Apple Cider Vinegar: Health Benefits and Risks

  • Apple cider vinegar may have benefits for weight loss, blood sugar control, and gut health.
  • A study showed that people who added apple cider vinegar to a restricted calorie diet lost more weight.
  • People with diabetes have also reported lower blood glucose levels due to apple cider vinegar.
  • Insider’s Health Reference library has more information.

Apple cider vinegar is much more than a simple dressing for salads. It has been found to have some health benefits for

weight loss
, gut health, and blood sugar.

The benefits of apple cider vinegar are well documented.

What is apple cider vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is made from apples using a three-step process:

  • Apples are crushed and strained into pure apple juice.
  • The apple juice is then fermented with yeast.
  • The vinegar is made by acetobacter, a special type of bacteria that converts alcohol to acetic acid.

The main ingredients in apple cider vinegar are water, 5 to 6 percent acetic acid, and small amounts of other acids like malic acid and amino acids.

Benefits of apple cider vinegar

Though there is only preliminary research on apple cider vinegar, the few studies that have been done show that it can have a number of benefits.

1. It may help you lose weight

According to a series of small, preliminary studies, apple cider vinegar may help you lose weight.

“However, the reduction in weight has been shown to be modest,” says Sapha Shibeeb, MD, a professor of physiology at Monash University in Australia.

For example, a study published in 2009 in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry followed 175 participants who went about their usual diet and exercise patterns for 12 weeks, but added a drink of one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar diluted in 250 ml of liquid twice per day — one dose after breakfast and the other after dinner. The average weight loss for people who took the vinegar solution was 4.5 pounds over 12 weeks, according to the researchers.

Another smaller study, published in the Journal of Functional Foods in 2018, found that people who added apple cider vinegar to a restricted calorie diet lost more weight than people who only restricted calories.

Shibeeb suggests that apple cider vinegar could have an impact on hunger levels. “Drinking vinegar before a meal may increase resting satiety (feeling full) and lead to less food consumption.”

Shibeeb states that apple cider vinegar alone won’t suffice if you want to lose weight. Apple cider vinegar is best when combined with exercise and a lower calorie intake to achieve the best results.

2. It’s a probiotic

The type of apple cider vinegar you buy determines whether or not it will contain probiotics, live microorganisms that may support gut health.

Unfiltered apple cider vinegar contains brownish strands known as the “mother”, which is made up of probiotic bacteria. Filtered apple cider vinegar does not have these bacteria, and is more transparent.

Experts believe that the probiotics in apple cider vinegar may be beneficial for gut health, but this has not been researched.

3. It can help control blood sugar

Early studies suggest that drinking apple cider vinegar after a meal can help control blood sugar for people with

diabetes
.

For example, in a small study from Diabetes Care published in 2004, people with diabetes drank 1.5 tablespoons of diluted apple cider vinegar after eating a high-carb meal while other participants drank a placebo. Results showed that those who consumed the vinegar had significantly lower blood sugar levels an hour later.

Another study, published in the International Journal of Medical Research & Health Sciences in 2019, was conducted with 110 diabetes patients. After 3 months, researchers found that participants who consumed 15 ml apple cider vinegar daily with dinner had significantly lower blood glucose levels than those who consumed a placebo.

Researchers believe that apple cider vinegar helps control blood sugar because it makes your body more sensitive to insulin, the hormone that regulates your blood sugar levels. This is important because over time, people with diabetes can lose sensitivity to insulin, making it harder for their bodies to balance blood sugar after a high-carb meal.

Experts warn that apple cider vinegar is not a replacement for diabetes medications, but it may help to add it to your treatment plan.

Risks of apple cider vinegar

Drinking too much apple cider vinegar can have negative consequences.

“The main side effects include damage to tooth enamel and throat irritation,” Shibeeb said. This is because acetic acid can break down the minerals in your teeth and irritate sensitive throat tissue. This is more likely to happen if you drink apple cider vinegar undiluted – for a safer drink, use a 10 to 1 ratio of water to vinegar.

You should also stay away from apple cider vinegar if you have kidney disease, as the extra acid in your diet can be difficult for your kidneys to process.

How to consume apple cider vinegar safely

Apple cider vinegar generally comes in liquid form, but you can find apple cider vinegar tablets. Although these tablets are not known to have any health benefits, little research has been done.

Shibeeb recommends that you limit the amount of vinegar consumed in a 12 oz glass each day to prevent side effects and health risks.

Insider’s takeaway

Apple cider vinegar may help you lose weight, improve digestion, and help control blood sugar. Adding a few tablespoons to a glass of water may help you get these benefits — but just be careful, because it has the potential to erode tooth enamel.

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