What Are The Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar For Weight Loss?

Long a staple of folk medicine both in the United States and elsewhere around the world, apple cider vinegar possesses some health benefits that make it useful in the treatment of numerous ailments. Although scientific research in this area is extremely limited, some of apple cider vinegar's reputed medicinal properties may prove helpful to people who are fighting the battle of the bulge.

Prevents Blood Sugar Surge

A number of carbohydrate-rich foods cause a spike in blood sugar levels that quickly subsides only to be followed by a craving for more sugar or starch to replicate the effect. Needless to say, this phenomenon can make losing weight an almost insurmountable challenge. Julian M. Whitaker, M.D., author of "The Whitaker Wellness Weight Loss Program," reports that apple cider vinegar has proven very effective in reducing this post-meal surge in blood glucose levels.

Whitaker cites a study at Arizona State University in which volunteers drank 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar before two of their daily meals for a period of four weeks. At the conclusion of the study, volunteers who took vinegar before meals lost an average of 2 lbs. each and as much as 4 lbs., while the weight of members in the control group remained unchanged. Although the precise mechanism of action is not fully understood, nutrition professor Carol Johnston, who led the study, speculates that vinegar inhibits the activity of carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, thus allowing the carbohydrates to pass through the intestines without being absorbed.

Revs Up Metabolism

A sluggish metabolism, the body's conversion of food into energy, can pose a significant challenge to any weight-loss program. Fortunately, acetic acid, one of apple cider vinegar's principal active ingredients, appears to stimulate metabolism, according to Ann Louise Gittleman, author of "The Fat Flush Foods." She points out that vinegar also contains a number of other nutrients that help to maintain a healthy chemical balance in the body, which facilitates the elimination of fat. Vinegar is also high in potassium, a mineral essential to optimal health. Among other things, potassium helps rid the body of toxins and facilitates the delivery of nutrients to the cells, according to Gittleman.

Suppresses Appetite

Apples and apple cider vinegar are rich in pectin, a fiber that is found mainly in fruit. The good news for dieters is pectin's ability to suppress appetite, according to Cal Orey, author of "The Healing Powers of Vinegar." Pectin somehow plumps up food in the stomach, producing a feeling of fullness and, thus, suppressing appetite. In a study at the University of Southern California, researchers added 15 g of pectin to the meals of nine overweight test subjects. After one month, test subjects lost an average of 6½ lbs. each. To take advantage of vinegar's appetite-suppressing properties, Orey recommends mixing 1 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar into a glass of water and drinking it 30 minutes before each meal.