Three ways apple cider vinegar benefits weight loss

Saturday, October 01, 2011
Celeste M. Smucker, MPH, PhD
http://www.naturalnews.com/033745_apple_cider_vinegar_weight_loss.html

Vinegar is a traditional folk remedy long valued for its many health benefits. Recent research shows at least three ways in which the traditional healers were on the right track at least when it comes to weight loss. A 2006 review article in the "Medscape Journal of Medicine" concludes vinegar may have a role in blood sugar control and appetite suppression. Other studies show vinegar may also promote weight loss by preventing fat accumulation through its impact on insulin secretion.

If you want to cut down on nibbling between meals try vinegar. In a 2005 study in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition," scientists fed bread plus low, medium or high amounts of vinegar to twelve healthy subjects, while the control group ate plain bread. Those who received the vinegar felt fuller than the control group, and the effect increased with the amount of vinegar ingested. While vinegar soaked bread may not be your favorite dish, you might try sipping vinegar in water along with your meal or having a salad dressed with vinegar and oil. Be sure to brush your teeth after sipping vinegar as it can be hard on tooth enamel.

Individuals with type 2 diabetes or who are pre-diabetic may benefit from vinegar's apparent ability to stabilize glucose. A 2007 study reported in "Diabetes Care" followed 11 people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but who were not taking insulin. Every night for 3 nights they ingested either 2 tablespoons of either apple cider vinegar or water plus some cheese. The results showed drinking vinegar at bedtime had a significant and favorable impact on waking, or fasting, glucose concentrations even among the subjects who were taking hypoglycemic medications during the study.

By promoting stable blood sugar vinegar may help prevent the sugar crashes that encourage you to wolf down the nearest source of carbohydrates, shooting your blood sugar back up and starting the cycle all over again. In the 2005 study of vinegar and satiety, the scientists also evaluated blood samples to determine vinegar's impact on glucose and insulin levels. The low and intermediate vinegar groups had significantly lower blood glucose levels at 15 and 30 minutes, which continued to be measurable at 90 minutes for the high vinegar group. Similarly, the intermediate group enjoyed lower insulin levels at 15 minutes, the high group at 30 minutes.

In a 2004 study in "Diabetes Care," insulin-resistant individuals who drank vinegar and water followed by a meal enjoyed significantly improved insulin sensitivity compared to a control group. The study authors concluded that vinegar's effects may be similar to those of some popular diabetes drugs. Of course given the connection between insulin levels and fat storage, these results support vinegar's use as a fat burning food.

Animal studies offer further proof of the value of drinking vinegar to lose weight. Scientists in Pakistan mixed apple cider vinegar with food given to diabetic and non-diabetic rats. The result was significantly lower LDL and higher HDL cholesterol in the non-diabetic rats. Similarly, the diabetic rats enjoyed significantly lower triglyceride levels and raised levels of HDL cholesterol. In a 2009 study which used mice as subjects, acetic acid (the main ingredient in vinegar) was associated with reduced liver lipids and less fat accumulation.

[Editor`s Note: NaturalNews is strongly against the use of all forms of animal testing. We fully support implementation of humane medical experimentation that promotes the health and wellbeing of all living creatures.]