Seven Slimming Properties of Apple Cider Vinegar

Neither apple cider vinegar nor other ingredients, regardless of how natural they may be, can help you lose weight on their own. Also, they can't cure diseases nor prevent them. Only good lifestyle habits can lead to wellness and provide you with realistic benefits.

Reviewed and approved by the pedagogue in physical education and nutritionist Elisa Morales Lupayante.

Written by Okairy Zuñiga

Last update: 26 May, 2022

Apple cider vinegar is one of the most common salad dressings. Furthermore, people also use it as a household cleaning product, particularly on glass surfaces such as windows. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s a widespread popular belief that an apple cider vinegar beverage can help with weight loss.

There are all kinds of recipes based on apple cider vinegar that promise various benefits. All from “detoxifying” or “alkalinizing” the body, burn fat, cleanse the skin, “accelerate” the metabolism, balance sugar levels, eliminate fungi and lice, and so on. However, none of them is medically proven. In fact, the consumption of this ingredient poses more risks than benefits.

What’s apple cider vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is a liquid made from the alcoholic fermentation of the sugars of this fruit, we know it as apple cider.

This fermentation process has two stages:

• Firstly, one must crush the apples and mix them with yeast in order to convert their sugar into alcohol
• Secondly, one must add bacteria to ferment the alcohol and convert it into acetic acid

Its aroma and flavor are fruity and intense, mainly due to its malic acid content. This substance is often attributed slimming properties.

Does apple cider vinegar help you lose weight?

Many people recommended the intake of a certain amount of apple cider vinegar daily to lose weight. However, this isn’t recommended according to health experts; not even when diluted in water.

Additionally, the excessive consumption of this liquid could damage your digestive system by irritating it. Also, it promotes various discomforts of varying intensity, such as colic, a burning sensation in the stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.

There’s no scientific evidence to prove that the daily intake of a glass (or more) of apple cider vinegar helps you lose weight or provides any other health benefit. Therefore, it’s best if you consume in moderation. As a salad dressing, for example, as part of a balanced diet.

Many people think that vinegar, due to its acidity, can help burn the excess fat accumulated in the body. However, the truth is there’s no such a thing as fat-burning food or drink.

• Don’t skip meals
• And don’t substitute vinegar for water
• Also, don’t substitute vinegar for food
• Don’t drink vinegar daily, especially in large quantities
• Finally, improve your life habits and steer away from unhealthy diets based on magical ingredients (such as large amounts of apple cider vinegar and water with lemon)

The culinary uses of apple cider vinegar

In the kitchen, you can use apple cider vinegar to:

• Help enhance the flavor of food, without the need to add as much salt
• Prolong the shelf life of some food and prevent the growth of bacteria in them
• Macerate some raw foods, such as vegetables, meats, or fish
• Disinfect vegetables (such as lettuce), as it sweeps away part of the remains of soil that may have been left between the folds, leaves, etcetera

This ingredient is definitely not useful to lose weight overnight, neither in three weeks nor in six months, nor ever. In addition, it doesn’t regulate glucose levels and doesn’t “detox the body.” Thus, it’s of no use to drink it on an empty stomach or with meals.

As mentioned above, vinegar can irritate the stomach mucosa and cause serious damage to the entire digestive system. This is why you shouldn’t consume it in spite of the popular beliefs that claim it does work. As you can see, it is best to refrain from taking risks for as long as there’s no scientific evidence.

What’s the best way to lose weight?

It’s best to consult your doctor about the best options for you, depending on your body’s needs in order to lose weight. Keep in mind that every person’s metabolism is different. Thus, it’s essential to follow the indications of a specialist in order to obtain real benefits.

Support yourself through a healthy lifestyle, not only through the consumption of a particular food or drink. In addition, put an end to your sedentary lifestyle, improve your eating habits, and keep yourself properly hydrated. Your health will thank you and will know how to pay it forward.