The Truth About Apple Cider Vinegar

Obesity is currently one of the most significant health problems in both developed and developing countries. Obesity can lead to many diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular conditions. For this reason, maintaining an ideal weight through adequate and balanced nutrition is extremely important for improving our health and quality of life. Given this reality, the number of people who want to lose weight — and unfortunately, the amount of misinformation circulating on the topic — grows a little more every day. Some foods whose benefits have not been conclusively proven by science, or whose effects have been found to be negligible, are greatly exaggerated, which can lead to excessive consumption. Apple cider vinegar is one such food today. So, does apple cider vinegar really help with weight loss? Does it have a blood sugar- and cholesterol-lowering effect? Let's see what science has to say about these questions.

The Effect of Apple Cider Vinegar on Body Weight: Various studies conducted over periods of 1 to 6 months have shown that apple cider vinegar consumption can help reduce body weight and fat accumulation around the abdomen and liver.

In another double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted on humans, 155 participants consumed apple cider vinegar for 12 weeks, after which modest reductions in body weight, BMI, body fat, and waist circumference were observed. However, it was noted that the lost weight was regained within 4 weeks after the study ended. According to many studies, regular consumption of apple cider vinegar in adequate amounts does have a small but positive effect on weight loss. Research into the mechanisms through which this effect is achieved is ongoing.

The most widely studied mechanisms include reducing fat formation, increasing fat burning by boosting the expression of genes responsible for fat oxidation, and lowering the glycemic index of foods — thereby reducing energy intake and increasing feelings of fullness. Unfortunately, there is no single miracle food that can cause weight loss on its own. For this reason, you should not overdo your consumption of foods like apple cider vinegar, which can be harmful in excess.

The Effect of Apple Cider Vinegar on Blood Sugar: Various studies conducted on healthy individuals have shown that apple cider vinegar consumption reduces postprandial glucose and insulin responses. According to a study by Johnston and Buller, vinegar consumption significantly reduced postprandial glucose and insulin responses after a high-glycemic-load meal. It was also noted that these individuals consumed less energy for the rest of the day. When consumed alongside a low-glycemic-load meal, however, only the postprandial insulin response was reduced, with no significant change in postprandial glucose response or energy intake for the remainder of the day.

According to many other studies, apple cider vinegar has a positive effect on reducing postprandial glucose and insulin responses, but the nutritional content of the meal consumed plays a crucial role in whether this effect is observed. This effect is most pronounced when vinegar is consumed before high-glycemic-load meals. The timing of vinegar consumption also matters. One study shows that consuming it immediately before a meal produces a greater anti-glycemic effect compared to consuming it 5 hours before the meal.

Recent studies conducted on individuals with insulin resistance have found that consuming vinegar before high-carbohydrate meals has a positive effect not only on reducing postprandial glucose and insulin responses, but also on increasing whole-body insulin sensitivity. However, this effect was less pronounced in individuals with type 2 diabetes compared to those with insulin resistance.

Another study conducted on individuals with type 1 diabetes showed that consuming 30 ml of apple cider vinegar 5 minutes before a carbohydrate-rich meal reduced postprandial blood glucose by approximately 20%. Research into the mechanisms by which vinegar exerts these effects on blood sugar is ongoing. Several mechanisms are being studied, including slowing gastric emptying to reduce postprandial blood glucose, suppressing intestinal carbohydrate absorption, suppressing endogenous glucose production in the liver, and influencing glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle.

Its Effect on Lipid Metabolism: The antilipidemic effect of vinegar has been demonstrated in animal studies; however, human studies on this topic are limited. Animal studies have found that regular vinegar consumption lowers LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels while raising HDL cholesterol(18). However, as noted, there is not yet sufficient data confirmed by human studies on this subject.

How Much Apple Cider Vinegar Can You Consume?
As can be seen, apple cider vinegar does have positive effects on our health. However, this does not mean it can be consumed in large quantities. People with stomach and intestinal issues in particular need to be very careful about their intake. Consuming it directly can damage the esophagus, so mixing it with a liquid such as water or fruit juice, or adding it to salads and dishes, is a better option. According to current research, adding 2 tablespoons to a salad as a dressing at each meal is considered safe.