Weight loss requires you to consume fewer calories than you use each day. Apple cider vinegar, made by adding yeast and sugar to the juice produced by crushing apples, may help you in the process of losing weight, but no scientific evidence exists to prove its effectiveness. Consult your physician prior to adding apple cider vinegar to your weight loss plan, especially if you regularly take any medications or supplements.
Weight Loss With Apple Cider Vinegar
Proponents of weight loss with apple cider vinegar state that the components of this weight loss aid help boost metabolism and regulate blood sugar levels to help you decrease your calorie consumption and lose weight. The pectin in apple cider vinegar may act as a bulk-forming agent, making food move slower out of your stomach, according to Tom Smiley in a 2009 lesson written for the Canadian Pharmacists Association. While clinical trials have yet to assess the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar for weight loss, you might lose weight while taking 1 oz. of apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 tsp. of honey and 1 to 4 oz. of warm water before each meal.
Expert Opinion
Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietitian and nutritionist at the Mayo Clinic, does not feel apple cider vinegar provides a viable weight loss solution. She advises losing weight by adding more vegetables, whole grains and fruits to your diet and increasing the amount of physical activity you get each day. These two factors help you create the calorie deficit you need for weight loss. Fad diets and supposed miracle weight loss solutions rarely work for long-term weight loss.
Apple Cider Vinegar Choices
Consult your healthcare provider to determine the safest apple cider vinegar for you. Organic apple cider vinegar provides you with higher concentrations of nutrients, including copper, calcium, iron and potassium, but may also contain bacteria that could put your health in danger, explains Columbia University's Health Q&A Internet Service. Non-organic apple cider vinegar goes through a pasteurization process that kills bacteria, making it safer. However, pasteurization also removes a lot of the nutrients in the vinegar. Dietary supplements of apple cider vinegar may not provide you with actual apple cider vinegar. Dietary supplements containing apple cider vinegar may harm your health. Researchers at the University of Arkansas tested eight variations of apple cider vinegar tablets and found that none of them contained all the components of apple cider vinegar and that many of the labels inaccurately described the contents of the tablets.
Warning
Apple cider vinegar may negatively impact your health, regardless of the type you chose to use. The acidity of apple cider vinegar may irritate your esophagus or eat away at your teeth. The components of apple cider vinegar may also interact with medications, such as diuretics and insulin, causing low potassium levels in your body. Consult your physician to determine if apple cider vinegar use is safe for you.
References
- Canadian Pharmacists Association; The Overweight and Obesity Epidemic; Tom Smiley, BScPhm, PharmD; 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss: Effective?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; April 2010
- Columbia University's Health Q&A Internet Service; Apple Cider Vinegar; August 2010
- University of Arkansas Newswire; Apple Cider Vinegar? Or Just Acid?; April 2006
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