The truth about apple cider vinegar and weight loss

From lowering cholesterol to whitening your teeth, there’s not much ACV can’t improve. Photo / 123rf

It’s the slimmer’s holy grail: lose weight without dieting by eating miraculous fat-burning foods. Certainly, there has been no shortage of madcap theories. Remember the one that celery takes more calories to digest than it contains? Spoiler alert: it doesn’t. But what about the latest lazy miracle weight-loss “food”, apple cider vinegar? Could this be the silver bullet the more ample among us have been waiting for?

Type apple cider vinegar – or ACV to those in the know – into Google and you will be deluged with health claims for what is essentially fermented apple juice. From lowering cholesterol to whitening your teeth, there’s not much ACV can’t improve, or so it seems.

An Ipsos poll in the US – where, unsurprisingly, the ACV trend emerged, thanks to celebrity endorsers such as Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry – found that more than 50 per cent of Americans have used apple cider vinegar for health and wellness reasons and, on this side of the pond, Victoria Beckham is reported to be a fan.

Most of the hype is centred on its weight loss benefits and the stabilising effect it has on blood sugar levels. Dr Tim Crowe, dietitian and host of the podcast Thinking Nutrition, advises a little caution. “The claims that a shot of ACV will melt away body fat and reduce blood sugar and insulin levels do have a small amount of scientific evidence behind them, but it’s unlikely apple cider vinegar is a metabolic miracle.”

So what exactly is happening? To answer that question we need to dig a bit deeper.

What does apple cider vinegar actually do?

Will apple cider vinegar really help you lose weight, fight heart disease, control blood sugar and prevent cancer? Photo / Getty Images

Acetic acid is ACV’s primary active component, thought to be responsible for most of its purported health benefits, from lowering blood triglycerides to stabilising blood sugar levels.

There does seem to be a grain of truth in this. A 2016 Singapore study concluded that vinegar, albeit not specifically ACV, may help to produce hormones involved in glucose regulation, improve insulin sensitivity and even increase blood flow to tissues.

Where ACV may have the edge health-wise over other vinegars is through its gut health benefits. Unfiltered apple cider vinegar contains a substance called “the mother” (made up of proteins, enzymes, and gut-friendly bacteria), which is responsible for its cloudy appearance. Better gut health has been linked to a lower risk of many chronic diseases, from metabolic disease to gastrointestinal disorders and colorectal cancer. So there may be a case for drinking a little ACV daily – for overall health rather than specifically for weight loss.

Does apple cider vinegar help you to lose weight?

Crowe isn’t convinced this proves ACV has a direct fat-burning effect. Photo / 123rf

The weight loss claims for ACV centre on the idea that the acetic acid produced during the fermentation process can help to burn fat. A couple of studies do seem to support this view, including one from 2018 in which 39 participants were randomly assigned to follow a restricted-calorie diet, with or without apple cider vinegar, for 12 weeks. While both groups lost weight, the apple cider vinegar group did lose a bit more, by around 4lb.

Having studied the evidence however, Crowe isn’t convinced this proves ACV has a direct fat-burning effect.

“There have been several taste studies done that found that drinking vinegar in general can induce a slight feeling of nausea and a lessening of appetite. That does not negate that apple cider vinegar may have a small benefit on weight loss, but the mechanism here is that the ACV is probably making the person feel a little ill and reducing their appetite.”

Added to that, the study failed to account for other factors that impact weight loss, such as overall diet quality or exercise levels. Indeed, a 2020 review of studies looking at body weight and metabolic benefits concluded that “due to inadequate research of high quality, the evidence for the health effects of ACV is insufficient.”

Does apple cider vinegar help to stabilise blood sugar levels?

Studies revealed a significant reduction in blood glucose and insulin in people who consumed vinegar compared with a control group. Photo / Getty Images

Perhaps more promising are the claims that ACV can help to control blood sugar levels. A summary of findings from a range of studies revealed a significant reduction in blood glucose and insulin in people who consumed vinegar compared with a control group. Again, it’s worth noting that this was vinegar in general, not specifically ACV, so it’s likely due to the acetic acid content rather than any special ACV magic.

Most of the research in this area has involved healthy volunteers, but there have been some small studies in people with type 2 diabetes that suggest that a shot of vinegar can be an effective way to reduce blood sugar following starchy carbs. So, does this mean everyone should be drinking vinegar shots with their meals? Crowe has this advice:

“No. If you don’t have diabetes, then your blood glucose is being regulated just fine.” Crowe goes on to advise that simply having a shot of vinegar wouldn’t be enough to counteract Type 2 diabetes.

Does it help to reduce belly fat?

Apple cider vinegar has some surprising uses - including enhancing your workout, smoothing skin and even calming your cats down. Photo / 123rf

One of the more improbable claims for ACV is that it can specifically target belly fat. This stems from a 2009 study from Japan, which showed that a group of overweight men and women who took two tablespoons of vinegar – again, not specifically ACV – each day for 12 weeks did see a small benefit on body weight and waist circumference.

However, the amounts of weight lost were too small – 2-3 lb over three months – to be considered conclusive proof that ACV can burn visceral fat.

More generally, where you lose weight from first is governed by genes, your sex and how overweight you are to begin with. A 2016 study found that women tend to lose weight all over, while men tend to lose more weight from their torsos, and that people with obesity tend to drop weight from their arms and legs first.

Are there any downsides of apple cider vinegar?

ACV has a pH of around three, so it can dissolve the tooth structure when it comes into contact with the teeth. Photo / 123rf

Apart from the fact that drinking vinegar on its own is not exactly pleasant, there are some other drawbacks, as Crowe explains:

“ACV has a pH of around three, so it can dissolve the tooth structure when it comes into contact with the teeth. One study monitored dental erosion over 8 weeks and it went up 18 per cent in those taking vinegar. So, if you still want to take a daily shot of apple cider vinegar or any other type of vinegar, please dilute it first.”

Additionally, ACV can interact with certain drugs, such as diuretics and diabetes medications. If you are taking any medications, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor first.

How do you use apple cider vinegar for weight loss?

If you are still keen to give ACV a go for weight loss, or for the other potential health benefits, the advised dose is 1-2 tbsp per day, mixed with water. It is best to spread this out into two to three doses throughout the day and to take it directly before meals. Or even better, make up a tasty salad dressing by mixing it with olive oil, mustard, honey and dried herbs and enjoy it that way instead.