Weight Loss Using Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has been used for medicinal purposes throughout the ages. Records show that the Babylonians as well as Hippocrates used vinegar to cure ailments, both internal and topically. Modern-day research has shown that there may indeed be a link between ingesting apple cider vinegar and weight loss. Studies show that apple cider vinegar may cause a reaction at a cellular level to prevent fatty acid build-up and even accelerate the metabolizing of calories.

Acetic Acid Benefits

Studies done in Japan by the Mizkan Group have shown that introducing acetic acid in the form of a 5 percent vinegar solution has resulted in a 10 percent reduction in fat production. Both the sample and control groups were fed a high-fat, complex-carbohydrate diet. In the Mizkan study, researchers noted an increase in activity of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha, PPAR-alpha, organelle. The PPAR-alpha is linked to fatty-acid oxidation and increased calorie "burning" when acetic acid, a component of apple cider vinegar, is ingested before meals..

Antiglycemic Properties

A study of 11 patients, under the direction of Carol S. Johnston, PhD, at the Arizona State University-East, showed that apple cider vinegar had a significant effect on waking glycemic levels of type II diabetic sufferers. Participants were given cheese, a complex carbohydrate, and 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar before bedtime. In the morning, upon waking, participants were tested for glycemic levels using a calibrated glucose meter. Only those given the vinegar with the cheese snack had a lower glycemic level upon waking than those given only water with the snack.

Pectin Benefits

Pectin is a fiber found in citrus and other fruits, including apples used in making apple cider vinegar. Pectin binds to fatty acids and low-density lipoproteins also known as "bad cholesterol," in the gastro-intestinal tract, preventing them from being digested and entering the bloodstream. People who have better overall health are more likely to lose weight than those with heart problems associated with a high cholesterol count. Apple cider vinegar has high concentrations of pectin because of the process apples are put through to make vinegar, mainly by not pasteurizing the vinegar.

Alkaline

Although apple cider vinegar is an acidic solution, it is known to help restore a healthy alkaline level in the body. Healthy, human blood should be slightly alkaline in order to stave off infections, diseases and other ailments. Those with a pH level of 7.0 or lower, acidic, are at risk of being comatose or even dying. Apple cider vinegar, along with eating fruits, vegetables and other alkaline-inducing foods, will have higher levels oxygen in their bloodstream. Oxygen is a necessary element needed to "burn" fatty acids.

Balanced Diet

There are at least two studies that show that adding apple cider vinegar to a well-balanced diet will alleviate further weight gain, and in some cases reduce excess body fat. However, dietitians suggest that you not concentrate on weight loss alone but rather you concentrate on having a healthy diet as a whole. Consuming 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar before meals in conjunction with a healthy, balanced diet may drastically increase your chances of losing weight, or at least preventing further weight gain.