6 Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Many people claim it can relieve many health complaints, but you may wonder what the research says.

Evidence suggests it could possibly offer health benefits, such as:

• aiding weight loss
• reducing cholesterol
• lowering blood sugar levels
• improving the symptoms of diabetes

But there isn’t much research on it, and more research needs to be done before it can be suggested as an alternative medicine.

This piece looks at the evidence for 6 possible health benefits of apple cider vinegar.

Six Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

There are two steps to making apple cider vinegar.

First, the maker puts crushed apples in contact with yeast. The yeast turns the sugars in the apples into alcohol by fermenting them.

Next, adding bacteria helps the alcohol continue to ferment. This turns the alcohol into acetic acid, which is the main active ingredient in vinegar.

Acetic acid is what makes vinegar smell and taste very sour. Researchers think that this acid is what makes apple cider vinegar good for your health. Cider vinegars are 5–6% acetic acid.

Apple cider vinegar that hasn’t been filtered includes something called “mother,” which is made up of strands of proteins, enzymes, and good bacteria that make the product look cloudy.

Some people think that most of its health benefits come from the mother, but there aren’t any studies to back this up yet.

Even though apple cider vinegar doesn’t have a lot of vitamins or minerals, it does have a little bit of potassium. Some amino acids and vitamins are also in good brands.

Pathogens, like bacteria, can be killed by vinegar.

In the past, vinegar was used to clean and cleanse, as well as to treat nail fungus, lice, warts, and ear problems.

Hippocrates, who is known as the “father of modern medicine,” cleaned cuts with vinegar more than 2,000 years ago.

Vinegar is also used to keep food fresh. Studies have shown that it stops germs like E. coli from growing and making food go bad.

Apple cider vinegar might be able to help you find a natural way to keep food fresh.

People have also said that applying diluted apple cider vinegar to the skin could help with acne, but there doesn’t seem to be any good study to back this up.

One of the most obvious ways vinegar has been used so far is to treat type 2 diabetes.

High blood sugar is a sign of type 2 diabetes, which is caused by insulin resistance or a failure to make insulin.

But even people who don’t have diabetes can benefit from keeping their blood sugar levels in the normal range. Some researchers think that high blood sugar levels are a major cause of age and many chronic diseases.

Avoiding artificial carbs and sugar is the best and healthy way to control blood sugar levels, but apple cider vinegar may also help.

Research shows that vinegar can help with blood sugar and insulin levels in the following ways:

A small study shows that vinegar may improve insulin sensitivity by 19–34% after a high-carb meal and significantly lower blood sugar and insulin response.

In a small study with 5 healthy people, drinking vinegar after eating 50 grams of white bread lowered blood sugar by 31.4%.

People with diabetes who took 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed saw a 4% drop in their blood sugar levels when they woke up the next morning.

Several other tests on people have shown that vinegar can make insulin work better and lower blood sugar after a meal.

The National Centers for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says it’s very important for people not to replace medical care with health items that haven’t been tested.

If you’re already taking medicine to lower your blood sugar, talk to your doctor before you start taking more vinegar.

Studies show that vinegar could help people lose weight, which might come as a surprise.

Several tests with people show that vinegar can make you feel fuller. This can make you eat less, which can help you lose weight.

For example, one study found that taking vinegar with a high-carb breakfast made people feel fuller, so they ate 200–275 fewer calories the rest of the day.

Also, a study of 175 obese people showed that those who drank apple cider vinegar every day had less belly fat and lost weight:

• taking 1 tablespoon (15 mL) led to a loss of 2.6 pounds (1.2 kg)
• taking 2 tablespoons (30 mL) led to a loss of 3.7 pounds (1.7 kg)

Keep in mind, though, that this study lasted 3 months, so the real effects on body weight seem to be rather small.

Still, adding or taking away a few foods or items rarely makes a big difference in weight. Diet and living changes that are helpful and encouraging lead to weight loss that lasts.

Overall, apple cider vinegar may help you lose weight by making you feel full, dropping your blood sugar, and lowering the amount of insulin in your body.

A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar has only about three calories.

Heart disease is one of the most common reasons people die.

Heart disease risk is linked to a number of biological factors.

Research shows that vinegar might help with a few of these risks. Many of the tests, though, were done on animals.

These tests on animals show that apple cider vinegar can drop cholesterol, triglyceride, and a number of other risk factors for heart disease.

Some tests with rats have also shown that vinegar lowers blood pressure, which is a big risk factor for heart disease and kidney problems.

But there is no good proof that vinegar is good for human heart health. Before coming to any strong opinions, researchers need to do more research.

Apple cider vinegar is often used to treat skin problems like acne and dry skin.

The skin is slightly acidic on its own. Putting apple cider vinegar on the skin could help restore the skin’s natural pH balance, making the skin layer stronger.

On the other hand, soaps and cleaners that are alkaline could make eczema worse by irritating it.

Apple cider vinegar could, in theory, help avoid skin infections caused by eczema and other skin problems because it kills germs.

Apple cider vinegar mixed with water is used by some people as a face wash or toner. The idea is that it will kill germs and stop spots from happening.

But one study of 22 people with eczema found that soaking in apple cider vinegar did not help the skin’s barrier and actually made the skin irritated.

Talk to your doctor before you try new treatments, especially if your skin is already hurt. Don’t put pure vinegar on your skin, because it can burn.

Also read: What to eat after 50

Apple cider vinegar is best used in cooking, which is also the best way to get it into your diet. It’s easy to put in things like salad sauces and homemade mayonnaise.

Some people also like to mix it in water and drink it as a beverage. Most people take between 1 and 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 mL) and 1 and 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 mL) per day, mixed in a big glass of water.

Start with small amounts and don’t take too much at once. Too much vinegar can have bad side effects, like wearing down tooth enamel and possibly interacting with other medicines.

Some experts suggest using apple cider vinegars that are organic, unfiltered, and have “mother.”

Bragg seems to be one of the most popular brands, and you can find reviews and scores for it online. There are, however, several other kinds as well.

Many websites and people who believe in natural health care say that apple cider vinegar has great health benefits, like giving you more energy and curing diseases.

Most claims about its health benefits aren’t backed up by much study, though.

Still, some studies show that it may have some benefits, such as killing germs, lowering blood sugar, and helping people lose weight.

As long as you don’t take too much of Apple Cider Vinegar, it seems to be safe.

It can also be used as a natural hair conditioner, skin care product, and cleaning product, among other things.