Apple Cider Vinegar - Friend or Fiction?

Consumption of apple cider vinegar has been a practice that has gained mainstream popularity in the past few years, but why? There are claims circulating the internet and media stating that drinking a shot of apple cider vinegar can burn fat, help with weight loss, and boost metabolism. Are these claims accurate?

What Is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting apples. Fermentation occurs when yeast consumes sugar and eliminates alcohol as a byproduct. Bacteria cultures are then added, they consume the alcohol and convert it into acetic acid (a component of vinegars). Once this step is complete, apple cider vinegar is left. There is often a cloudy look to apple cider vinegar, if it is not filtered. This cloudiness is called the mother. Mother in apple cider vinegar is the bacteria that helped create the end product, this bacteria is known as a probiotic. Probiotics are living bacteria that when consumed, can colonize within out digestive tract to help with digestion. The bacteria within our digestive tracts are referred to as our gut microbiome (a topic for another time, and my favorite topic to chat about!).

Can Apple Cider Vinegar Help Me Lose Weight?

Weight loss comes from consuming less calories than you use during a day, apple cider vinegar cannot burn calories. There are many other factors that can impact a person's ability to lose weight such as genetics, environment, hormones, metabolism, sleep patterns, and stress levels. There is some evidence that suggests consuming vinegars that contain acetic acid can help an individuals sense of satiety, feeling satisfied and not hungry. There is also some evidence demonstrating the effects that vinegars have blood glucose levels.

Are Their Benefits to Consuming Apple Cider Vinegar?

Consuming fermented foods have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects on the body, this includes kimchi, yogurt, kombucha, sauerkraut, kefir, vinegars, miso, and any other traditionally fermented products (not including alcohols). Consuming fermented foods has also been known to promote the development of healthy and diverse gut microbiome.

Apple cider vinegar is considered a fermented food and there is some evidence that acetic acid can lower the glycemic effect of simple carbohydrates or highly processed carbohydrate foods. This means that the acetic acid found in apple cider vinegar, and other vinegars, can aid in insulin response to high carbohydrate foods.

When you consume carbohydrate containing foods, they are broken down into single molecules of sugar, or glucose. These glucose molecules stimulate the pancreas to release insulin, a hormone that signals fat cells and muscles cells to take in sugar from the blood, which in return lowers a persons blood sugar levels. When a person's ability to release insulin decreases, or their body does not make insulin anymore, this condition is called diabetes. Apple cider vinegar is NOT a treatment for diabetes!

Apple Cider Vinegar Contains Polyphenols

Polyphenols are compounds that are present in plants that have antioxidizing effects. Antioxidants prevent oxidative damage of cells in your body. Oxidation occurs from many things such as your environment, diet, disease, sickness, and even exercise. High levels of oxidation can cause an imbalance, which means there is more free radicals than antioxidants. Free radicals can cause damage within the body and can even damage cellular DNA resulting in the division of cancerous cells.

Oxidation is a naturally occurring factor of life and in low or moderate levels can be beneficial, the foods you choose to eat can help maintain balanced oxidation levels.

Incorporating apple cider vinegar into your diet can have healthful benefits. Some great ways to enjoy apple cider vinegar are to make make salad dressings at home, purchase apple cider vinegar drinks such as GTs ALIVE drinks*, or be making mocktails with various juice blends. If you can not stand the taste of apple cider vinegar, there are many other foods and drinks that have beneficial effects on the microbiome, oxidative stress, and overall health!

*This is not a paid advertisement; I enjoy this brand myself. There are various other brands that make drinks containing apple cider vinegar if you are interested.

Sources:

Vinegar | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Vinegar: Medicinal Uses and Antiglycemic Effect (nih.gov)

Anti-Inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Properties of Fermented Plant Foods (nih.gov)

The Role of Polyphenols in Human Health and Food Systems: A Mini-Review (nih.gov)

Oxidative Stress: Harms and Benefits for Human Health (nih.gov)