With all the health benefits of fermented foods being brought to light, it’s no wonder that many people are looking to apple cider vinegar for answers to their health questions.
ACV has been a staple used by many people to treat health problems. While it’s always on your grocery shelf, many are now beginning to see the true wonders in this tonic.
Despite the massive health benefits, this tart concoction is also helping people lose weight. Is it possible that something that has been used for pickling and making a zesty vinaigrette can help fight the battle of the bulge?
Understanding the Components of Apple Cider Vinegar?
To make ACV, crushed apples are added to a yeast mixture. The yeast causes the sugars within the apples to turn to alcohol. The process’s next part is adding acid to ferment the batch. Once acetic acid is added, the total processing time is about one month. Some manufacturing companies have reduced the production time to around 24 hours.
The strong taste and sour odor in this vinegar come from ethanoic acid. Nutritionally speaking, one tablespoon of this bitter elixir has about three calories and zero carbohydrates.
Acetic Acid Can Promote Fat Loss
The Latin word for vinegar is acetum. About six percent of this apple cider treat comprises acetic acid, a short-chain fatty mordant. Once it’s ingested, the acid dissolves and makes acetate in the body. Acetate has many advantages as it causes changes to occur.
Studies show acetic acid can lower blood sugar levels, decrease insulin levels, improve metabolism, reduce overall fat storage, and suppress appetite. Most research was conducted on animals. Studies on humans are ongoing. However, the results of regular use are promising.
You Must Reduce Calorie Intake While Supplementing With Apple Cider Vinegar, Suggests One Study
When it comes to apple cider vinegar for weight loss, the power is in appetite suppression. Ingesting a couple of tablespoons of this vinegar can help you feel full. When your stomach is satisfied, you are less likely to eat.
A small study found that apple cider vinegar worked to support weight loss, but only when combined with a reduced-calorie diet. The study observed the subjects in two groups for twelve weeks. One group of participants reduced caloric intake by 250 calories, while the other group did not reduce caloric consumption. At the end of the study, researchers noted how,
“The ACV significantly reduced body weight, BMI, hip circumference, visceral adiposity index (VAI) and appetite score (P ≤ 0.00).”
The study also notes that ACV might have an appetite-reducing effect on the body.
Can Apple Cider Vinegar Help You Lose Weight?
First, you should know that there is no magic pill or health tonic that is going to make the pounds miraculously disappear. Rather than purchasing the latest fad drug or buying into that hype, you can take comfort in knowing that this vinegar has been used for thousands of years.
When using apple cider vinegar for weight loss, you won’t need to worry about your heart racing, feeling flush, or having euphoria-like sensations, which come with most dieting drugs. However, one study concluded that it has an impressive effect on appetite control.
Another study was conducted over twelve weeks on Japanese adults. The 144 individuals were given 1-2 tablespoons of ACV to drink daily. They were told that they couldn’t have any alcohol, but they didn’t need to alter their diet in any other way. The results were uncanny.
The group that consumed one tablespoon lost an average of 2.5 pounds. Their triglycerides decreased by an astounding 26 percent, and their body fat dropped seven percent. The group that consumed two tablespoons had even more significant results. On average, these individuals lost 3.5 pounds and saw a 26 percent drop in triglycerides.
The placebo group didn’t have such good results. They gained weight and their waist measurements increased. There haven’t been many studies of this kind, but this human study proves that ACV might benefit weight loss.
Other Health Benefits Provided by Apple Cider Vinegar
Though many people are talking about apple cider vinegar for weight loss, it has many other benefits that it can provide for the body. Here are some of the ways Old-timers used ACV as a tonic.
•Acetic Acid May Help Contol Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels
ACV could help lower blood sugar and insulin levels by slowing the digestive process after consuming a meal laden with high carbohydrates.
A small randomized, controlled trial observed participants’ blood glucose and insulin responses following a high-carb meal in fifteen-minute intervals.
They also administered the acetic acid in three different portion sizes to determine the most effective combination. They found that the highest dosage, 28 mmol of acetic acid, reduced the blood glucose response at the 30- and 45-minute marks. However, it better controlled insulin and increased satiety at 30, 90, and 120 minutes.
While the scientists suggest the necessity for more extensive studies, this outcome offers hope to people with an increased risk for diabetes.
•Helps with Insulin Sensitivity
One medical journal explained how adding a couple of tablespoons before a meal also showed that insulin sensitivity improved by 34 percent.
•Alters Fasting Blood Sugar Levels
Another study took people with type 2 diabetes and had them consume ACV with a snack in the evening. The high-protein snack and vinegar improved the blood sugar numbers twice as much as those who did fasting alone to improve their numbers.
•Tackles PCOS symptoms
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a horrible condition that causes infertility, hair loss, growth in places it shouldn’t, and problems balancing hormones. It’s a miserable illness that has no cure. One study placed women with this disease on a regimen to take two tablespoons of ACV at night.
They consumed the vinegar for around a hundred days. Shockingly, more than half of the women started ovulating again, which is the most significant complaint of infertility issues. The improvement of insulin sensitivity has everything to do with the reproductive system, which is probably why they saw such a dramatic increase.
•Cuts Cholesterol Levels
Studies conducted in rats and mice found that a regular ACV regimen reduced the bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Fortunately, it increased good cholesterol numbers.
•Controls Blood Pressure
Using animal studies, researchers have found that ACV may decrease diastolic and systolic pressures. This elixir constrains the enzymes that constrict blood vessels and doesn’t make the heart work as hard.
•Kills Viruses and Bacteria
E. Coli is a potent bacterium that is found in foods. Thankfully, ACV can fight these bacteria and reduce up to 90 percent of how much is ingested. Forget food poisoning when you take this healthy tonic before you eat. Also, it can reduce viruses by up to 95 percent. Flu season may never be the same again.
Adding Apple Cider Vinegar to Your Diet for Weight Loss
You’re already impressed with all you’ve read about using apple cider vinegar for weight loss, but you don’t know where to start. It’s easy to begin incorporating it into your diet. First, you can blend it with a bit of olive oil and make a salad dressing. The tangy zip ACV provides great on cucumbers, tomatoes, and leafy greens.
You may want to use it for pickling eggs or cucumbers, or if you don’t mind a tart taste, you can drink it straight. The average dose of ACV is one or two tablespoons per day. Remember, vinegar can cause some gastric problems, so it’s better to start slow and build up to the total dosage. Some even spread it over a few daily doses to prevent indigestion.
However, drinking ACV before a meal is always best to protect the stomach. Though it’s tempting to turn the bottle up and not mess with measuring, it can cause burning to the esophagus and stomach. Make sure always to dilute it with water for the best results. There are tablets on the market that make big claims, but nothing will replace the power of pure, organic apple cider vinegar with the mother.
The Bottom Line on Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss
After reviewing all the studies conducted on animals and humans, ACV dramatically impacts the body. If these studies are truthful, taking just a small amount each day promises big results. Who wouldn’t want to increase their fertility, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and lose pounds of fat?
The only downside is that acetic acid, the main component, can harm the stomach and cause gastric issues. This problem can be combated by diluting the vinegar in water. If you need to lose weight and have tried everything else, your answer may be at the local health store staring you right in the face. While it’s not a miracle worker, it might be a supplement worth discussing with your doctor.
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