Daily apple cider vinegar for weight loss

This diet has been getting a lot of buzz lately. Here’s what to know before you start stocking up on the vinegar of the moment.

What’s Apple Cider Vinegar, and Why Are People So Crazy About It?

Apple cider vinegar (or ACV, as it’s sometimes called) has been around for millennia, but in recent years, it’s gained traction as one of the most popular diet fads on the market. You could even say it’s secured superfood status at this point, says Claire Martin, RD, a nutritionist and the cofounder of Being Healthfull in Oakland, California.

Celebrities such as Katy Perry, Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Kate Walsh, and Jennifer Aniston have spoken about their love of apple cider vinegar, which has helped generate buzz around the additive.

Michelle Jaelin, a Hamilton, Ontario–based registered dietitian and the president of NutritionArtist.com, suspects apple cider vinegar is also popular because Americans are more and more interested in and accepting of natural health remedies.

Plus, there’s the fact that the apple cider vinegar diet is easy to follow compared with other fad diets. It doesn’t require a lifestyle overhaul, which is why, Jaelin says, many think of it as a “magical elixir.”

What Is the Apple Cider Vinegar Diet?

The diet centers on apple cider vinegar, which is low in calories and contains B vitamins, Martin says. “B vitamins are a building block for good health, playing a key role in keeping you energized and with a good metabolism,” Martin says.

You can buy apple cider vinegar at most grocery stores or online.

Just be sure to reach for the kind labeled “with the mother.” The mother is the combination of yeast and bacteria that forms during the fermentation process, according to University of Chicago Medicine, and before you drink it, you’ll want to give your vinegar a shake, because the mother tends to settle at the bottom of the bottle.

You may still notice strands of it floating in the solution, and that’s okay. You’ll want this included because it’s supposedly a digestion-aiding probiotic (the proposed benefits of the “mother” are not supported by research at this point). (1)

The premise of the apple cider vinegar diet is to simply increase your intake of the rosy-hued additive. Some people do it by drinking vinegar straight or diluted in water, usually at mealtimes, while others make a point to use it regularly in their meals.

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Can Apple Cider Vinegar Really Lead to Weight Loss?

The short answer: It depends on whom you ask. Martin says apple cider vinegar may help you shed unwanted pounds — but only when you pair it with a healthy lifestyle.

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“Expecting that only drinking [apple cider vinegar] would lead to weight loss without making diet or lifestyle changes is expecting magic from an otherwise useful tool,” she says. She recommends thinking of apple cider vinegar as a supplement that can benefit digestion and your metabolism rather than viewing it as a cure-all. (2)

The trouble is that evidence supporting apple cider vinegar’s benefits is limited, Jaelin says. “Most of the benefits are still inconclusive and are based on stories rather than scientific studies,” she says.

What Does the Research Say About Apple Cider Vinegar’s Benefits?

As Jaelin points out, most of the research on the potential weight-related benefits of apple cider vinegar has been iffy. Most articles point back to a study that was published in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry. (3) The research found that about 2 tablespoons (tbsp) of diluted apple cider vinegar taken twice a day led to weight loss among the study’s obese participants. But the amount of weight lost wasn’t very impressive, amounting to about 4 pounds (lb) over three months.

Another study, published in Nature Communications, found that acetic acid — which is in apple cider vinegar and all other vinegars — acts as an appetite regulator, which in turn may lead to weight loss. (4) A study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that while vinegar can reduce feelings of hunger, that’s mainly because it’s unappetizing and makes people feel nauseated. (5,6)

Finally, a review published in Nutrition Reviews found that while some studies have shown vinegars can help decrease obesity, there’s no conclusive evidence that vinegar can positively affect metabolism, which affects body weight. (7) The researchers concluded that large long-term trials are needed before definitive health claims can be made.

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What Are Some of the Risks of Using Apple Cider Vinegar in Your Diet?

Because apple cider vinegar is a concentrated acid, it can damage tooth enamel and the lining of the esophagus if you drink it straight, Jaelin says. You should be especially cautious if you tend to get stomach pain, gas, or acid reflux when you eat acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus fruit, Martin says. To lessen these concerns, many people dilute apple cider vinegar in a glass of water or incorporate it into their cooking, say, by adding it to salad dressing or as the acid in a marinade.

