Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss

For an organic way to lose weight Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is very common among people. ACV becomes popular when some research shows that it can help you to lose weight (1).

The Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry journal published a study finding that drinking it for just three months caused significant declines in body weight, abdominal fat, waist circumference, and triglycerides.

Being obese or overweight is a common health issue that many people are complaining about.  This is the reason why they’re looking for effective ways to lose weight. Also, there are various ways and trends coming up that claim to help an individual succeed in his or her weight loss quest.

Do you know celebrities like Fergie, Miranda Kerr and Megan Fox take apple cider vinegar for weight loss?

How Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss?

Apple cider vinegar is known to be a health tonic drink that has been used many years ago. It does not only provide many health benefits but also for weight loss as supported by various researchers (2).

The main ingredient of apple cider vinegar obviously is apple. But, since it undergoes a process called fermentation, other ingredients such as yeast, sugar, alcohol and acetic acid are added.

Traditionally, making ACV typically lasts for a month, however today, some manufacturers make the process fast for only a day.

Acetic acid is an organic compound that has a strong and sour taste. The good thing is that this health tonic has low calorie and no carbs content.

1. ACV suppresses appetite

The acetic acid content of ACV is beneficial for fat loss that is essential to weight loss (3). Although there’s no clear explanation of how it aids to lose weight, the common explanation was linked to the ability of the acids and other enzymes to improve metabolism and suppress appetite. Likewise, it reduces water retention and makes you feel more refreshed.

As apple cider vinegar makes you feel full, it follows that the possibility of taking in calorie is reduced as supported by studies. The ability of the acetic acid to suppress appetite also reduces your hunger particularly if you use ACV with a starchy meal.

2. ACV lowers blood sugar levels

A recent study revealed that the acetic acid content in ACV reduces the blood sugar level and eventually decreases the rate of insulin production.  Scientifically speaking, lower insulin levels can stimulate weight loss (4, 5).

This won’t only make you feel full longer but also lowers the blood sugar levels. However, this condition may pose complications to people with type 1 diabetes. It can cause problems in predicting how long the blood sugar will rise after a meal. This may aggravate gastroparesis.

3. ACV controls fat absorption

Adding apple cider vinegar into your diet can improve your metabolism, thus makes your body burn fat faster. Likewise, it also controls fat accumulation and reduces cholesterol levels.

4. ACV detoxifies the body

Aside from the acetic acid content, the apple cider vinegar also has insoluble fiber that detoxifies the body from toxins. With this, it makes your body able to utilize the nutrients from the food you eat. Once your body is detoxified, you can expect an improved bowel movement.

What Type of ACV Should You Use for Weight Loss?

Definitely, there are two brands of ACV available in the market including Heinz and Bragg. Regardless of which one would you prefer, the important thing to keep in mind is that the best ACV should have pale to medium amber color and made from apple juice or cider.

Read: Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar Review

Using organic or unpasteurized apple cider vinegar is more preferable. It’s because the organic ACV contains a substance packed with bacteria and living nutrients that are beneficial to health.

Likewise, organic ACV is unheated and unfiltered. You will see at the bottom of the bottle some sediment that looks like a strand. Thus, you should shake it well before using it.

How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) For Weight Loss

There are different ways on how to integrate apple cider vinegar in your diet for weight loss. The easiest way is to use it as a salad dressing along with olive oil. This would make leafy greens, tomatoes and cucumbers tastier.

Another way to use apple cider vinegar is by mixing it with your drinking water. ACV is also available in tablet form, but you must be extra careful with this as it can cause throat burns when the tablet is lodged in your esophagus.

When and How Often Do You Need to Drink ACV for Weight Loss?

The recommended amount of apple cider vinegar that you can be mixed with water is 1-2 tablespoons daily. You can divide it into three doses all throughout the day. The best time to drink it is before meals. You can start using apple cider vinegar with 1 teaspoon and observe how your body will tolerate it.

In research shows, those who consumed 1-2 tablespoon (15 ml – 30 ml) of ACV per day, on average they can get the following benefits:

• Weight loss: 2.6 pounds (1.2 kg) to 3.7 pounds (1.7 kg)
• Decrease in body fat percentage: 0.7% to 0.9%
• Decrease in waist circumference: 0.5 in (1.4 cm) to 0.75 in (1.9 cm)
• Decrease in triglycerides: 26%

On the other hand, before using ACV you should consult first your doctor specifically if you’re taking medications, pregnant, or breastfeeding.

