Examining the research behind apple cider vinegar’s benefits for weight loss, heart health, and controlling blood sugar level. Also, do cleanses actually detoxify the body?
Detoxes are clearly “in.” Apple cider vinegar cleanses are the new must-do detox. This cleanse, which combines apple cider vinegar with a variety of juices and spices (e.g., honey, ginger, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, lemon juice), has been a popular subject on the internet as a beneficial cure-all for losing weight, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, controlling blood sugar, boosting your immune system, relieving constipation, and even regulating body and skin pH. But before you get on the apple cider vinegar cleanse bandwagon and start drinking it many times a day, let’s look at what the newest science has to say about these purported health benefits.
Weight Loss
Is apple cider vinegar a weight-loss solution in a bottle? Maybe—if the sour flavor spoils your appetite.
This claim is based mostly on a 2009 trial conducted by Japanese researchers who randomly divided 155 patients into three groups and prescribed a daily drink containing either 1 – 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or a placebo.
After 4 months, the comparison (placebo) group had lost no weight, whereas those allocated to drink vinegar had lost 2 – 4 pounds—all while maintaining the same diet. This isn’t a lot of weight loss in three months, but the scientists believe that acetic acid, a significant component of apple cider vinegar made when sugar in apple ferments, may have been working to block fat-storing enzymes, a mechanism extrapolated from animal studies.
Apple cider vinegar cleanses are also reported to be satiating, which, if accurate, could aid in weight loss. Previous research reveals that drinking this sour drink reduces gastric emptying. According to the researchers, the vinegar’s acidity may trigger low-pH receptors in the intestine, delaying the advancement of food from the stomach. “And slowing digestion may result in feeling fuller faster because there will be less room to store incoming food in the stomach,” says Rahaf Al Bochi, RDN.
Ten patients with insulin-dependent diabetes ate a large serving of rice pudding with 7 ounces of plain water or 7 ounces of water + 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Their gastrointestinal emptying rates were examined using ultrasound technology, and the researchers discovered that those who drank the vinegar had much slower gastric emptying rates than those who drank only water. However, whether this outcome translates into weight loss has to be seen.
A combination of apple cider vinegar and calorie restriction may be beneficial. A 2018 Journal of Functional Foods research of adults with excess weight or obesity discovered that those who added 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in their meals for 12 weeks dropped approximately 4 pounds on average, compared to those who did not drink apple cider vinegar. Everyone in the trial reduced their daily calorie consumption by 250 calories.
Regulate Blood Sugar Level
Controlling your blood sugar is vital for more than just preventing type 2 diabetes. New research suggests that chronically increased blood sugar is a primary driver of continuing inflammation, which can lead to a variety of other problems, including heart disease and cancer. At first look, incorporating apple cider vinegar into one’s diet appears to be a promising strategy in the fight against blood sugar rises and chronic disease.
In a 2019 Clinical Nutrition ESPEN research, 70 participants with type 2 diabetes drank approximately 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar daily, divided between lunch and supper, or drank none. After 4 weeks, fasting glucose was lowered by about 10 mg/dl in the apple cider vinegar group but significantly elevated in the control group, despite no significant difference in calorie intake between the groups.
How does Apple Cider Vinegar work?
According to test-tube and animal research, acetic acid may increase glucose uptake by the body, removing it from the bloodstream, and may even prevent carbohydrate absorption by lowering how much is broken down during digestion. However, there is limited evidence of these pathways in people. “There are a few studies that suggest that vinegar can lower post-meal blood sugar and helps with insulin sensitivity,” Al Bochi explains. “So it’s really hard to recommend their use for the whole population.” As a result, the effect of vinegar on blood sugar levels is far from definite.
What about cinnamon, a popular cleanse component known as the “best spice for balancing blood sugar”? A 2019 analysis of 18 trials published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine on cinnamon supplementation in persons with diabetes discovered that cinnamon lowered blood sugar but had no meaningful effect on hemoglobin A1C, a measure of long-term glucose management. The doses analyzed are significantly higher than what would be found on a cleanse’s ingredient list. “There’s no harm in using cinnamon in your cooking or baking,” says Al Bochi.
Heart Health
Keeping your cholesterol level healthy is an excellent way to reduce your risk of heart disease. Animal studies suggest that apple cider vinegar enhances lipid oxidation (breakdown), particularly LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, which can build up in the walls of arteries if levels are too high.
When vinegar is added to the meals of animals on high-cholesterol diets, their bodies create more of an enzyme that breaks down fat and lowers the following rise in triglyceride levels.
However, this claim is supported by a small number of human research. The aforementioned weight-loss study by Japanese researchers also monitored blood cholesterol levels. Beginning in week 4, the vinegar groups’ triglyceride levels were considerably lower than the control group. But don’t get too excited—this discovery could be because the vinegar-gulping groups dropped a little more weight. Triglyceride levels may normally drop as you lose weight.
And, while there is some speculation that cayenne pepper or other spices can lower blood pressure (these are popular ACV mix-ins), the research is mixed.
Additional Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
There is no strong evidence that puckering up to this sour cleanse relieves irritable bowel syndrome and constipation or boosts immunity. And, while tasty spices and ingredients like honey and lemon juice are not terrible for you, their health advantages may be overstated, with little scientific proof to back up their disease-fighting claims right now.
In terms of pH balance or “detoxing,” our bodies do an excellent job of it on their own. We have natural techniques to remove pollutants that do not require drastic cleanses.
Furthermore, the pH of our tissues and blood is tightly maintained to keep our proteins operating properly. And for good reason: significant pH changes indicate that hazardous health concerns, such as diabetic ketoacidosis, are beyond the scope of home therapies. Maintaining a healthy, well-rounded diet can help the body accomplish these tasks more efficiently, but there are no specific foods that can change one’s pH.
A word of caution
“It’s important to remember that with these crazes—there’s a lot of unknowns,” says Wirtz, “and people do not understand that these things can actually harm your body.” Vinegar can irritate the lining of your esophagus, stomach, and digestive tract, particularly when consumed on an empty stomach, and may cause acid reflux symptoms.
Furthermore, there is little evidence that frequent use is safe in the long term.
Apple cider vinegar may potentially interact with certain drugs, so check with your doctor before incorporating it into your daily regimen.
Dentists advocate rinsing with water after using Apple Cider Vinegar because to its acidic nature. This will protect your teeth’s enamel.
To Conclude Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has been around for a long time, and the acidic drink has now been repackaged as a cleanse, giving an old fad a new face—and making it easier to swallow. However, research on the health advantages of drinking apple cider vinegar is still in its early stages. And the risks may outweigh the potential benefits. While the other components on this cleanse’s menu are not toxic, you should be realistic about the health benefits you will experience. “You can have vinegar on salads or use spices in your cooking, but there’s no conclusive evidence to really say that these foods will give you the benefits you are seeking,” Al Bochi says.
If shedding weight and controlling blood sugar spikes are your top priorities, opt for a whole-food—and more sustainable—solution by replacing processed foods and foods containing simple sugars with a nutrient-dense and well-balanced diet.