Vinegar, especially apple cider vinegar, is cited by many alternative health experts as possessing numerous health benefits, particularly weight loss. While there is no evidence that vinegar can help you burn fat from your stomach or anywhere else on your body, it may make it slightly easier for you to lose weight through traditional means.
Reduced Appetite
Though it won't burn fat, vinegar may be able to reduce or suppress the appetite to some degree. According to a study conducted at Lund University in Sweden and published in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition," in 2005, people that consumed vinegar prior to a meal experienced lowered amounts of insulin released into the blood following the meal, resulting in a reduced appetite.
Prevents Body from Accumulating Fat
Mice that were fed vinegar along with high-fat meals gained less weight than mice that weren't fed vinegar, according to a study published in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry," in 2009. Similar studies have not yet been performed on people.
Role of Acetic Acid
According to the same study published in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry," researchers believed the acetic acid in vinegar played the largest role in preventing fat accumulation. The researchers thought this was due to acetic acid's ability to cause proteins to be released that metabolize the fat more quickly, preventing the body from storing it.
Vinegar and Weight Loss
As of 2011, there is no direct evidence indicating vinegar can help you burn fat from your stomach or anywhere else on your body. A study published in "Diabetes Care" in 2004, showed that people who drank vinegar before a meal lost about 2 lbs. over the course of a month, whereas those that didn't drink vinegar didn't experience any weight loss.
References
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Acetic Acid Upregulates the Expression of Genes for Fatty Acid Oxidation Enzymes in Liver To Suppress Body Fat Accumulation; Tomoo Kondo, et al.; 2009
- "Nutra Ingredients"; Could Vinegar Be Natural Fat Fighter?; Stephen Daniells; June 2009
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Vinegar Supplementation Lowers Glucose and Insulin Responses and Increases Satiety; E --stman, et. al.; June 2005
- "Diabetes Care"; Vinegar Improves Insulin Sensitivity to a High-Carbohydrate Meal in Subjects With Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes; Carol S. Johnston PhD.; January 2004
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