Containing healthful properties, including antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, apple cider vinegar has functioned as a health tonic for centuries.

This popular home remedy has been shown to have several health benefits, including lowering blood sugar and insulin levels.

But do you think incorporating apple cider vinegar into your diet will help you lose weight?

Here we explore the research behind this vinegar and weight loss, as well as provide tips on how to take it.

What Is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Produced from fermented apple juice, apple cider vinegar is used as salad dressings, food preservatives, vinaigrettes, and marinades.

This is a vinegar made in a two-step fermentation process: First, crushed apples are combined with yeast to convert their sugar into alcohol; second, fermenting the alcohol into acetic acid by adding bacteria.

Traditional production of apple cider vinegar usually takes about a month, but some manufacturers try to accelerate the process to make it only a day.

The main active component of this vinegar is acetic acid, also known as ethanoic acid, which is an organic compound with a strong odor and sour taste.

The term “acetic” is derived from the Latin word acetum, meaning vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar consists of about 5–6% acetic acid, water, and trace amounts of malic acid and other acids.

A 15-ml apple cider vinegar harbors ~ 3 calories and virtually no carbs.

Acetic Acid for Fat Loss

Acetic acid is a compound that dissolves into hydrogen and acetate in the body. Acetic acid found in apple cider vinegar has been found to promote weight loss in animal studies in several ways:

Appetite suppression. Acetate has been found to suppress centers in your brain that control appetite, resulting in reduced food intake.

Metabolism improvement. A study found that rats exposed to acetic acid experienced an increase in the enzyme AMPK, which decreases fat and sugar production in the liver and boosts fat burning.

Fat burn. Another study found that mice fed a high-fat diet supplemented with acetic acid experienced a significant increase in the genes responsible for fat burning, resulting in less body fat buildup.

Blood sugar level reduction. One rat study found acetic acid to improve the muscles’ and liver’s ability to take up sugar from the blood.

Insulin level reduction. The same rat study also found acetic acid to reduce the ratio of insulin to glucagon, which may potentially lead to fat burning.

Although results of these animal studies seem promising, further human study is necessary to confirm these effects.

Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits

Helps You Lose Weight and Body Fat

Apple cider vinegar has been found to have impressive effects on weight and body fat.

In fact, a 12-week study showed 144 obese Japanese adults who continued their usual diet and activity but consumed 15–30 ml of vinegar or a placebo drink every day and restricted their alcohol intake.

Those who consumed 15 ml of vinegar per day experienced the following: 1.2-kg weight loss, 0.7% decrease in body fat percentage, 0.5-in decrease in waist circumference, and 26% decrease in triglycerides.

Those who consumed 30 ml of vinegar per day experienced the following: 1.7-kg weight loss, 0.9% decrease in body fat percentage, 0.75 in decrease in waist circumference, and 26% decrease in triglycerides.

Meanwhile, the placebo group experienced 0.4-kg weight gain and a slight increase in their waist circumference.

This study concluded that incorporating a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar to your diet can help you lose weight, make you lose belly fat, reduce your body fat percentage, and decrease your blood triglycerides.

Although the results of this fairly large study are promising, further human studies are still necessary.

Increases Fullness and Reduces Calorie Intake

Apple cider vinegar may increase feelings of fullness, thereby reducing calorie intake.

One small study in 11 people found that participants who took vinegar with a high-carb meal experienced a 55% reduction of blood sugar response one hour after meal and ended up consuming 200–275 fewer calories throughout the day.

Apple cider vinegar has also been shown to slow stomach emptying. In fact, another small study found that a starchy meal with apple cider vinegar significantly slowed the rate at which food leaves the stomach, leading to increased feelings of fullness and lowered insulin and blood sugar levels.

However, this can be particularly harmful to some people with other conditions, such as type 1 diabetes.

Other Health Benefits

In addition to the abovementioned benefits of apple cider vinegar, there are several other health benefits that this vinegar has to offer.

Fights off harmful bacteria and viruses. Apple cider vinegar kills harmful bacteria and viruses that can cause food poisoning, including E. coli. In fact, one study has found vinegar to reduce the numbers of some viruses by 95% and certain bacteria by 90%.

Reduces insulin and blood sugar levels. When taken with a carb-rich meal, this vinegar may significantly reduce insulin and blood sugar levels after eating.

Improves insulin sensitivity. A study in people with type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance found that participants who took vinegar with a high-carb meal experienced a 34% improvement in insulin sensitivity.

Lowers blood pressure. Vinegar has been found to inhibit the enzyme responsible for constricting blood vessels, thereby lowering blood pressure.

Lowers fasting blood sugar. Another study in people with type 2 diabetes found that participants who consume apple cider vinegar with a high-protein snack experienced twice the reduction in fasting blood sugar as compared with those who didn’t.

Reduces cholesterol levels. Apple cider vinegar has also been found to increase “good” HDL cholesterol and reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in studies in diabetic and normal rats and mice.

Improves PCOS symptoms. A small study found that 57% of women with PCOS who took vinegar for 90–110 days resumed ovulation, most probably due to improved insulin sensitivity.

Apple Cider Vinegar Side Effects

When taken in large doses, apple cider vinegar may cause some side effects, including the following:

• Delayed stomach emptying
• Erosion of tooth enamel
• Digestive side effects
• Low potassium levels and bone loss
• Throat burns
• Drug interactions
• Skin burns

How to Take Apple Cider Vinegar

There are several different ways to take apple cider vinegar.

You can simply drink it by mixing into water or use it with olive oil as a particularly tasty salad dressing to your leafy greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers or use it to pickle vegetables.

The usual amount of apple cider vinegar for weight loss is 15–30 ml per day, mixed with water. This is best taken before meals.

Higher dose intake of apple cider vinegar may cause potentially harmful effects, such as the erosion of tooth enamel or drug interactions. Starting off slowly, probably 5 ml, is a great idea to see how you tolerate it.

Drink it with water; otherwise, it may burn the inside of your mouth and esophagus.

Conclusion

Apple cider vinegar has been shown to promote weight and fat loss. It’s best taken moderately so you can enjoy a number of other health benefits.

Other types of vinegar other than the apple cider vinegar may also offer similar health benefits, but those with lower content of acetic acid may have less potent effects.