Is Apple Cider Good for Weight Loss? And Four More Things You Need to Know

You probably have a bottle of apple cider vinegar (ACV) in your pantry right now. It’s a tasty addition to homemade pickles, marinades, salad dressing, and more – but is it good for you? Many of its supposed benefits are anecdotal, but some experts think that adding a little of this tangy vinegar to your life may have some health benefits.

Weight

Have you heard that apple cider vinegar will help you lose weight? There’s not much formal research on the topic, but one study did find that people who drank apple cider vinegar daily lost a couple of pounds versus those who didn’t (both groups had a similar diet). The researchers suggest that vinegar may affect certain genes involved in breaking down fats thus improving digestion – which ultimately could lead to weight loss.

Blood Sugar

While apple cider vinegar most likely isn’t the weight loss magic bullet, it does appear to help with blood sugar control. Arizona State University’s Nutrition Program Director, Carol Johnston, PhD has been studying apple cider vinegar for years and believes it can have pronounced affects on blood sugar. Johnston says that the vinegar prevents at least some dietary starches from being digested and thus raising blood sugar.  It’s still advisable to focus on your overall diet if you have or want to prevent blood sugar issues – but adding ACV on salads might help too!

Antimicrobial

Vinegar is known to help kill pathogens, including bacteria and ACV has traditionally (not confirmed by research) been used for cleaning and disinfecting, treating nail fungus, lice, warts and ear infections. It’s even said that Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used vinegar for wound cleaning over two thousand years ago. Because vinegar is acidic, it has been used as a food preservative, and studies show that it inhibits bacteria from growing in the food and spoiling it.

Great Flavor Enhancer

ACV should be consumed! Use it in your food – from dressings, to dips, apple cider vinegar can be a great flavor addition to many dishes. Try alternating balsamic for apple cider vinegar to change the flavor and add more variety to your diet.  Add a punch to a fish dish with a splash of ACV on top!

Home Cleaning

If you don’t mind the smell, or are sensitive to chemicals try using ACV to clean your home. A mix of 1 part ACV and 9 parts water will clean just about any surface. It’s easiest if transferred to a spray bottle. You can also pour full strength ACV into the toilet, bath, babies tub, etc. and leave overnight.  Some appliances (coffee makers, etc.) can be descaled with ACV as well.