Apple cider vinegar, which is is produced from fermented crushed apples, has long been used as a health tonic, according to EveryDiet.org. Proponents of apple cider vinegar supplementation believe it can help reduce your risk of health problems such as digestive troubles and high cholesterol, but a growing group of supplement takers believe that it also promotes weight loss.
The Premise
In 1958, a Vermont doctor named D.C. Jarvis wrote a book called "Folk Medicine" that lauded apple cider vinegar as a weight loss agent. According to Jarvis, consuming a small amount of apple cider vinegar every day helps your body burn fat rather than store it. Those who abide by this theory generally take 1 to 3 tsp. of apple cider vinegar before meals in an attempt to lose weight.
Supporting Research
According to 2005 study published in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition," participants who drank some white vinegar with white bread were more likely to feel satiated than the participants who consumed the white bread by itself. This could indirectly lead to weight loss by helping you feel full on less caloric fuel. If apple cider vinegar shares the same properties that helped participants feel full in the study, it may also be an effective weight loss agent. However, the study was far from conclusive. Another study, published in a 2009 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" discovered that mice that ate a high-fat diet tended to gain about 10 percent less body fat when their diets were supplemented with acetic acid, a primary constituent in apple cider vinegar. Still, this research would need to be reproduced on human subjects to be more conclusive.
Other Perspectives
The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar may help you temporarily lose water weight, but it likely doesn't affect body fat, according to Health Services at Columbia University. MayoClinic.com mirrors this skepticism, claiming that not enough scientific evidence supports the idea that apple cider vinegar can help curb your appetite and burn off body fat. Rather, it recommends losing weight by exercising every day and choosing nutritious foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and whole grains.
Risks
Even though apple cider vinegar isn't a guarantee for weight loss, drinking it occasionally shouldn't do serious damage to your body. However, it may be harmful in larger quantities and in certain populations. It can cause throat irritation, tooth enamel damage and it may contribute to low potassium levels if you take it with diuretics or insulin, warns MayoClinic.com. It may also make your blood dangerously thin if you take it with blood-thinning medications.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss: Effective?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
- Health Services at Columbia: Apple Cider Vinegar; 2010
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Vinegar Supplementation...Insulin Responses and Satiety; E. Ostman, et al; 2005
- EveryDiet.org: Apple Cider Vinegar
- "Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences"; Apple Cider Vinegar and Lipid Profile; F. Shishehbor, et al; 2008
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Acetic Acid and Fatty Acid Oxidation Enzymes; T. Kondo, et al
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