Apple cider vinegar is often lauded for its many health benefits, but can it really cure everything from cancer and diabetes to obesity and heart disease?
This content was originally published by Fresh Magazine October 2017
Cider vinegar is made from the fermentation of apple juice. Claimed to have medicinal properties as far back as 10,000 years ago, vinegar was even recommended by the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, for cleansing ulcers and treating sores. With literally millions of hits for apple cider vinegar alone online, there is clearly renewed interest in this ancient remedy. The list of its proposed modern-day health benefits covers everything from cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis, infection and heart disease to blemish-free skin. Unfortunately, many health claims are more hype than fact, but this is not to say apple cider vinegar is a sham – far from it. While more research is needed, several studies indicate that apple cider vinegar may indeed offer real health benefits, especially when it comes to regulating blood glucose and appetite.
Blood glucose
One of the most promising benefits of apple cider vinegar is its help with blood glucose via its ability to lower the glycaemic index of the meal it’s eaten with. Whether it’s used as salad dressing, in pickled foods, or simply diluted with water, studies have shown vinegar may lower our blood glucose response to carb-rich meals. The active ingredient in all vinegars thought to be responsible for this is acetic acid, and it’s believed to work by slowing stomach emptying, which in turn slows carb digestion. This benefit is helpful if you’re one of the 1.7 million Australians with diabetes, for whom stable blood glucose is an important goal.
Cholesterol
Too much cholesterol in your blood can cause build-up in arteries, which in turn increases risk of heart attack or stroke. While a 2012 study revealed 30ml of apple cider vinegar twice a day was enough to lower harmful blood fats in people with high blood cholesterol, some experts remain sceptical. “The handful of studies on apple cider vinegar for controlling cholesterol are far from convincing,” says Accredited Practising Dietitian and author of Eat to Beat Cholesterol, Nicole Senior. “However, it is delicious on salads and vegetables and may help encourage eating more of these heart-friendly foods. Any vinegar (or lemon juice) helps to lower the GI of starches in meals, and that’s a good thing for the heart and overall metabolic health.”
Appetite
Likely linked to its effect on the glycaemic index of foods, vinegar has the potential to increase our satiety or satisfaction with a meal, and in turn help us eat a little less. Researchers at Sweden’s Lund University found acetic acid, when consumed with a meal of white bread, resulted in people being less hungry a few hours later compared with those eating bread alone. And what’s more, the greater the amount of acetic acid consumed, the less hungry subjects reported feeling.
The verdict
So, while the jury is still out on the benefits of apple cider vinegar for conditions such as cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis and acne, this simple ingredient does have the potential to offer some benefits to health via its ability to lower the glycaemic index of a meal,which may help with blood glucose control.
Words: Karen Kingham (APD)