stroke) is currently the world’s biggest cause of
death (19).
It
is known that several measurable biological factors are linked to either a
decreased or increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Several
of these “risk factors” have been shown to be improved by vinegar consumption…
but all of the studies were done in rats.
These
rat studies showed that apple cider vinegar can lower cholesterol and
triglyceride levels (20, 21).
Apple
cider vinegar may also contain the antioxidant chlorogenic acid, which has been shown to
protect LDL cholesterol particles from becoming oxidized, a crucial step in the
heart disease process (22, 23).
There
are also some studies showing that vinegar reduces blood pressure (a majorrisk
factor) in rats (24, 25).
Unfortunately,
what works in animals doesn’t always work in humans.
The
only human evidence is an observational study from Harvard showing that women who
ate salad dressings with vinegar had a reduced risk of heart disease (26).
But
this type of study can only show an association, it can not prove that the vinegarcaused anything.
Bottom Line: Several animal studies have shown that vinegar can reduce
blood triglycerides, cholesterol and blood pressure, but this needs to be
confirmed in human studies.
6. Vinegar May be Protective Against Cancer
Cancer is
a terrible disease, characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells.
There
is a lot of hype online about the anti-cancer effects of apple cider vinegar.
However,
all of the studies on this were done in isolated cells in test tubes, or rats,
which proves nothing about what happens in a living, breathing human.
Additionally,
most of the studies were done on rice vinegar, not apple cider vinegar.
That
being said, some observational studies (which don’t prove anything) have shown
that vinegar ingestion is linked to decreased esophageal cancer in China, but
increased bladder cancer in Serbia (31, 32).
Overall…
it is possible that apple cider vinegar may help to prevent cancer, but it is
definitely premature to make any recommendations based on the current research.
Bottom Line: Some
studies in test tubes and rats have shown that rice vinegar can slow the growth
of cancer cells and shrink tumors.
Side Effects, Dosage and How to Use it
There
are a lot of wild claims about apple cider vinegar on the internet.
Some
say that it can increase energy levels and have all sorts of beneficial effects
on health.
Unfortunately…
many of these claims are not supported by science.
Of
course, absence of proof isn’t proof that something isn’t happening and
anecdote often ends up becoming supported by science down the line.
That
being said, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for more studies, since research
on natural health products like these are both few and far between.
From
the little evidence available, I think that apple cider vinegar may be useful
and is definitely a good candidate for some self-experimentation if you’re
interested in it.
At
the very least, apple cider vinegar seems to be safe. There are no side effects
noted with normal consumption.
The
best way to incorporate it into your diet is to use it in your cooking… for
salad dressings, mayonnaise and that sort of thing.
Some
people also like to dilute it in water and drink it as a beverage. Common
dosages range from 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 mL) to 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 mL) per
day.
Definitely
don’t go above that, because excess consumption may have harmful effects.
It
is also possible to take it in pill/tablet form, but I don’t recommend that
because a 2005 study showed that the true vinegar content of these supplements
was highly questionable (33).
There
is also a report of a woman having an apple cider vinegar tablet stuck in her
throat, which led to esophageal burns.
It
is recommended to use organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar with the
“mother.”
Bragg’s
is by far the most popular option, which you can get
Apple
cider vinegar also has various other non-health related uses like hair
conditioning, skin care, dental care, pet use and as a cleaning agent (to name
a few).
These
can be highly useful for people who like to keep things as natural and
chemical-free as possible.
At
the end of the day, apple cider vinegar appears to be very healthy.
It’s
not a “miracle” or a “cure-all” like some people seem to believe, but it does
clearly have some important health benefits, especially for blood sugar and
weight control.
Btw…
any comments and/or questions? Click “show
comments” below.