Apple cider vinegar is a well-known home remedy that has been touted as a way to lose weight more quickly. Because apple cider vinegar is bitter, it is often mixed with honey to give it a more appealing taste. Although apple cider vinegar may seem harmless, doctors suggest that drinking it may cause serious health problems.
History
Dr. D.C. Jarvis, a Vermont folk doctor specializing in home remedies and elixirs, introduced apple cider vinegar and honey for weight loss in the 1950s in his book "Folk Medicine." Jarvis suggested that apple cider vinegar could cause fat to be burned rather than stored.
Function
In "Folk Medicine," Jarvis suggested that 1 to 3 tsp. of apple cider vinegar, mixed well with honey, if desired, should be consumed before every meal. This is sometimes called the Apple Cider Vinegar Diet, and there are no other aspects to this regimen other than consuming the vinegar before each meal.
Considerations
Dr. Andrew Weil, Program Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, suggests that apple cider vinegar may not provide the weight-loss benefits that individuals like Dr. Jarvis claim. According to Weil, there is no scientific or medical evidence that drinking apple cider vinegar before a meal can make a person lose weight more quickly. Dr. Weil calls this diet trick a "scam," suggesting that apple cider vinegar does not reduce food cravings or help the body metabolize fat or sugar more quickly.
Effects
Consuming small amounts of apple cider vinegar in a recipe or food may be harmless, but drinking apple cider vinegar may cause health problems, states Katherine Zeratsky, a nutritionist at the Mayo Clinic. Because of its high acidic content, apple cider vinegar may irritate the stomach lining, throat and esophagus. Additionally, apple cider vinegar may interfere with diuretic medications. These medications, when combined with apple cider vinegar, can reduce potassium absorption in the body, which can lead to serious health problems, including muscle cramps and heart problems.
Expert Insight
Zeratsky states that there is no medical proof that taking apple cider vinegar is an effective weight-loss tool. Instead, Zeratsky suggests that drinking apple cider vinegar, with or without honey, is a "fad diet." Fad diets are not effective in helping the body lose weight safely and permenently, and instead, Zeratsky suggests exercising regularly and eating a low-calorie, healthy diet in moderation to lose weight.
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