Apple cider vinegar has been used as a health tonic for thousands of
years.
Research shows it has many health benefits, such as lowering blood sugar levels.
But can adding apple cider vinegar to your diet also help you lose
weight?
This article explores the research about apple cider vinegar and weight
loss.
It also provides tips on how to incorporate apple cider vinegar into
your diet.
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is made in a two-step fermentation process.
First, apples are cut or crushed and combined with yeast to convert their sugar
into alcohol. Second, bacteria are added to ferment the alcohol into acetic
acid.
Traditional apple cider vinegar production typically takes about one
month, but some manufacturers dramatically speed up the process so that it
takes only a day.
Acetic acid is the main active component of apple cider vinegar.
Also known as ethanoic acid, it is an organic compound with a sour taste
and strong odor. The term acetic comes from acetum, the Latin word
for vinegar.
About 5-6% of apple cider vinegar consists of acetic acid. It also
contains water and trace amounts of other acids, such as malic acid.
One tablespoon (15 ml) contains about three calories and virtually
no carbs.
Acetic Acid Has Various
Benefits for Fat Loss
Acetic acid is a short-chain fatty acid that dissolves into
acetate and hydrogen in the body.
Some animal research suggests that the acetic acid in apple cider
vinegar may lead to weight loss in several ways:
·
Lowers blood sugar levels: In one rat study, acetic acid improved the ability of the liver
and muscles to take up sugar from the blood.
·
Decreases insulin levels: In the same rat study, acetic acid also reduced the ratio of insulin to glucagon, which might favor fat burning.
·
Improves metabolism: Another study in rats exposed to acetic acid showed an increase in
the enzyme AMPK, which increases fat burning and decreases fat and sugar
production in the liver.
·
Reduces fat storage: Treating obese diabetic rats with acetic acid or acetate protected
them from obesity and increased the expression of genes that reduced belly fat storage and liver fat.
·
Burns fat: A study in mice fed a high-fat diet found a significant increase
in the genes responsible for fat burning, which led to less body fat buildup.
·
Suppresses appetite: Another study suggests acetate may suppress centers in the brain
that control appetite, which can lead to reduced food intake.
Bottom
Line: Animal studies have found that
acetic acid may promote fat loss in several ways. It can reduce fat storage,
increase fat burning, improve blood sugar and insulin response, as well as
reduce appetite.
Apple Cider Vinegar Increases Fullness and Reduces
Calorie Intake
Apple cider vinegar may promote fullness, which can
decrease calorie intake.
In one small study of 11 people, those who took vinegar
with a high-carb meal had a 55% lower blood sugar response one hour after
eating.
They also ended up consuming 200–275 fewer calories for
the rest of the day.
In addition to the appetite-suppressing effects of acetic
acid, vinegar has also been shown to slow down the rate at which food leaves
your stomach.
In another small study, taking apple cider vinegar with a
starchy meal significantly slowed stomach emptying. This led to increased
feelings of fullness and lowered blood sugar and insulin levels.
On the other hand, some people may have a condition that
makes this effect a bad thing.
Gastroparesis, or delayed stomach emptying, is a common
complication of type 1 diabetes. Timing insulin with food becomes problematic,
since it is difficult to predict how long it will take for blood sugar to rise
after a meal.
Since vinegar has been shown to further extend the time
food stays in the stomach, taking it with meals could worsen gastroparesis.
Bottom Line: Apple cider vinegar helps promote fullness, in part
due to delayed stomach emptying. This may naturally lead to lower calorie
intake.
One Study Shows That Apple Cider
Vinegar Helps You Lose Weight and Body Fat
Results from one human study indicate that apple cider vinegar has some
pretty impressive effects on weight and body fat.
In this 12-week study, 144 obese Japanese adults consumed either 1
tablespoons (15 ml) of vinegar, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of vinegar or a placebo
drink every day.
They were told to restrict their alcohol intake,
but otherwise continue their usual diet and activity throughout the study.
Those who consumed 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vinegar per day had the
following averages:
·
Weight loss: 2.6 lbs (1.2 kg).
