Apple cider vinegar does have a few things going for it but its powers have been vastly over-estimated in the popular imagination. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2iAM1hv
Apple cider vinegar does have a few things going for it but its powers have been vastly over-estimated in the popular imagination. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2iAM1hv
James writes:
Can you review which of the many health benefits attributed to apple cider vinegar have actually been proven scientifically? Would these benefits also apply to other vinegars? Is there any extra benefit to consuming unpasteurized vinegar?
Every time I think the ACV craze has finally settled down, another magazine article, website, or new product line proves me wrong! Apple cider vinegar does have a few things going for it but, as you might have suspected, its powers have been vastly over-estimated in the popular imagination.
Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. Here are a few things that ACV probably won’t do for you:
As I talked about in a podcast from way back in 2009, the acetic acid in vinegar has been shown to boost metabolism and cause you to burn an extra calorie or two. (That’s true of any vinegar, by the way, not just ACV.) But this is another example of the fact that something can be true without being particularly meaningful. The effect of vinegar on your metabolism is so modest that it is unlikely to result in noticeable weight loss unless it is combined with other strategies, such as eating less.
Unlike the metabolism thing, which at least has some scientific basis, the idea that apple cider vinegar will flush impurities or toxins from your body is just wishful thinking. As I talked about in a previous podcast on detoxification, your liver and kidneys are extremely effective at eliminating toxins. If you want to help them, the best thing you can do is give them less to do, by reducing your exposure to toxins such as excessive alcohol, second-hand smoke, volatile fumes, pesticides, and so on.
Finally, despite some of the breathless descriptions you might read online, drinking a shot of apple cider vinegar every day doesn’t flood your body with massive amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It’s just fermented fruit juice.
So much for the bad news. Keep reading for a few things that apple cider vinegar might actually do for you.
Acetic acid—which is found in all types of vinegar—can partially block the digestion of starches, meaning that less sugar is absorbed into the blood stream.
Consuming a small amount of vinegar (1-2 tablespoons in a cup of water) before eating a carbohydrate-rich meal can somewhat blunt the glycemic impact (or blood sugar spike) caused by eating carbohydrates. That doesn’t mean that carbohydrates will have no calories or have no effect on your blood sugar—just that the impact will be somewhat less. If you take antidiabetic medications, be sure to check with your doctor before experimenting.
Apple cider vinegar is an old folk remedy for heartburn and there’s a logical underpinning.
Apple cider vinegar is an old folk remedy for heartburn and there’s a logical underpinning. Most people think that acidic foods cause heartburn. But as I explained in a previous episode on reflux, heartburn is not necessarily caused by acidic foods or even by excessive stomach acid. Heartburn happens when stomach acid escapes out of the stomach into the esophagus.
Drinking a bit of vinegar diluted in water lowers the pH in the upper stomach. This may cause the lower esophageal sphincter (or LES) to close more tightly, which can help prevent heartburn by reducing the amount of acid leaking into the esophagus. Popping antacids, on the other hand, has the opposite effect, raising the pH in the stomach which can allow the sphincter to relax and allow more stomach acid to leak out.
For an occasional bout of heartburn, this folk remedy is worth a try—especially if you’re someone who does not get good results with antacids. However, if you have severe or chronic reflux or any other disorder of the stomach or esophagus, or you are taking acid-blocking medications, you should run this one past your doctor first.
All vinegars are created through fermentation and that means that they contain live micro-organisms—providing that they have not been pasteurized, of course. As we’ve all been talking about pretty much nonstop for the last couple of years, including probiotic foods like vinegar in your diet can help you maintain a healthy microbiome.
Drinking straight vinegar can erode tooth enamel and even damage the esophagus, so always dilute vinegar in water before drinking it. A tablespoon or two in 8 ounces (or 240 mL) of water is a good strength. I also suggest consuming no more than 2 or 3 of these cocktails per day, as drinking too much vinegar may cause low potassium levels.