Apple cider vinegar is often used as a tool to increase weight loss. But does it actually help? What does science say about it? The good news is that there are some studies that tend to back this up. The bad news is that there are some drawbacks. Here are the details:
What is vinegar exactly?
The word vinegar comes from the French word for sour wine “vin aigre”. Vinegar is a fermented liquid made of water and acetic acid. Yeast is added to the starchy liquid of plant foods, and that ferments into alcohol. Then, they expose that alcohol to oxygen and a helpful bacteria for weeks or a few months and it turns into vinegar.
There are records that vinegar has been used since at least 5,000 BC in Babylon. Throughout history, vinegar was used for cooking, to preserve foods, and as a way to increase strength and wellness. It was also used as medicine in ancient China and Greece to help with digestion, as an antibacterial to clean wounds, and as a cough suppressant.
What are the health benefits?
Vinegar contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and plant compounds. Some studies done on animals have shown impressive results. Animal studies show that vinegar downregulates genes that are used for storing fat, meaning if you drink vinegar, it may be easier to lose weight. The problem is that sometimes scientists see a particular result in animal studies, but they don’t always see that same result when they study humans.
There is some limited scientific evidence that 1-2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar (or other kinds of vinegar) can do the following for some people:
Improve insulin sensitivity
Lower cholesterol
Lower fasting blood sugar
Lower blood pressure
Keep in mind that studies on vinegar and weight loss in humans are rare and have small numbers of participants. It’s nearly impossible to “prove” anything in science, especially when studying humans. Humans are complex, and we have different lifestyles, genetics, and risk factors. The only way to really connect A to B, (or vinegar to weight loss, in this case) is to repeat the same study on thousands of people from all different parts of the world. That hasn’t been done yet.
Does vinegar help you lose weight?
There are a few studies that show apple cider vinegar can be helpful with weight loss. In one study conducted in Japan, 144 men and women were divided up into three groups. One group drank a placebo beverage, one drank a beverage with 1 tbsp of vinegar, and the other drank one with 2 tbsp of vinegar.
The study results showed that the people who drank vinegar-containing beverages lost more weight and lowered their triglycerides more than the group that didn’t drink any vinegar at all. The study authors said that their diets were similar in calories, protein, fat, and carbs, meaning that it was most likely the vinegar that made the difference.
The group that drank the most vinegar (2 tbsp a day) lost the most weight. These results are encouraging, but it’s important to use restraint when looking at this study. It was a small study in one particular population. People of Asian descent typically have lower BMIs, less obesity, and tend to develop diabetes at lower weights than people of Caucasian, Latino, or African descent.
Could vinegar be harmful?
Vinegar is highly acidic and may irritate your throat or contribute to tooth enamel erosion. If you decide to drink it, make sure it is very diluted in water and be sure to brush your teeth afterward.
Because vinegar is so acidic, it has the potential to interact badly with medication or supplements you may be taking. Adding vinegar to your diet may cause your potassium to drop too low, or may cause you problems if you take insulin. Always talk to your doctor before adding anything to your diet.
People with gastroparesis should proceed with caution. Vinegar can make it worse by slowing down the food transit time in your GI tract. Some people with diabetes struggle with gastroparesis already, so talk to your doctor before adding vinegar to your diet.
What’s the bottom line?
The takeaway from this is that it is possible that adding a couple of tbsp of vinegar to your diet could help with weight loss. But it most likely won’t do the trick unless you’re also following the Virta plan. Some studies show benefits, but they are limited, had a small number of participants, and were only done in particular populations. It’s important not to take this as truth - at least not until more studies are done. Drinking vinegar may help you lose weight, but it has some drawbacks, so talk to your doctor first if you want to try it.