·
Decrease in body fat
percentage: 0.7%.
·
Decrease in waist
circumference: 0.5 in (1.4 cm).
·
Decrease in triglycerides: 26%.
This is what changed in those consuming 2 tablespoon (30 ml) of vinegar
per day:
·
Weight loss: 3.7 lbs (1.7 kg).
·
Decrease in body fat
percentage: 0.9%.
·
Decrease in waist
circumference: 0.75 in (1.9 cm).
·
Decrease in triglycerides: 26%.
The placebo group actually gained 0.9 lbs (0.4 kgs), and their waist
circumference slightly increased.
According to this study, adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of apple cider
vinegar to your diet can help you lose weight. It can also reduce your body fat
percentage, make you lose belly fat and decrease your blood triglycerides.
To date, this is the only human study that has investigated vinegar’s
effects on weight loss. Although the study was fairly large and the results are
very encouraging, additional studies are needed in different populations.
One study in mice that were fed a high-fat, high-calorie diet found that
the high-dose vinegar group gained 10% less fat than the control group and 2%
less fat than the low-dose vinegar group.
Bottom
Line: In one study, obese people who
took 1-2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) of apple cider vinegar daily for 12 weeks lost
weight and body fat.
It Also Has Other Health Benefits
In addition to promoting weight and fat
loss, apple cider has several other benefits:
·
Lowers blood sugar and insulin: When consumed with a high-carb meal, vinegar has been shown to
significantly lower
blood sugar and insulin levels after eating.
·
Improves insulin sensitivity: One study in people with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes
found that adding vinegar at a high-carb meal improved insulin sensitivity by
34%.
·
Lowers fasting blood sugar: In another study of people with type 2 diabetes, the group that
took apple cider vinegar with a high-protein evening
snack had twice the decrease in fasting blood sugar as those in the placebo
group.
·
Improves PCOS symptoms: In a small study of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
who took vinegar for 90–110 days, four out of seven women resumed ovulation,
likely due to improved insulin sensitivity.
·
Decreases cholesterol levels: Studies in diabetic and normal rats and mice found that it
increased HDL (the “good”) cholesterol. It also reduced LDL (the “bad”)
cholesterol and triglycerides.
·
Lowers blood pressure: Animal studies suggest that vinegar may decrease blood pressure by
inhibiting the enzyme responsible for constricting blood vessels.
·
Kills harmful bacteria and viruses: Vinegar has been shown to fight bacteria that can cause food
poisoning, including E. coli. One study found that vinegar reduced
numbers of certain bacteria by 90% and some viruses by 95%.
Bottom
Line: Adding vinegar to your diet may
benefit blood sugar, insulin, reproductive health and cholesterol. It also
fights bacteria and viruses.
How to Add Apple Cider Vinegar to Your Diet
There are a few ways to include apple
cider vinegar in your diet.
An easy method is to use it with olive oil as a
salad dressing. This is particularly tasty with leafy greens, cucumbers and tomatoes.
It can also be used for pickling vegetables, or you can
simply mix it into water and drink it.
The amount of apple cider vinegar used for weight loss is
1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) per day, mixed with water.
It is best to spread this out into 2-3 doses throughout
the day, and it may be best to drink it before meals.
Taking more than this isn’t recommended because of
potentially harmful effects at higher dosages. It’s also best to start off with
1 teaspoon (5 ml) and see how you tolerate it.
Do not take more than 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time,
because taking too much at one sitting may cause nausea.
Although taking apple cider vinegar in tablet form may
seem like a good idea, this doesn’t seem to be the case. In one instance, a
woman suffered throat burns after an apple cider vinegar tablet became lodged
in her esophagus .
Bottom Line: About 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) of apple cider
vinegar per day is recommended to get the full weight loss benefits. It is best
to mix it with water and drink it.
Take Home Message
At the end of the day, taking a
moderate amount of apple cider vinegar appears to promote weight loss and
provide a number of other health benefits.
Other types of vinegar may provide similar benefits,
although those with lower acetic acid content might have less potent effects.
No comments:
Post a Comment