While some say apple cider vinegar may help a person lose weight, others say that adding this fermented pale amber liquid to your diet might not be an effective weight loss strategy.
In a three-month study of obese people in Japan, participants who consumed vinegar every day lost 1-2 pounds — "slightly more" weight lost than for study subjects who just drank water — and then gained the weight back after discontinuing the routine,
WebMD reports.
The acid in apple cider vinegar suppresses the appetite, increases metabolism, lowers water retention and may also block some calories during digestion, all of which can
promote weight loss, Reader's Digest reports.
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But apple cider vinegar (sometimes called ACV) "is definitely not a quick fix" for shedding and keeping off pounds, Chicago dietitian Debbie Davis tells WebMD.
Attempting to use it for that purpose "may pose problems of its own," including possible throat irritation because of its high acidic content and a possible lowering of potassium levels in the body due to interactions with other drugs and supplements,
writes Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine Zeratsky.
Prevention magazine reports that "most mainstream dietitians remain skeptical of ACV's weight-loss power," but that studies also show that an ingredient called acetic acid — which is present in all vinegars, not just the apple-cider variety — can help lower blood sugar, which in turn can help bring down weight.
For those who want to try apple cider vinegar as part of a dietary regimen, Prevention recommends vinegars of 5 percent acidity, no higher, to be taken in small amounts — a tablespoon mixed with eight ounces of water before a meal — along with a dose of patience: "Don't expect miracles."
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