Losing weight usually comes down to eating healthy and incorporating fat-burning workouts into your regular routine. But after sweating at the gym every day and meal prepping bland chicken breasts for weeks, it’s easy to want to see drastic results right away. Unfortunately, that’s not how things work. Results can be incredibly slow, so it’s easy for impatient people to turn to supplements. Enter apple cider vinegar, which has earned a reputation for everything from fat-burning to curing diabetes. While there are plenty of potential pros associated with the substance, there’s no need to swallow spoonfuls of the stuff every morning.
So what is actually true about the tonic? Before adding apple cider vinegar to your daily diet, read below to separate fact from fiction.
Myth: It helps you lose weight fast.
There is not much science to back the claim that apple cider vinegar kick starts the metabolic process that results in shedding pounds. This claim likely comes from a study published in the journal Bioscience, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, which found that study participants who were given ACV over a period of 12 weeks lost more fat, weight and inches from their waistline than those who were given the placebo. But before you celebrate, it’s worth noting those who drank the apple cider vinegar only lost a pound on average — yes, one pound.
More research is needed on how it may aid in weight loss, however, apple cider vinegar alone can not make up for an unhealthy lifestyle. You can’t take two tablespoons before chowing down on a basket of chicken fingers and expect you’re doing your body a favor.
Myth: It’s a probiotic.
Like other fermented foods, apple cider vinegar can potentially aid in digestion, but you have to get the raw, unpasteurized kind. Pasteurization removes any potential probiotic benefits. However, if you’re keeping your intake to healthy doses, you likely can’t consume enough to make any major health changes. Foods like Greek yogurt, kimchi and kombucha are all better sources of good bacteria and will make you feel more satisfied.
Myth: It detoxes your body.
Your body does a bang-up job of detoxing all on its own. It actually has organs — the liver, kidneys and intestines — that devote their existence to the cause. Despite what you read, “detoxing” isn’t really a thing, and apple cider vinegar doesn’t have any magical properties that do a better job than your body already naturally does.
Myth: It has no negative side effects.
Maybe you decide, there’s really nothing wrong with ACV, so you’re going to take it anyway just in case. There’s no harm, right? Wrong. Since it’s so acidic, apple cider vinegar can damage your tooth enamel if exposed frequently to straight ACV in high doses. If you choose to enjoy some ACV, always, always mix with water or tea.
Myth: It cures diabetes
Apple cider vinegar has been praised for its ability to stabilize glucose levels in the body and prevent dangerous blood sugar spikes. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Diabetes Research, found that Type 2 diabetics who drank one ounce of ACV reported lower blood glucose, insulin and triglycerides as many as five hours after eating when compared to the placebo group. ACV can’t replace other diabetes medication at this point, but the study noted that further research would be required to “examine the long-term effects of vinegar” in type 2 diabetes patients.
Myth: It wards off heart disease.
Acetic acid has been linked to the reduction of cholesterol levels, so there is a possibility that fruit-based vinegars may help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the science isn’t substantial enough at this point to say chugging a bottle is worth it. Your best bet for a heart-healthy diet is to add apple cider vinegar as a dressing to vegetables and salads — food already deemed good for you — while avoiding fatty, creamy salad dressings.
Myth: Only apple cider vinegar has healthy potential.
ACV is the gold standard for vinegars, but other varieties may be just as beneficial. In fact, most studies that study vinegar’s effects on blood sugar and cholesterol, didn’t even use ACV. All vinegar contains acetic acid, which is thought to be the healthy agent behind vinegar’s desirable properties. So while ACV is trendy today, balsamic and even plain white vinegar may deliver the same health benefits.
(h/t Eat This, Not That & Self)
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