Another negative is that apple cider vinegar can be tough to swallow, given its sour taste and pungent smell, says Rebecca Park, a registered nurse in New York City and the founder of the natural health resource RemediesForMe.com.

Can People With Certain Conditions Benefit From Apple Cider Vinegar?

Although the benefits of apple cider vinegar among the general population are inconclusive, more-convincing evidence has shown apple cider vinegar can be particularly helpful for people with diabetes.

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Can Apple Cider Vinegar Help People With Type 2 Diabetes?

A study published in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism found that ingesting vinegar with a meal that’s high in complex carbohydrates reduced post-meal glucose levels by 20 percent. (8) And a study published in the Journal of Functional Foods found that 1 tbsp of vinegar taken with a meal twice a day reduced fasting blood glucose concentrations among people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. (9) The lead researcher credits acetic acid for the positive change and says that all vinegars — not just apple cider vinegar — deliver these benefits.

More recently, a review published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine concluded that apple cider vinegar can lead to small improvements in blood sugar levels among people with type 2 diabetes, though larger trials are needed to prove its effectiveness as a treatment option. (10)

How Much Apple Cider Vinegar Should You Use to See Potential Results?

Martin recommends drinking a teaspoon (tsp) of apple cider vinegar that’s been diluted in a glass of water once a day to tap into the potential benefits. Lee says you can increase the amount to up to 2 tbsp per serving as your body gets used to it.

Just can’t stomach it? You’re in luck. There’s a slew of new products that aim to make it easy for you to get your apple cider vinegar fix, though it’s unclear whether these options produce the same benefits of plain apple cider vinegar. Trader Joe’s sells a product called Organic Sparking Apple Cider Drinking Vinegar that includes 1 ounce (or 2 tbsp) of apple cider vinegar per serving; Goli Nutrition launched apple cider vinegar gummies; and the Australian company Tonik sells apple cider vinegar supplements through Goop and other sites.

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The Takeaway: Should You Try Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss?

Unfortunately, there’s no definitive yes or no answer. Jaelin isn’t a fan because she believes there’s not enough evidence yet to back up the hype. Instead, she recommends warding off hunger later in the day by eating a breakfast that’s high in protein and fiber, such as eggs and steel-cut oatmeal.

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If you decide to increase your intake of apple cider vinegar, Jaelin suggests eating more salads that are topped with a dressing made from apple cider vinegar and oil. “This will increase vegetable intake, which is helpful for weight loss, and will also get in the vinegar you want,” she says.

No matter what, don’t think of apple cider vinegar as weight-loss magic, Martin cautions. Though it may aid in digestion and increase satiety, it should always be in addition to — and not instead of — a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

1. Debunking the Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar. University of Chicago Medicine. August 23, 2018.
2. Nutrition and Healthy Eating. Mayo Clinic. January 9, 2021.
3. Kondo T, Kishi M, Fushimi M, et al. Vinegar Intake Reduces Body Weight, Body Fat Mass, and Serum Triglyceride Levels in Obese Japanese Subjects [PDF]. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry. August 23, 2014.
4. Frost G, Sleeth M, Sahuri-Arisoylu M, et al. The Short-Chain Fatty Acid Acetate Reduces Appetite Via a Central Homeostatic Mechanism. Nature Communications. April 29, 2014.
5. Darzi J, Frost GS, Montaser R, et al. Influence of the Tolerability of Vinegar as an Oral Source of Short-Chain Fatty Acids on Appetite Control and Food Intake. International Journal of Obesity. August 2013.
6. Beat Your Cravings: 8 Effective Techniques. Mayo Clinic.
7. Petsiou E, Mitrou P, Raptis SA, Dimitriadis GD. Effect and Mechanisms of Action of Vinegar on Glucose Metabolism, Lipid Profile, and Body Weight. Nutrition Reviews. October 2014.
8. Johnston CS, Steplewska I, Long CA, et al. Examination of the Antiglycemic Properties of Vinegar in Healthy Adults. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. January 2010.
9. Johnston CS, Quagliano S, White S. Vinegar Ingestion at Mealtime Reduced Fasting Blood Glucose Concentrations in Healthy Adults at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of Functional Foods. October 1, 2013.
10. Siddiqui FJ, Assam PN, de Souza NN, et al. Diabetes Control: Is Vinegar a Promising Candidate to Help Achieve Targets? Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine. May 14, 2018.

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