What food has a slimming and fat burning effect, prevents constipation, lowers blood sugar levels and bad cholesterol, and stimulates the digestive system? Supposedly, and according to numerous articles on the Internet, apple cider vinegar. Although almost miraculous properties have been attributed to this seasoning for years, most do not have scientific evidence. “For something to be considered evidence, it must be supported by many studies that have obtained the same results,” reminds us dietitian-nutritionist Núria Mallén, spokesperson for CoDiNuCat. “An investigation by itself is worthless.”
Here we explain which claims about apple cider vinegar are false and what real benefits it has. We do it with the help of three dietitians-nutritionists:
The most cited study that defends this property of apple cider vinegar was published in 2005. Its authors conclude that consuming this condiment reduces glucose and insulin responses and increases satiety, yes, after a meal in which the majority of the food is bread. In the research, carried out at the University of Lund (Sweden), a dozen volunteers participated. “There is no significant evidence to be able to attribute this benefit to it. More research is needed,” says Mallén, who insists that “under no circumstances should should advise a diabetic to take vinegar for this reason.”
Silvia Romero, also a dietitian-nutritionist, adds that despite the fact that there is research that affirms that this vinegar improves the response to sugar, “we must add it to the diet in a normal and healthy way. For example, to dress our salads and in pickles.” It would be out of this recommendation to take it with water as a supplement, as some false food gurus advise.
A diabetic person, more than worrying about whether to take vinegar or not, has to make sure that their main meals include part of vegetables, carbohydrates and proteins. “There are no essential foods. To achieve optimal health, we must look at the whole eating pattern,” says dietitian-nutritionist Alba Villalba, from the Júlia Farré Center in Barcelona. The expert advises eating a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, high-quality proteins of animal and/or vegetable origin, legumes, nuts, and whole grains.
This belief is easy to refute, because it has not yet been possible to demonstrate that a food can have a fat-burning effect, nutritionists say. “Products that increase thermogenesis, increasing basal metabolism and obtaining energy from fat deposits, are often called ‘fat burners’, but their effect is insignificant,” says Alba Villalba.
There is also no evidence that taking vinegar helps you lose weight. “It is your lifestyle and habits that make you gain or lose weight, as long as you are not a person with a pathology.” This belief was extended by a study conducted in Japan involving 175 obese subjects.
In it, they divided the participants into two groups and before meals they gave a drink with diluted vinegar to only one of them. The latter lost between 0.5 and 1 kilo. “The difference is almost imperceptible and I seem to remember that those who lost weight later recovered the lost weight,” says Romero.
It has also been said that this condiment can suppress your appetite. Romero admits that it can give a small feeling of satiety, but that does not mean that we should take it in excess, since “consuming it in large doses or with water can affect tooth enamel or cause damage to the esophagus.” Nor should pickles be abused, even though they are a healthy way to drink vinegar, “because they have a lot of salt.”
Núria Mallén adds that this seasoning can also cause heartburn if taken in large quantities.
In addition, there are other foods with a satiating effect. “Anything that is rich in fiber, such as oats, fruits and vegetables, or with a high content of proteins of high biological value, among which are eggs, legumes, chicken or fish. Products rich in healthy fats, on the other hand, they are also satiating”, says Villalba.
Apple cider vinegar can act as a stimulant and make you want to go to the bathroom more, experts say, but it’s something that also happens with other acidic foods (lemon, lime, orange and pickles) or coffee. “They favor the secretion of acids and stimulate intestinal peristalsis,” explains Villalba. “Hence, they can help with constipation.”
But taking a few drops of apple cider vinegar is not the solution to end this condition, they insist. “We must base our diet on fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, as well as drink water and stay active,” says Romero.
“Reducing stress and taking diaphragmatic breaths before eating is also a habit that improves digestion,” adds Villalba.
In conclusion, we must stay with the fact that this seasoning can be interesting to enrich our preparations and increase the intake of vegetables. “But using it as a supplement doesn’t make any sense,” repeats Núria Mallén. “In addition, this vinegar is not more beneficial than others. We should leave the balsamic for special occasions due to its high sugar content, but apple or wine vinegar can be taken every day in salads,” says Romero.
The fact that the population continues to associate this product with weight loss or other properties can be explained for several reasons. “I relate it to diet culture. We keep looking for miraculous recipes to achieve our goal effortlessly, but quick fixes don’t exist, especially when it comes to eating. While we pay attention to these tricks, we don’t adopt the habits that help us stay healthy, such as eating more fruit, vegetables and legumes, and doing physical exercise”, explains Mallén.
In any case, “you always have to look for information in serious and trustworthy sites or ask a professional directly when you have questions,” concludes Romero.
