Apple cider vinegar advantages and the way a lot you need to take

The tart-tasting liquid has been promoted for accelerating weight reduction, lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and boosting energy. Which of the claims are backed up by science? Fortune requested two dietary specialists to dig into the proof surrounding apple cider vinegar’s potential advantages.

The well being advantages of apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar does have sure healthful properties, that are largely as a result of its acetic acid content material. “Acetic acid is a really important metabolite in our bodies, and the only dietary source of acetic acid is vinegar,” Carol Johnston, Ph.D., professor of diet and affiliate dean within the School of Well being Options at Arizona State College, tells Fortune.

However as a cure-all, apple cider vinegar doesn’t maintain as much as scientific scrutiny. “We don’t have evidence to back up a lot of the claims,” says Johnston. She ought to know, since she’s been studying vinegar—and never simply the apple cider selection—for many years.

Apple cider vinegar and blood sugar

Probably the most “robust” proof is for apple cider vinegar’s results on blood sugar, Johnston says. In a 2021 evaluate of 9 research revealed in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, apple cider vinegar lowered fasting blood sugar and HbA1c (a median of blood sugar ranges over three months) in individuals with type 2 diabetes. It additionally introduced down their complete ldl cholesterol.

How may apple cider vinegar decrease blood sugar? Three mechanisms are probably concerned, says Johnston. One is by slowing abdomen emptying after a meal, which delays the motion of glucose (sugar) into the bloodstream. The second is by blocking the breakdown of starch into glucose. And the third is by rising the quantity of glucose muscle cells absorb. “The result is you have less glucose in your blood,” Johnston says. 

Apple cider vinegar and weight reduction

Some research have urged that apple cider vinegar can increase weight reduction by rising emotions of fullness after a meal. However any weight reduction it would result in is minimal—a pound or two per month.

“If you are already implementing diet and lifestyle changes, apple cider vinegar may be able to give you a slight advantage by helping you control your hunger while you eat less food. The scientific evidence falls short of indicating that apple cider vinegar is a magic bullet to produce weight loss on its own,” Kristine Dilley, a registered dietitian at The Ohio State College Wexner Medical Middle, tells Fortune.

Apple cider vinegar’s potential advantages

Different potential functions are intriguing, however the analysis remains to be preliminary. As an example, vinegar might need a future function in treating depression due to its results on mind metabolism. It’s additionally a good source of polyphenols, plant-based antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties.

Johnston sees the potential. “I think there’s going to be a lot more that we’re going to learn from vinegar in the future,” she says.

She additionally notes that vinegar doesn’t have to be of the apple cider selection. Any vinegar with a focus of at the least 5% acetic acid ought to provide the identical advantages—together with purple wine and balsamic vinegar.

How a lot apple cider vinegar must you take?

Our specialists advocate taking 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar every day—and not more than 4 tablespoons in complete. “The easiest and safest way to consume apple cider vinegar is to work it into your daily diet by adding it to foods you already consume,” Dilley suggests. Apple cider vinegar makes a superb addition to salad dressings, marinades for hen or fish, pickled greens, soups, and stews.

If you wish to take it by itself, Dilley recommends diluting it with 8 to 12 ounces of water. Apple cider vinegar is very acidic. Consuming it straight as a “shot” may irritate the liner of your mouth or injury your tooth enamel.

Dilley doesn’t advocate utilizing apple cider vinegar capsules or gummies, which aren’t regulated by the FDA. These dietary supplements might not include the quantity of vinegar listed on the label.

Test along with your physician earlier than you’re taking apple cider vinegar, as a result of it might probably work together with sure medicines—particularly medication that decrease blood sugar or potassium, Dilley says. Cooking with it shouldn’t pose an issue along with your medicines.

Who shouldn’t use apple cider vinegar?

Keep away from apple cider vinegar when you have gastroesophageal reflux illness (GERD) as a result of it might probably irritate sores within the lining of your esophagus, advises Johnston.

Vinegar additionally isn’t really useful for individuals with sluggish abdomen emptying referred to as gastroparesis. As a result of vinegar additionally slows abdomen emptying, it may make the condition worse.

The underside line on apple cider vinegar

For now, the best-researched well being advantage of apple cider vinegar is for decreasing blood sugar. Nonetheless, Johnston considers vinegar a worthwhile addition to the medication chest. In any case, it’s been a part of medication since Hippocrates used it for treating wounds. “Anything that has been in the medicinal world for 2,000 years has to have some legitimacy,” she says.