Do you ever get the feeling that you want to change something and finally lose a few kilos? Then apple cider vinegar can help you with that. The acidic food has some health benefits that it can use to aid in your endeavor.
Of course, the vinegar is not a miracle cure and will not help you to get your dream figure in a few days. However, combined with a healthy diet and adequate exercise, it can be helpful. In the following article we will show you how apple cider vinegar works, what benefits it offers, what you should consider and how you can consume the vinegar.
the essentials in brief
- Apple cider vinegar is produced from the alcoholic fermentation of apple juice. It can be used to season salads or sauces, but it is also very popular diluted with water.
- The vinegar is said to stimulate digestion and metabolism. In addition, consuming apple cider vinegar before meals reduces appetite.
- You should never consume apple cider vinegar by itself. There are a number of drinks you can prepare to take the apple cider vinegar.
Definition: What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Before defining apple cider vinegar, it should be clarified what vinegar basically is. Vinegar is a product of the alcoholic and acetic fermentation of a sugary solution. Apple cider vinegar is a vinegar made from the alcoholic fermentation of apple juice with subsequent acetic fermentation. (1) The apple juice thus represents the sugary solution.
Background: What you should know about losing weight with apple cider vinegar
In order to support you in your project, we have answered some important questions below that you should read carefully in order to have enough knowledge about this topic.
How does apple cider vinegar work to lose weight?
Basically, it has to be said that the scientific evidence regarding losing weight with apple cider vinegar is not yet very generous. However, there are some insights that have already been found. Animal studies have found that apple cider vinegar intake prevents fat deposits and improves metabolism. People also report feeling full after a meal by consuming apple cider vinegar. (2)
In addition to the intake of apple cider vinegar, it is of course necessary that you eat a healthy diet and get enough exercise. Unfortunately, apple cider vinegar is not a miracle cure and cannot reduce your weight with an unhealthy diet, it is helpful as an additional support.
Is Apple Cider Vinegar Healthy or Unhealthy?
It's not that easy to say. Of course, it depends on how much apple cider vinegar is consumed. In general, it can be said that apple cider vinegar activates and promotes intestinal movement. This can be expressed, for example, in the frequency of bowel movements. (3)
Whether apple cider vinegar is healthy or not can be said in general terms. It depends on the application and the dosage. (Image source: Louis Hansel / unsplash)
Of course, this can affect health. In addition, studies show that the consumption of apple cider vinegar, combined with a calorie-restricted diet, has reduced weight, especially in overweight people. (4)
The negative effects of apple cider vinegar should not be overlooked. You should be careful with the dosage, especially if you have a sensitive intestine or stomach. In order not to irritate your throat, you should not take the apple cider vinegar pure. (5)
What Happens When You Consume Too Much Vinegar?
First of all, it must be said that vinegar should only be taken diluted. Otherwise, the high acid content can attack the tooth enamel. (2) Here is a little tip from us.
Never drink apple cider vinegar straight.
Rinse your mouth after consuming apple cider vinegar and wait at least half an hour before brushing, otherwise you will be brushing away your tooth enamel. We will show you how to take the apple cider vinegar in a later part.
What recipe can I use to lose weight with apple cider vinegar?
If you want to make it super easy for yourself, you can simply drink a glass of lukewarm water with a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar. However, this drink is not very tasty, especially if you are not a big fan of vinegar. We will show you a little later how you can spice up the drink and make it taste better.
When should I drink the apple cider vinegar to lose weight?
There is no clear guideline on this question. On the one hand, you could drink the apple cider vinegar on an empty stomach in the morning. If that doesn't go well with your stomach, you can also have an apple cider vinegar drink before every meal. This is supposed to curb the appetite a little and promotes digestion, which means that the food is used better and faster.
What home remedies help you lose weight?
The best way to lose weight is to eat healthy and get enough exercise. But there are little helpers who can support the whole thing. In general, vinegars are a good home remedy that can be used. In addition to the apple cider vinegar we mentioned, pomegranate vinegar can also be used, for example. (6)
Another simple tip is to drink enough water. This stimulates the metabolism and the feeling of hunger is somewhat satisfied. In addition, water contains no sugar and should therefore be preferred to soft drinks and other sweetened beverages.
