Apple cider vinegar is a popular home remedy. People have used it for centuries in cooking and natural medicine. Research shows it does have various health properties, including some antimicrobial and antioxidant effects.
Health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar:
1. High in healthful substances
Apple cider vinegar is made via a two-step process.
First, the manufacturer exposes crushed apples to yeast, which ferments the sugars and turns them into alcohol.
Next, adding bacteria further ferments the alcohol, turning it into acetic acid — the main active compound in vinegar.
Acetic acid gives vinegar its strong sour smell and flavor. Researchers believe this acid is responsible for apple cider vinegar’s health benefits. Cider vinegars are 5–6% acetic acid.
Organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar also contains a substance called mother, which consists of strands of proteins, enzymes, and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky appearance.
Some people believe that the mother is responsible for most of its health benefits, although there are currently no studies to support this.
While apple cider vinegar does not contain many vitamins or minerals, it offers a small amount of potassium. Good quality brands also contain some amino acids and antioxidants.
2. Can help kill harmful bacteria
Vinegar can help kill pathogens, including bacteria.
Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used vinegar to clean wounds more than 2,000 years ago.
Vinegar is also a food preservative. Studies show that it inhibits bacteria like E. coli from growing in and spoiling food.
If you’re looking for a natural way to preserve your food, apple cider vinegar could help.
3. The most effective and healthiest way to regulate blood sugar levels is to avoid refined carbs and sugar, but apple cider vinegar may also have a beneficial effect.
Research suggests that vinegar offers the following benefits for blood sugar and insulin levels:
A small study suggests vinegar may improve insulin sensitivity by 19–34% during a high carb meal and significantly lower blood sugar and insulin response.
In a small study in 5 healthy people, vinegar reduced blood sugar by 31.4% after eating 50 grams of white bread.
Numerous other studies in humans show that vinegar can improve insulin function and lower blood sugar levels after meals.
4. May aid weight managementSeveral human studies show that vinegar can increase feelings of fullness. For example, according to one study, taking vinegar along with a high carb meal led to increased feelings of fullness, causing participants to eat 200–275 fewer calories throughout the rest of the day.
Furthermore, a study in 175 people with obesity showed that daily apple cider vinegar consumption led to reduced belly fat and weight management:
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)
However, keep in mind that this study went on for 3 months, so the true effects on body weight seem to be rather modest.
That said, simply adding or subtracting single foods or ingredients rarely has a noticeable effect on weight. Long-term weight management is created by adopting helpful and supportive diet and lifestyle habits.
Overall, apple cider vinegar may contribute to weight management by promoting satiety, lowering blood sugar, and reducing insulin levels.
Apple cider vinegar only contains about three calories per tablespoon, which is very low.