Vinegar has been around for thousands of years. The word vinegar is said to originate from the Latin words meaning “sour wine”, while other sources indicate it refers to the French phrase “vin aigre”, also meaning sour wine. Whatever the original source of the word vinegar may be, the history of vinegar is claimed to have started around 5 000 B.C. when the Babylonians used date palm fruit to make vinegar, using it as a food source and as a preserving agent. Traces of vinegar have been found in the residue in ancient Egyptian urns traced to 3 000 B.C. Socrates, viewed as the father of modern medicine and living in ancient Greece around 400 B.C., prescribed apple cider vinegar mixed with honey for a variety of ills.
For thousands of years vinegar has been used to flavour and preserve foods, clean surfaces, fight infections, and for various medicinal purposes.
What is apple cider vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is basically apple juice that has been fermented twice. The process starts with apples being washed, crushed, and pressed into apple juice, with the pulp and juice separated. Yeast is added to the liquid and after a few weeks natural bacteria and yeast ferment the juice, changing the carbohydrates (sugars) into alcohol. In the second fermentation step the alcohol is converted into vinegar by acetic acid-forming bacteria. Acetic acid gives apple cider vinegar its sour taste.
Apple cider vinegar benefits.
Apple cider vinegar is still being touted today as a modern-day cure-all for a wide variety of health conditions, from heart health to acne. While many of these claimed benefits are mainly anecdotal, modern scientific research has shown that apple cider vinegar indeed offers some health benefits, though not as many as the hype would suggest.
It is important to note that there is little research on the health benefits of apple cider vinegar and existing human studies were done on small groups. Science-backed benefits of apple cider vinegar are linked to the following:
- There is some evidence from a few small studies that taking apple cider vinegar with a meal, especially a carbohydrate-rich meal, lowers the spike in blood sugar and insulin levels that follows such a meal. This could be helpful for people with prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes. Although it may lower blood glucose a little, it is not enough.to keep blood sugar levels in check.
- Apple cider vinegar may reduce total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, mainly in people with diabetes. High levels of cholesterol and lipids in the blood are risk factors for heart disease and one of the studies suggested that apple cider vinegar may block the formation of new fat cells and help to remove cholesterol from the body. However, large-scale human trials should be conducted to confirm these results.
- It is also claimed to assist with blood sugar management in people with diabetes, as it may decrease fasting blood sugar levels. While it won’t cure diabetes, it may moderately lower blood sugar levels. However, most of the small studies in this regard did not control the dietary intake of participants, which could have affected the outcomes.
Claimed benefits of apple cider vinegar:
(It should be noted that many claimed benefits are anecdotal, or based on laboratory findings, or on animal studies, or the human studies were on a small scale and the results have not been decisive. While claimed benefits are not necessarily incorrect, more and larger human studies are needed to substantiate the claimed benefits.)
There are, however, many claimed benefits for apple cider vinegar, and typical examples in this regard are discussed in a YouTube video by Dr. Eric Berg:
- Apple cider vinegar speeds up digestion. Acid is one of the activators of dormant enzymes in the stomach and pancreas.
- It controls pathogens. When you consume an acid, it lowers the pathogens (disease causing micro-organisms), which helps with the overgrowth of certain microbes, such as in a condition called SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).
- It helps with the absorption of certain minerals. Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron, as well as vitamins such as K, C, and B12 need a certain PH to be absorbed and this is hindered if the stomach is too alkaline.
- It decreases gas and bloating, even indigestion caused by undigested food in the digestive tract. Apple cider vinegar speeds up the breakdown of food, so you have more complete digestion. One cause of gas is incomplete protein digestion.
- It decreases acid reflux. Taking apple cider vinegar adds to the acid in the stomach and this helps improve closure of the valve at the bottom end of the esophagus, and prevent the backing up of acid in the esophagus.
- It helps to release bile. Bile is made in the liver and stored and released from the gallbladder. A signal from the stomach that there’s a certain amount of acid triggers the release of bile. Apple cider vinegar can help to release bile that is congested.
- Apple cider vinegar assists a more complete breakdown of protein. This allows the protein to turn into amino acids, the building blocks of protein. You need a certain amount of acid to activate the enzymes to do that and apple cider vinegar contributes to those acids.
- Blood sugar improvement. Apple cider vinegar can help to make glucose more insulin sensitive, resulting in reduced insulin resistance, which leads to less insulin being produced. This can cause weight loss and lower cholesterol, as reduced insulin results in lower cholesterol.
- It can help the immune system. Apple cider vinegar can stimulate the white blood cells to speed up and help fight infection.
Dr Berg recommends taking 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar daily, diluted in water, either before or after a meal.
Side effects of apple cider vinegar:
Apple cider vinegar is considered safe to use when consumed in small amounts for a short period of time and in small doses. Side effects are mostly caused by the highly acidic nature of apple cider vinegar and can range from mild to severe, especially when not used properly.
- The acid in apple cider vinegar may erode your teeth enamel, as laboratory studies showed the corrosive effect of vinegar on tooth enamel.
- Some people swear by apple cider vinegar to calm acid reflux. However, acidic foods or liquids such as apple cider vinegar may aggravate acid reflux.
- The kidneys of people with chronic kidney disease may not be able to process the excessive acid from apple cider vinegar.
- Apple cider vinegar may damage your esophagus if you drink it undiluted.
- It may worsen the condition of people with low potassium levels, a condition called hypokalemia.
- Apple cider vinegar may make some people experience nausea and vomiting, as they cannot stomach the taste and acidity.
- Apple cider vinegar may interact with some medication, such as insulin, antidiabetic drugs, and diuretic drugs (“water pills”).
- There is a perception that apple cider vinegar can be used to effectively treat acne, but improper use may cause chemical burns due to the high acidity.
Conclusions:
Despite apple cider vinegar’s century old history in traditional medicine, there is no good scientific evidence to support the many health claims, probably partly due to a lack of proper large studies in this regard. While there is some evidence of health benefits from a few small studies, not all the anecdotally claimed benefits are backed by science. It won’t improve blood sugar, cholesterol, or any other health condition on its own.
While apple cider vinegar is generally thought to be safe to use, it may not be safe to use long term or in large doses. As there is no scientifically determined recommended dose of apple cider vinegar, more research is needed to determine how much apple cider vinegar you can safely take. (In the small studies that have been undertaken, doses ranged from 15 milliliters per day to 770 milliliters per day.)
Apple cider vinegar is regarded as a natural health remedy and has not been approved by health authorities to treat any health conditions. No supplement is intended to treat, cure, or prevent disease. Like other supplements, apple cider vinegar won’t replace a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy balanced diet and exercise plan.
References:
Debunking the health benefits of apple cider vinegar. Published 23 August 2018. The University of Chicago Medicine. (www.uchicagomedicine.org)
What are the health benefits of apple cider vinegar? Published 1 November 2022. UPMC Health Beat. University of Pittsburg Medical Center. (www.upmc.com)
Exploring the health benefits of apple cider vinegar. Published 30 April 2021. Cleveland Clinic. (www.health.clevelandclinic.org)
What is apple cider vinegar? Updated 4 December 2022. Verywellhealth. (www.verywellhealth.com)
The history of apple cider vinegar. Published 1 November 2020. Freedom of Health. Bart Maes. (www.bartmaes.eu)
Apple cider vinegar myths and facts. Published online in the journal Extension. West Virginia University. (www.extension.wvu.edu)
9 Apple cider vinegar health benefits. YouTube video. Dr Eric Berg. (www.drberg.com)
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