Not a home remedy that you can take, but what helps a lot is to relax. The stress hormone cortisol increases the craving for food and slows down the metabolism. So it does exactly what you don't want it to do. So try to get through the day as stress-free as possible.
What are your experiences with losing weight with apple cider vinegar?
Experiences about the consumption of apple cider vinegar show that it is not a miracle drug that can help you lose a lot of pounds in a very short time. Still, lowering blood sugar levels and insulin response is a positive component of taking apple cider vinegar. (7)
It is also reported that drinking apple cider vinegar beverages can reduce heartburn and similar symptoms. Not only is apple cider vinegar good for digestion, but it can also help with other things like leg cramps. (8th)
Lose weight with apple cider vinegar: The best tips & tricks for losing weight with apple cider vinegar
As already mentioned, you should never consume apple cider vinegar pure, as this could have negative effects on your health. Since water mixed with apple cider vinegar doesn't really taste good, we've created some recipes for you to make the drink tastier.
Of course, you can also try your own creations at any time. Another tip is to use the apple cider vinegar in your salad dressing. Be careful not to use too much so it doesn't get too acidic. Refined with a little olive oil, your salad will taste excellent.
Recipes for losing weight with apple cider vinegar
Before using the apple cider vinegar, it is important to shake the bottle that contains the vinegar. In this way you ensure that all the ingredients of the vinegar are in your drink. In the following we will show you how you can conjure up your apple cider vinegar drink so that it tastes a little better.
| Ingredients | Recipe |
|---|---|
| apple cider vinegar and lemon | Mix about 400 ml of lukewarm water with the juice of half a lemon and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. (9) This drink is especially suitable for people who like it sour. |
| apple cider vinegar and ginger | Bring 1200ml of water to a boil. Peel 100g ginger and cut into slices. Let the ginger simmer for two minutes and then let it soak in the water for about 20 minutes. Strain the ginger and mix the water with 70ml apple cider vinegar. Be careful not to steep the ginger for too long, otherwise the drink can become very spicy. |
| apple cider vinegar and honey | Mix two teaspoons and one teaspoon of honey with about 250 ml of lukewarm water. It is important that the water is not too hot, otherwise the valuable vitamins in the honey will be destroyed. This drink is very good for those who find apple cider vinegar too acidic. |
| apples and cinnamon sticks | Heat a liter of water, it should not boil. Cut one or two green apples into small pieces and add them to the water. Now add one or two cinnamon sticks. Let this mixture steep for ten minutes and then put it in the fridge for at least two hours. The cinnamon stimulates blood circulation and boosts fat burning. |
| Apple Cider Vinegar, Ginger, Cinnamon Sticks, Lemon, Honey | You can conjure up a delicious drink from all the ingredients mentioned. Use a liter of water and boil it. Add about 80 g of peeled and chopped ginger and leave to stand for 20 minutes. After 10 minutes you can add two cinnamon sticks. Then add the juice of a whole lemon, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and half a tablespoon of honey. This recipe is especially useful if you don't like the taste of apple cider vinegar at all. The taste is almost completely masked by the many different ingredients. |
It is best to try out what you like and what you can eat for a longer period of time without having to force yourself to do so.
Lose weight with apple cider vinegar capsules
When researching this topic, one often finds the use of apple cider vinegar capsules. These usually contain apple cider vinegar powder, apple pectin, apple fiber and acerola. In addition, folic acid, pectins, minerals and the essential B vitamins B1, B2 and B6 are added to the capsules. (10)
The effect of apple cider vinegar capsules has not yet been medically confirmed. (Image source: Pixabay / pexels)
In contrast to the consumption of liquid apple cider vinegar, the effects of the capsules on weight have not been scientifically proven. However, they are said to have a fat-releasing effect. They are also said to stimulate the metabolism.
Regarding the dosage of apple cider vinegar capsules, you should always stick to the amount specified by the manufacturer. By adhering to the recommended daily dose, side effects can be prevented. The daily dose depends on the concentration of the apple cider vinegar and the other ingredients.
What you should consider when buying apple cider vinegar
To benefit from apple cider vinegar, there are a few things you should consider when purchasing the vinegar. It is very important that the mother vinegar is included and that the apple cider vinegar is naturally cloudy. It should also be unprocessed and unfiltered. This will ensure you are getting the health-promoting ingredients in apple cider vinegar.
