Apple cider vinegar, made from crushed apples whose juice is fermented, is commonly used as a condiment and food ingredient. The final product—mostly water with about 5 percent acetic acid (a product of fermentation)—provides no essential nutrients. Recently, though, apple cider vinegar has taken the internet by storm with advertisements and customers claiming it can help you lose weight, control blood sugar, lower cholesterol, clear your skin, and more.
Although a few studies conducted over the past decade or so have found very modest weight-loss benefits with vinegar, these studies did not focus specifically on apple cider vinegar. One often-cited study of 44 overweight or obese men and women, published in the Journal of Functional Foods in 2018, suggested that apple cider vinegar may play a role in weight loss. The participants were divided into two groups: the control group, which followed a restricted-calorie diet, and the treatment group, which followed a restricted-calorie diet but also supplemented with two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar daily—one tablespoon at lunch and one at dinner.
Both groups experienced positive changes in weight-related measurements, but by 12 weeks the vinegar-drinking group had greater reductions in body weight, body mass index (BMI), and hip girth compared to the control group. The vinegar drinkers also reported a decrease in appetite, possibly due to the acidity in the vinegar affecting satiety. The investigators found no significant differences in body fat or waist circumference between the two groups.
However, the study’s proponents usually fail to mention that the calorie-restricted diet was responsible for most of the weight loss, not the apple cider vinegar, and that the difference in weight loss between the two groups at 12 weeks (about 3 pounds), though statistically significant, was not terribly meaningful from a clinical perspective. Moreover, the study had a small number of participants, and it’s unknown whether any potential benefit of the apple cider vinegar would last beyond a few months. To date, no weight-loss claims have been proven by robust studies in humans.
According to Ed Blonz, Ph.D., a forensic nutrition specialist and member of our editorial board, “There is limited evidence that apple cider vinegar might affect body weight. This could be associated with the ability of the acetic acid in the vinegar to slow the rate at which ingested carbohydrates raise blood sugar. But it is premature to assume this effect would translate to clinically significant weight loss in any practical sense; the preliminary evidence comes from months of strict use in experimental settings. The amount of vinegar needed for an effect would also have to be considered, as it may require a distasteful dose of vinegar, and data suggest the acetic acid must be in solution churning in the stomach with the rest of the meal.”
There’s also no strong evidence to support other health claims. For example, a few very limited small studies have shown improved glycemic control among some people with type 2 diabetes who ingest apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, but other studies have not replicated this effect. And whether vinegar can benefit blood sugar or not, the mechanism isn’t clear. It may be that the acetic acid in vinegar reduces carbohydrate absorption (as noted above), boosts glucose uptake by the body’s tissues, or improves insulin sensitivity, but more research is needed to demonstrate if vinegar has any real effects and to elucidate any biological plausibility for the claims being made.
BOTTOM LINE: Adding a dash of apple cider vinegar to your salad—or even having a swig with meals—won’t hurt, but don’t expect it to replace healthy eating and physical activity to reach your weight-loss goals. Use care when drinking it without any dilution, as the high acidity may cause tooth erosion.
