Cider vinegar comes from crushed and fermented apples. The raw, unfiltered forms of cider vinegar do not go through a distilling process, which destroys enzymes and evaporates trace minerals. In addition to enzymes and trace minerals, raw cider vinegar contains the products of fermentation, such as bacteria and yeast, which may cause illness in some people. Cider vinegar has many health benefits when drizzled on salads, applied topically or diluted in a beverage. Consult your health-care provider before using raw cider vinegar to treat any medical condition.
Weight Loss
Raw cider vinegar may help you lose weight if you drink a mixture of 1 oz. cider vinegar, 1 tsp. honey and 4 oz. of warm water before eating, according to a 2009 lesson plan written for the Canadian Pharmacists Association by Tom Smiley, a doctor of pharmacy at Pharmavision Inc. in Brantford, Ontario. Cider vinegar contains a substance known as pectin, which slows the emptying of your stomach, adds bulk to your stools and helps you feel fuller longer, Smiley explains. These effects often decrease urges to overeat, help you control your calorie intake and promote weight loss.
Blood Sugar Control
Diabetics may find some blood sugar control by using raw cider vinegar more often. A November 2007 pilot study published in the journal "Diabetes Care" showed that taking 2 tbsp. of cider vinegar with an ounce of cheese before going to bed at night helped to regulate waking glucose levels. Another study published in the January 2004 issue of "Diabetes Care" found that taking 20 g of cider vinegar helped improve insulin sensitivity and glucose levels following a high-carbohydrate meal.
Skin Health
While raw cider vinegar contains bacteria, it helps to lower the pH of the environment around it, making the environment inhabitable by other types of bacteria and yeast. The May 2007 edition of "Journal of Food Protection" published a study showing that vinegar has bactericidal properties. Because of cider vinegar's ability to kill bacteria and decrease pH, people often apply cider vinegar to areas of acne. Unfortunately, no scientific studies have proved nor disproved whether cider vinegar is a successful acne remedy.
Cholesterol Levels
A December 2008 study published in "Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences" shows that cider vinegar helps to increase HDL cholesterol while lowering both triglycerides and LDL cholesterol in rats. The authors propose that the pectin, a soluble fiber, found in cider vinegar binds with cholesterol in the intestines and causes the body to excrete it instead of absorbing it. Unfortunately, no studies on humans have looked at the cholesterol-lowering properties of raw cider vinegar, so there is no way to know if cider vinegar works the same way in humans.
References
- Columbia University's Health Q&A Internet Service: Apple Cider Vinegar; August 2010
- Canadian Pharmacists Association: The Overweight and Obesity Epidemic; Tom Smiley, BScPhm, PharmD; 2009
- "Diabetes Care"; Vinegar Ingestion at Bedtime Moderates Waking Glucose Concentrations in Adults With Well-Controlled Type 2 Diabetes; Andrea M. White, PHD, et al.; November 2007
- "Diabetes Care"; Vinegar Improves Insulin Sensitivity to a High-Carbohydrate Meal in Subjects With Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes; Carol S. Johnston, PHD, et al.; January 2004
- AARP: Apple cider Vinegar
- "Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences"; Apple Cider Vinegar Attenuates Lipid Profile in Normal and Diabetic Rats; F. Shishehbor, et al.; December 2008
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