Make your own apple cider vinegar
If you want to be sure that your apple cider vinegar is of the best quality, you can make your own. You don't need many ingredients for this, but all the more time. So you should definitely be patient.
Do you have an apple tree in your garden? The apples are perfect for making your own apple cider vinegar. (Image source: lumix2004 / pixabay)
To make the apple cider vinegar you will need 10 pounds of whole apples, 8 tablespoons of sugar, large mason jars, and some very clean kitchen towels. Of course you can adjust the amount depending on how many apples you have available. In the following we will show you how to prepare your own apple cider vinegar.
| steps | Occurrence |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | It is best to wash the containers in a dishwasher. In this way you ensure that there are germs in the container and that your apples cannot go moldy later |
| step 2 | Cut the apples into small pieces and put them in your bowls. Here you can use the whole apple. |
| step 3 | Mix the sugar with the apples and cover the jars with a clean cloth. Air should be added to the mixture to allow fermentation to occur. Place the containers in a warmer, darker room |
| step 4 | Now the waiting begins. The mixture should stay in place for about 10 to 14 days. You can stir the mixture again and again. |
| step 5 | Once the apples have a sour smell and have sunk to the bottom in a liquid amount, you can move on. Pour the liquid through a clean kitchen towel into a new container. In this way, the liquid is filtered very finely. Now it's time to wait again. |
| step 6 | After four to six weeks, the apple cider vinegar is ready. It should be naturally cloudy and smell like vinegar. You can now bottle the vinegar using a strainer.(11) |
As you can see, making your own apple cider vinegar is actually not a big deal. You might want to try an experiment. Homemade items always make a great gift.
Other positive effects of apple cider vinegar
In addition to the benefits mentioned above, apple cider vinegar has other positive health effects. Apple cider vinegar can inhibit inflammation, relieve itching and improve impure, inflamed skin . It also makes the hair shine and limits the skin's sebum production.
Because of its effects, apple cider vinegar is almost a miracle cure.
Additional benefits include strengthening the immune system and promoting wound healing. Another positive aspect of apple cider vinegar is that it promotes blood flow and has a detoxifying effect. (12)
Conclusion
Hopefully we were able to answer your questions about losing weight with apple cider vinegar. As you can see, apple cider vinegar can be used in many ways, not just for losing weight. As we mentioned, apple cider vinegar is not the key to weight loss success. Make sure you eat a healthy and balanced diet, which has many other positive effects on your life in addition to losing weight.
A certain amount of exercise not only helps you lose weight, but it also improves your mental health. So conquer your weaker self and try to integrate sport into your routine. It is also important that you do not go hungry. This creates stress in the body and you will lose less weight than with a healthy diet.
References
- Leah AGH (1989). Downing DL (eds) Processed Apple Products. Source
- Robert H Shmerling, MD. (2020). Apple cider vinegar diet: Does it really work? Source
- European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). (2009). Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to apple cider vinegar and bowel motor function (ID 1377) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/20061 Source
- Solaleh Sadat Khezri, Atoosa Saidpour, Nima Hosseinzadeh, and Zohreh Amiri. (2018). Beneficial effects of Apple Cider Vinegar on weight management, Visceral Adiposity Index and lipid profile in overweight or obese subjects receiving restricted calorie diet: A randomized clinical trial Source
- Silke Hamann. (2021). Apple cider vinegar is so healthy Source
- Abdenour Bounihi, Arezki Bitam, Asma Bouazza, Lyece Yargui, and Elhadj Ahmed Koceira. (2017). Fruit vinegars attenuate cardiac injury via anti-inflammatory and anti-adiposity actions in high-fat diet-induced obese rats Source
- Mag. Stephan Lederer, Bakk., MSc. (2021). Drink apple cider vinegar: 12 effects, weight loss and experiences Source
- Richard Hartmann MSc. (2020) Lose weight with drinking apple cider vinegar? Experiences + purchase recommendation Source
- Hannah Frey. (2018). Apple cider vinegar - why is this fruit vinegar so important for health? Source
- Klaus-Peter Tesch. (2020). Apple cider vinegar capsules - dosage and effect Source
- Nick G (2017). Here's how you can make your own apple cider vinegar Source
- Sabine Schroer. (2019). Apple cider vinegar as a home remedy Source
