FOOD & DRINKS
FOOD & DRINKS
3 . Lowers blood sugar levels and fights diabetes
By far the most successful application of vinegar to date , is in patients with type 2 diabetes . Type 2 diabetes is characterized by elevated blood sugars , either in the context of insulin resistance or an inability to produce insulin .
However , elevated blood sugar can also be a problem in people who don ’ t have diabetes … it is believed to be a major cause of ageing and various chronic diseases . So , pretty much everyone should benefit from keeping their blood sugar levels stable .
The most effective ( and healthiest ) way to do that is to avoid refined carbs and sugar , but apple cider vinegar may also have a powerful effect .
Vinegar has been shown to have numerous benefits for insulin function and blood sugar levels :
• Improves insulin sensitivity during a high-carb meal by 19-34 % and significantly lowers blood glucose and insulin responses .
• Reduces blood sugar by 34 % when eating 50 grams of white bread .
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bedtime can reduce fasting blood sugars by 4 %.
• Numerous other studies , in both rats and humans , show that vinegar can increase insulin sensitivity and significantly lower blood sugar responses during meals .
For these reasons , vinegar can be useful for people with diabetes , pre-diabetes , or those who want to keep their blood sugar levels low to normal for other reasons .
If you ’ re currently taking blood sugar lowering medications , then check with your doctor before increasing your intake of apple cider vinegar .
4 . Helps you lose weight by making you feel full
Given that vinegar lowers blood sugar and insulin levels , it makes sense that it could help you lose weight . Several human studies suggest that vinegar can increase satiety , help you eat fewer calories and even lead to actual pounds lost on the scale .
Vinegar along with high-carb meals can increase feelings of fullness and make people eat 200-275 fewer calories for the rest of the day . By reducing calorie intake , this should translate to reduced weight over time .
A study in obese individuals showed that daily vinegar consumption led to reduced belly fat , waist circumference , lower blood triglycerides and weight loss :
• 15mL ( 1 tablespoon ): Lost 2.6 pounds , or 1.2 kilograms .
• 30mL ( 2 tablespoons ): Lost 3.7 pounds , or 1.7 kilograms .
However … keep in mind that this study went on for 12 weeks , so the true effects on body weight seem to be rather modest . That being said , just adding / subtracting single foods or ingredients rarely has a noticeable effect on weight .
It ’ s the entire diet / lifestyle that counts … you need to combine several effective methods to see results . Overall , it seems like apple cider vinegar may be useful as a weight loss aid , mainly by promoting satiety and lowering glucose and insulin levels .
But it won ’ t work any miracles on its own . Bottom Line : Studies suggest that vinegar can increase feelings of fullness and help people eat fewer calories , which can lead to weight loss .
5 . Lowers cholesterol and reduces your risk of heart disease
Cardiovascular disease ( heart disease and stroke ) is currently the world ’ s biggest cause of death . It is known that several measurable biological factors are linked to either a decreased or increased risk of cardiovascular disease .
Several of these “ risk factors ” have been shown to be improved by vinegar consumption … but all of the studies were done in rats . These rat studies showed that apple cider vinegar can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels .
Apple cider vinegar may also contain the antioxidant chromogenic acid , which has been shown to protect LDL cholesterol particles from becoming oxidized , a crucial step in the heart disease process . There are also some studies showing that vinegar reduces blood pressure ( a major risk factor ) in rats .
Unfortunately , what works in animals doesn ’ t always work in humans . The only human evidence is an observational study from Harvard showing that women who ate salad dressings with vinegar had a reduced risk of heart disease . But this type of study can only show an association , it can not prove that the vinegar caused anything .
Bottom Line : Several animal studies have shown that vinegar can reduce blood triglycerides , cholesterol and blood pressure , but this needs to be confirmed in human studies .
6 . May have protective effects against cancer
Cancer is a terrible disease , characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells . There is a lot of hype online about the anti-cancer effects of apple cider vinegar . Some studies have shown that vinegar can kill cancer cells and shrink tumors .
However , all of the studies on this were done in isolated cells in test tubes , or rats , which proves nothing about what happens in a living , breathing human . Additionally , most of the studies were done on rice vinegar , not apple cider vinegar .
That being said , some observational studies ( which don ’ t prove anything ) have shown that vinegar ingestion is linked to decreased esophageal cancer in China , but increased bladder cancer in Serbia
Overall … it is possible that apple cider vinegar may help to prevent cancer , but it is definitely premature to make any recommendations based on the current research .
LIFE TODAY MAGAZINE Issue 1 , No . 001 / 17 / December 2016 31