Cure-all claims not all hype
Stephen Heard finds out if apple cider vinegar has any health benefits. There is no evidence that apple cider vinegar actually prevents conditions like acne, arthritis, hiccups and leg cramps.
The basics
Take the everyday high-fibre tree fruit, ferment it twice – from alcohol into acetic acid – and you have apple cider vinegar.
Organic varieties are said to contain ‘‘the mother’’ – a natural bacteria and protein with supposed health-boosting properties.
In the kitchen, the sour and acidic liquid comes in handy for pickling, making marinades and salad dressings.
While some are using the versatile ingredient to glaze chicken breast and pickle cherry tomatoes, the strong-stomached are necking apple cider vinegar by the spoonful before meals as a weight loss aide and appetite suppressant.
The home remedy also has a never-ending list of purported benefits, including treating warts, hiccups, acne, ear infections, ezcema, dandruff, leg cramps, bloating, you name it.
Why it’s so popular
Where there’s the internet, there’s another fad diet waiting in the wings.
In 2017 the ‘‘apple cider vinegar weight loss diet’’ became one of the most popular health searches on Google.
The belief is that by regularly adding one or two tablespoons of the miracle tonic to your diet you can lower body fat percentage, melt away your spare tyre and decrease fatty acids in your bloodstream.
Vinegar by itself has a colourful history: Cleopatra made a love potion with vinegardissolved pearls; Hippocrates used it to treat wounds;
Hannibal of Carthage dissolved boulders in the way of his army’s path.
More recently, the apple version finds itself in the pantry as an all-purpose cleaner and cure-all medicine. People are literally bathing in the stuff.
What the experts say
While the hardcore keep splashing apple cider vinegar on jellyfish stings and to lift stench from their yoga mats, the burning question remains whether it will actually help you drop some notches on your belt.
One Japanese study certainly suggests that it will. Conducted in 2009, the double-blind human trial saw almost 200 overweight participants consume a beverage containing one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar each day.
After three months, the participants had significantly lower body weight, waist circumference and fat levels in the bloodstream compared to those who drank the vinegar-less placebo beverage.
Further lab studies conducted with obese rats and mice have revealed that the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar can lower cholesterol levels.
Those who live on a diet of white bread may also find that their appetite is satiated with the meal accompaniment of vinegar, as revealed in one small Swedish study.
The study, which tracked 12 healthy participants, also showed lower blood sugar levels after the carb-heavy breakfast. Though with limited evidence and no large human studies available, there is still a lot to be understood about the effect of vinegar on glucose control – and the potential benefits for diabetes sufferers.
There’s some good news if you’re looking for a natural cleaning product; a 2018 study found that apple cider vinegar can potentially stop the growth of bad bacteria like E coli and Staphylococcus.
Researchers of the study also suggest that it could be used as a natural alternative to treat clinical infections.
Before you start loading your supermarket trolley with the hard-to-swallow liquid, there is no evidence that apple cider vinegar actually prevents conditions like acne, arthritis, hiccups and leg cramps.
There is one report of a 15-year-old girl who experienced tooth erosion by consuming a glass of apple cider vinegar daily.
Apple cider vinegar is good for what?
To a certain degree you can believe some of the hype surrounding apple cider vinegar.
Those looking at it as a form of weight loss tool should pair the folk remedy with a balanced diet and regular and intense exercise regime if they hope to see results – though it’s worth noting that some apple cider vinegars contain sugars, which will just add to your calorie count.
When downed by itself, the acidic liquid can damage tooth enamel and cause inflammation to the throat.
Be sure to dilute your serving with water and don’t overdo it. An apple (cider vinegar) a day won’t keep the doctor away – please consult them for professional medical advice.