The use of vinegar in medicine dates back to Ancient Greece and the physician Hippocrates who suggested the substance as a means of cleaning wounds and fighting infection.
While the modern Hippocratic oath would probably discourage this usage, vinegar (especially the apple cider variety) offers a wide range of health benefits as well as some common myths that continue to be associated with its high acetic acid content.
American Heart Association
Breaking the myth
Adding apple cider vinegar (ACV) to your diet for a boosted metabolism may seem enticing, however the correlation between the two is not as impactful as some think.
A randomized clinical trial published in the Journal of Functional Foods found that in a sample of 39 overweight and obese adults, the group consuming ACV along with a reduced calorie diet lost more weight than the group that only used a reduced calorie diet.
Initially, the results seem promising, but taking a closer look at the study produces more questions than answers. For instance, the study was only conducted over a period of 12 weeks. Would longer-term use of the ACV produce the same results? What exactly is it about ACV that might cause weight loss?
When comparing the results of similar studies on ACV and weight loss, a literature review published in Current Developments in Nutrition found that only four out of six studies reviewed replicated these results. None of the long-term studies were found to produce the same results.
One study published in the International Journal of Obesity suggests that vinegar’s contribution to weight loss lies in its success as an appetite suppressant rather than a metabolism booster. Participants in that study reported a greater amount of weight lost in a short period but also reported greater levels of nausea as well.
Hidden benefits
The benefits of vinegar on metabolism are too sparsely researched to yield a concrete conclusion. Luckily, apple cider vinegar can be incorporated into a healthy diet for a range of health benefits beyond the scale.
Yale University
According to the American Heart Association, one of the most strongly supported claims for the benefits of ACV is that it slightly lowers blood glucose levels in those with type 2 diabetes.
Several studies have reported reduced fasting blood glucose in participants that consume ACV as compared to those who don’t.
One study from Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare found that when drinking ACV along with recommendations for a healthy diet, A1C (a test that measures the average amount of blood glucose over a span of three months) percentages dropped from 9.21 percent to 7.79 percent.
Outside of its blood sugar benefits, ACV can also be helpful for a healthy gut biome due to its fermentation.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, in the age of processed goods, fermented foods and products are paramount to replenishing one’s microbiome. The natural probiotics found in ACV can aid in digestion, improving gut health and indirectly improving cellular health, as reported by Cleveland Clinic.
Safely supplement
Apple cider vinegar is known for being intensely acidic, so much so that drinking it straight could erode tooth enamel and weaken the esophagus over time. It is important to consider how to safely include ACV into your diet to yield the best results.
If you are opting to drink ACV before a meal, diluting it with water lessens the intensity, making it safer to consume long-term.
Another way to include ACV in a healthy diet is by using it in cooking. By adding it to salad dressings or sauces, the moderate benefits of ACV can be combined with the benefits of healthy food for a meal jampacked with nutrients and probiotics while also taming the sourness of the vinegar.
While it may not be a cure-all miracle substance, safely adding small amounts of apple cider vinegar to your diet along with healthy food is a good way to boost your overall health and wellness.
Avery Gillis is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