You can also drink ACV with juice, coffee or tea. But, keep in mind that these beverages are all acidic. Thus mixing with ACV can cause a dental problem. It is not encouraged to mix ACV with energy drinks or soft drinks because they have high sugar content and other chemicals that can inhibit lose weight.

Apple Cider Vinegar Recipes For Weight Loss

Making ACV drink for weight loss is so simple. Just mix 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) ACV with 1 glass (237 ml) of water. And 2 tp 3 times throughout the day.  Try to drink it before meals.

Does ACV Consumption Have Side Effects?

In spite of the fact that ACV provides several health benefits specifically in losing weight, there are also reports that it also poses side effects.

Taking more than the recommended amount can be harmful to your health and cause some dangers.

1. Hindered stomach emptying

The effect of apple cider vinegar to delay stomach emptying may negatively impact the condition of people with type 1 diabetes. It may aggravate the symptoms of gastroparesis as it makes the nerves in your stomach function improperly. Thus, the food will stay too long in your stomach (6,7).

2. Unpleasant digestive symptoms

Human studies showed that taking apple cider vinegar can promote satiety and decrease appetite that may lead to a reduction of calorie intake (8, 9, 10).

However, there are reports that consuming too much ACV can cause unpleasant digestive symptoms like nausea.

3. Reduces potassium levels

Taking large doses of ACV for an extended period is linked to low blood potassium that may cause bone loss. It can make the bones brittle and may also cause abnormal blood chemistry. (11)

Likewise, a high acid level may also hinder the formation of new bone.

4. Damage to tooth enamel

Foods and beverages that have high acid content can damage the tooth enamel. Likewise, the high pH levels of vinegar cause loss of minerals from your teeth and dental erosion as well. (12).

5. Throat burns

Using undiluted apple cider vinegar can cause throat burns. Researchers recommended vinegar be considered a “potent caustic substance” and kept in childproof containers (13).

6. Skin burns

Applying ACV into your skin can cause skin burns because of its strong acidic nature. In Journal published 6-year-old boy with multiple health problems developed leg burns after his mother treated his leg infection with apple cider vinegar (14).

7. Drug interactions

Some medications show negative interaction while taking apple cider vinegar. That’s why people taking medications for diabetes, digoxin and diuretics should seek doctor’s advice before using ACV.

Remember:

• If you take strong medications.
• If you are pregnant.
• If you are breastfeeding.

Consult Your Doctor Before Using ACV.

How To Speed Up Your Weight Loss

Taking ACV alone can’t guarantee effective and permanent results for your weight loss efforts. To speed up the results, you must avoid consuming processed foods, fast foods and unhealthy fats.

You should also get moving and do some exercise to increase your metabolic rate. Consume foods that are rich in potassium like avocados, sweet potatoes and bananas. It lowers blood pressure and reduces stress levels. Refined sugars should also be avoided.

How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar at Home

If you want to try the health effects of apple cider vinegar, you can make your own at home by following this:

Ingredients:

• 5 large apples
• Filtered water
• 1 cup organic cane sugar or raw honey

Things needed:

• Floursack cloth or cheesecloth
• Large rubber band
• 1 wide-mouth gallon or glass jar

Instructions:

• Before making a raw ACV, you should first make a hard apple cider. To form acetic acid, the alcohol present in the hard cider will undergo the process of fermentation.
• Wash the apples thoroughly before chopping them into pieces. You can include the seeds, stems and cores.
• Put the chopped apples into the gallon and make sure that it filled half of the container.
• Add the filtered water allowing the chopped apples to fully submerged. Leave at least 2 inches’ free space at the top of the container.
• Add the cane sugar or raw honey until they are fully dissolved.
• Cover the glass jar or the container with cheesecloth and secure it with a rubber band.
• Leave it for 2 weeks, but you can mix it at least twice a day.
• When the chopped apples no longer float, it’s the time you can open the hard apple cider.
• Strain out the chopped apples and transfer the hard apple cider into a clean gallon glass, cover with clean cheesecloth and locked the gallon with a rubber band.
• Leave the hard apple cider for 3-4 weeks until the alcohol is transformed into acetic acid.

You can use the homemade apple cider vinegar for cooking and vinegar bath as well. Make sure to use just the recommended amount of ACV to ensure your safety.