Apples are known for being highly nutritious and keeping the doctor away. Not only used as part of balanced, healthy diet, apples in the form of apple cider vinegar are an inexpensive, low-calorie, low-fat food source used as a diet resource to promote weight loss easily and safely.
History
The concept of using apple cider vinegar as a diet aid dates to the 1950s when Dr. D.C. Jarvis, in his book "Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor's Guide to Good Health," touted the benefits of taking a couple of teaspoons each day to help burn fat. Earl Mindell says in his book "Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar" that taking apple cider vinegar before meals suppresses your appetite and aids in weight loss.
Nutrition Information
One oz. of apple cider vinegar has zero fat, 4 calories, 1 g of carbohydrate and 2 g of sugar.
How it Works
Acetic acid, the active ingredient in apple cider vinegar, is thought to assist in digestion, destroy unhealthy bacteria and help maintain a good alkaline level in the body. Taking several teaspoons daily before meals is reported to help you feel full faster, thus reducing the amount of food you eat.
Use
There are no set guidelines on how much apple cider vinegar to consume each day but advocates of the diet suggest taking 2 to 3 tsp. half an hour before each meal, diluted in water or juice to avoid damaging your esophagus and stomach. It can also be mixed in with olive oil as a dressing or taken in pill form, 285 mg per day. Using unfiltered organic apple cider is recommended by some advocates of the diet to obtain the best results.
Other Health Benefits
Because of apple cider vinegar's ability to suppress the appetite, decrease the amount of food you eat with each meal, and burn fat, advocates of the diet cite the use of apple cider vinegar in lowering the risk of obesity and diabetes. Advocates of the apple cider vinegar diet believe the vinegar helps the body keep alkaline levels in check through the metabolism of acidic acid into an alkaline form. When your pH is 7.0 it is considered neither acidic or alkaline. If your pH is below 6.0 it is on the acidic side and if it is above 7.5 it is too alkaline, which can result in illness or disease.
Considerations
Although there have been no scientific studies to support the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar for weight loss, using apple cider vinegar as part of a short-term diet regimen poses no particular health concerns.
If you are taking prescription medications, check with your physician for possible drug interactions.
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