By: James Kuhn - Accredited Practising Nutritionist and an expert for Body Science.
Apple cider vinegar has received a tonne of attention lately. With everyone from Kourtney Kardashian to Victoria Beckham sipping on ACV, you can hardly be blamed for wondering whether it’s legit, or just another wellness trend.
While you might want to reconsider that morning shot of undiluted ACV (it can erode your teeth enamel), there’s a range of reasons that you might want to consider adding it into your daily routine.
Health benefits of apple cider vinegar:
It can help to lower your blood sugar
Ever felt fatigued or had a headache after eating a high-carb meal - also known as a food coma? You may have in fact have experienced a spike in blood sugar - something apple cider vinegar may help to combat.
One meta-analysis systematically reviewed control trials reported the effect of vinegar intake on postprandial glucose response (or the amount of glucose in the bloodstream after a meal). The authors found that vinegar can be useful in reducing both glucose and insulin levels following a meal, suggesting that it may be a tool for improving glycemic control.
It can help with weight loss
After discovering that acetic acid (one of the main components of vinegar) was found to suppress body fat in animals, a group of Japanese researchers set out to see if it had the same effect in humans. In a double-blind trial, the subjects were assigned to three groups and given drinks with varying amounts of vinegar - 15ml, 30ml or 0ml (placebo). The study found that the groups who were given vinegar had significantly lower body weight, BMI, visceral fat area, waist circumference and serum triglyceride levels than the placebo group.
Another study found that not only can vinegar supplementation lower glucose and insulin responses after a high-carb meal, but it can also increase satiety (or the feeling of fullness).
It can help to improve gut health
Any health food store with pink Himalayan salt will have a steady stock of fermented foods - and for a good reason. Foods like sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha are credited with maintaining good gut health thanks to their probiotic properties.
Apple cider vinegar is made from fermented apple juice, a process in which yeast is added to the apple juice to ferment the naturally occurring sugars. Like other fermented foods, unpasteurised apple cider vinegar has healthy, gut-friendly bacteria that can help with digestive health.
One of the reasons why apple cider vinegar is a popular choice is because the way it's made is considered more natural and less processed than other vinegar products on the market, and many people find the taste to be more tolerable.
If the idea of drinking diluted vinegar doesn’t fill you with joy, perhaps consider Clean Coffee? Getting a healthy dose of ACV couldn’t be easier - and with the smooth taste of Columbian single origin coffee, it’s never been more delicious.
If you liked this blog, read Why You Should Be Having Apple Cider Vinegar