One of the primary ways that apple cider vinegar assists with weight loss is its role as an appetite suppressant. Pectin is a water soluble fiber found in apples. When vinegar is taken before a meal, its pectin absorbs water, filling the stomach. This encourages a feeling of being full quicker than normal. This feeling of fullness reduces food intake, which helps with weight loss.
The higher a person's metabolism, the more calories that person will burn. Based on research performed by Swedish scientists at Lund University and reported in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, apple cider vinegar increases the rate of metabolism. Acetic acid, found in apple cider vinegar facilitates the release of iron from the foods you eat. Iron is essential for hemoglobin that carries oxygen in the blood. Increased iron absorption increases the utilization of oxygen. The more oxygen is utilized, the more energy is consumed. Weight loss occurs when more energy is being used than is being stored.
Apple cider vinegar influences the basal metabolic rate, or BMR. BMR is the rate of metabolism while the body is at rest. The higher your BMR, the more calories you burn. BMR is regulated by a hormone released from the pituitary gland called the growth hormone. Essentially, apple cider vinegar assists with the catabolism of proteins, which are the building blocks for growth hormone. Consequently, higher protein breakdown causes increased production of growth hormone, which, in turn, speeds up the metabolism. This results in enhanced weight loss.
Improved digestion and reduced water retention are the other ways that apple cider vinegar contributes to weight loss. By improving digestion, apple cider vinegar assists with the reduction of time that fat remains in the digestive tract. Reducing the amount of time that fat remains in the digestive tract reduces fat absorption; thus, encouraging weight loss. Finally, apple cider vinegar contains potassium, a mineral that balances sodium in the diet. A balanced sodium intake discourages water retention. This, too, contributes to weight loss.
References
- European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2005, 59:983-988.
- "Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 3rd. ed." Nancy Clark; 2003.
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