Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss - True and Bogus Claims

Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss

Apple cider vinegar has been used for many decades as a powerful aid in losing weight, curing ailments and many other home remedies. Drinking apple cider vinegar for weight loss is not uncommon among the celebrity community either. In a recent Glamour interview, Fergie Ferg revealed how she drinks two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and has noticed a difference on her stomach. Megan Fox drinks it to clean out her system and lose retained water weight. And Scarlett Johansson uses it on her face to keep her porcelain complexion. So let’s take a closer look at what apple cider vinegar is all about, how it is used to promote weight loss and clear up some misinformation about the nutritional content of apple cider vinegar and the truth about its pectin values.

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is derived from the apple fruit and produced through a fermentation process which takes from a few days up to several months. For commercial purposed the faster process is preferred and is accomplished through an oxidation process. This involves adding “mother” of vinegar (bacterial culture) to the apple cider and then adding air using a venture pump or turbine. As with the longer process, this process will also produce the highly acidic nontoxic slime composed of acetic acid bacteria, which can be seen in the bottom of a bottle of Bragg organic apple cider vinegar with the “mother”.

Megan Fox Source: Flickr - (CC-BY-2.0)

What makes Apple Cider Vinegar so Beneficial?

Even with all the claims of healing powers and health benefits, it appears none of this can be attributed to its nutrient values. Surprisingly the vitamins and minerals in apple cider vinegar are very low and unsubstantial. According to the USDA, it has very little vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, or folate. It also has very little measurable amino acids, lycopene or other nutritional elements. And for pectin, ACV has no measurable amount of it or any other fiber.

So what makes this vinegar so beneficial? It appears that the true benefits of apple cider vinegar lie in its high acidic value. In order to better visualize this value and how it compares to other chemicals and foods, I have created a list of the approximate pH values. As you will see, vinegar is very high on the list with a pH value of 2.2. This value can, however, vary between 2.2 and 3.4, but nonetheless is still highly acidic.

Acids
0 - Hydrochloric Acid (HCl)
1.0 - Battery Acid
2.0 - Lemon Juice
2.2 - Vinegar3.0 - Apples
4.0 - Wine and Beer
4.5 - Tomatoes
6.6 - Milk

Neutral
7.0 - Pure Water

Bases
7.4 - Human Blood
8.3 - Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)
10.5 - Milk of Magnesia
11.0 - Ammonia
12.4 - Lime
14.0 - Sodium Hydroxide

Apple cider vinegar contains 5% acetic acid. Due to its high acetic value, drinking apple cider vinegar for weight loss is highly encouraged before a meal, as this will increase stomach acidity and improve digestion and nutrient uptake. Let’s see how drinking apple cider vinegar helps us lose weight.

Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss

How does drinking Apple Cider Vinegar help promote Weight Loss?

• Rich in acetic acid, ACV increases stomach acidity which enhances digestion and nutrient uptake. As it aids in the better digestion of proteins, a building block for HGH, it helps promote a raised metabolism and thus burn fat.
• The high acetic acid helps lower blood glucose levels and prevent insulin spikes. A 2004 study published in the American Diabetes Association’s publication “Diabetes Care” supports this claim, and that blood glucose levels had improved by 25 percent.
• Another discovery by Nobumasa Ogawa, Ph.D., of Tokyo University in Tokyo showed that the high level of acetic acid in ACV can inhibit the activity of carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, thus resulting in some sugars and starches passing through the intestines without being digested.
• A more efficient digestive process, rather than a sluggish digestive system not working properly, contributes to more nutrient absorption and thus a better mood and more energy for physical activity such as exercise.

Weight Loss and Pectin in Apples

Apple Cider Vinegar and the Truth about Pectin

I believe there is misinformation being spread about the benefits of pectin in apple cider vinegar and how it contributes to weight loss. Many sites convey the message that pectin is equally abundant in apple cider vinegar as it is in apples. Other sources, including the USDA, conclude that ACV has no measurable amount of pectin or any other fiber for that matter.

Pectin, nonetheless, can be found in apples and apple sauce and a few other fruits and is not only used as a thickening agent but also known for its use in weight loss control. The thickening properties of pectin can help in controlling weight in that it causes a gelatinous mass in your stomach as it absorbs water and expands, which gives you the feeling of being full. The other benefit of pectin is that it helps lower blood sugar levels. By slowing down the movement of food through the small intestine, it slows down the rate at which sugar is absorbed into the blood stream and thus reduces insulin spikes which would otherwise promote fat storage.

Having said this, I would highly suggest having an apple or some apple sauce with your lunch or dinner to help encourage weight loss, as I have not seen anything conclusive that apple cider vinegar has the pectin needed to aid in weight loss.