New Apple Cider Vinegar Study: How Much You Need to Lose 15 Ibs in 12 Weeks Without Dieting
Plus, the four easy ways you can incorporate it into your diet
Can a centuries-old home remedy — and one of the most Googled weight-loss trends of all time—really make it easier to drop unwanted pounds? That’s exactly what new research on apple cider vinegar aimed to find out. And the results are exciting: Adults who consumed 3 tablespoons of “apple cider vinegar or “ACV” a day lost 15.4 pounds in 12 weeks without changing their diets at all. That was significantly more than subjects given smaller amounts of vinegar and 23 times more weight than folks who got a placebo that smelled like vinegar. The three-spoonful group also experienced other impressive ACV benefits, including improvements in “blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol levels with no significant side effects,” reports Rony Abou-Khalil, Ph.D., who led the multi-university team. Florida grandmother Robyn Russell, 56, is a huge fan. “ACV helped with my blood sugar and my appetite, which had been my two biggest battles. I ended up losing 170 pounds!” Read on for her inspiring story and to find out how ACV benefits could make your life better.
Apple Cider Vinegar benefits: ‘It profoundly speeds fat loss’
Made from fermented crushed apples, apple cider vinegar has long been used to make drinks, dressings and marinades — as well as to treat ailments from coughs and dandruff to diabetes and internal bleeding. While not all traditional uses are supported by modern science, there’s growing evidence that, among many ACV benefits, there are several different ways “it can profoundly speed fat loss,” says Columbia University–trained nutrition expert Fred Pescatore, M.D. Let us tell you about a few…
Apple Cider Vinegar benefits: The top 3 ways it fights fat
1. You’ll want less food
Studies show acetic acid—the “active ingredient” in vinegar—makes it harder for the body to tell when food is fully digested, “so food ends up staying in the stomach longer and you feel full longer,” explains vinegar advocate Steven R. Gundry, M.D., author of The Plant Paradox. On top of that, research shows that because ACV slows digestion, it reduces blood-sugar spikes by up to 81%—a factor “that helps prevent peaks and crashes in blood sugar that can lead to increased hunger and overeating,” says Abou-Khalil. In one test, ACV decreased appetite by up to 275 calories over the course of the day.
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2. Burn gets boosted
As ACV helps us control blood sugar better, we naturally make less insulin, a hormone that promotes fat storage and actually blocks the burning of stored fat. So lower insulin levels allow previously stubborn flab to finally be turned to energy, says Abou-Khalil.
There’s also evidence that vinegar activates an enzyme called AMPK. “It’s like flipping the switch to burn fat for energy inside cells,” explains Arizona State vinegar expert Carol Johnston, Ph.D. Adds Dr. Gundry: “You cause your cells to waste calories. Some calories you eat just don’t count.”
Bonus apple cider vinegar benefit: Acetic acid in ACV helps burn cholesterol. In a study on dieters, 3 Tbs. daily cut triglycerides by 58 points; a no-ACV group saw a 45-point increase.
3. ‘Skinny’ genes are activated
Choose vinegar with a label that says it contains “the mother.” Why? That means the liquid is unrefined and loaded with “probiotics that help bolster strains of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract,” says Dr. Pescatore. Studies show these beneficial gut bacteria actually activate genes that help us shed up to 4% of our body weight in 6 weeks without any other changes.
Getting apple cider vinegar benefits: Your quick-start guide
Getting 2 Tbs. of apple cider vinegar a day may be enough for some, but the most recent testing—from Lebanon’s Holy Spirit University of Kaslik and American University of Science and Technology—found 3 Tbs. daily works best.
Divide vinegar into two or three doses and take before or with meals, giving priority to sittings with more carbs or times of day when you’re prone to overeat. Experiment to see what works for you. Just be sure to add your vinegar to food or mix each spoonful with at least 8 oz. of liquid. Undiluted vinegar “can damage tooth enamel and cause digestive upset,” cautions Abou-Khalil. You don’t need a special plan. Instead, incorporate apple cider vinegar into any reasonably healthy diet.
Apple cider vinegar benefits success story: Robyn Russell, 56
For years, Robyn Russell suffered with a painful skin disease linked to weight gain. It’s called hidradenitis suppurativa. “They’d do procedures to help but always said weight loss was the best treatment. I’d diet, lose 20 pounds, then get stressed and go back to Big Macs,” recalls the Florida concierge, 56. She hit 325 pounds; her overall health and skin condition worsened.
At risk for life-threatening complications, “my doctor said, ‘Either change the way you eat or you’ll need surgery.’” It was a procedure that involved removing large amounts of skin to prevent a deadly infection. Fear led Robyn to do research and discover apple cider vinegar.
She began taking ACV daily, which made it easier to switch to healthier eating. “I went from eating big platters of takeout to eating homemade meals off a dinner plate. Then I downsized to a salad plate and then a dessert plate.” She felt satisfied and still shed 16 pounds the first month. While she didn’t love the taste of ACV, she loved the results. “After a year, I found ACV gummies. They taste better and work just as well.”
As Robyn Russell used apple cider vinegar to help her make better choices at meals and snacks, did it have an effect on her desire to eat for fun and comfort? “You better believe it did!” she says. In fact, ACV virtually turned off her nighttime munchies. As long as she got the timing right, that is. “If you take your vinegar too early in the day, the effect probably won’t last until bedtime,” she shares. “If I waited until midmorning to take it, I didn’t want chips and sweets after dinner like I used to.”
Robyn took ACV throughout her weight-loss journey. Iver three years, she shed about 170 pounds. Her skin condition is gone. So is her fatigue, prediabetes and heart trouble. “I’m living the best life I could ever live, and I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been!”
Apple cider vinegar benefits success story: Ezinne Nwugo, 33
Heavy since she was a kid, “I tried every diet,” shares Ezinne Nwugo, 33. “They worked if I stuck with them, but I struggled with cravings and couldn’t keep up with measuring and counting.”
Then the New Jersey mom heard about apple cider vinegar. Taking 2 Tbs. a day, “at first, I didn’t notice much. But after a while, I realized my cravings were greatly reduced.” It enabled her to stick with a relaxed keto diet (with no diet math). “I lost 22 pounds in a month!”
“Some days it felt like I wasn’t even trying,” she says. Yet she dropped 100 pounds. After her daughter was born, the approach still worked, and she shed 65 pounds of pregnancy weight. Today, Ezinne’s energy is way up, her high blood pressure and joint pain gone. She urges everyone to give ACV a try. “It’s so easy. Don’t overthink it,” she days. “Just start!”
Four fun apple cider vinegar ideas that slim + heal
To get ACV’s benefits, use about 3 Tbs. daily to lower appetite and improve blood sugar as you follow any healthy eating approach. Enjoy ACV before/with meals or at times when you’re prone to comfort eating. (Reminder: Straight ACV is hard on your teeth and tummy, so always add it to food or dilute well with liquid.) Most folks simply mix ACV in water, but you can also use any of the fun ideas we’re sharing here.
Whip up a ACV smoothie
Blitz 2 peeled kiwifruit, 1 peeled cucumber, ½ cup baby spinach, ½ avocado, 2 Tbs. ACV, lime juice and healthy sweetener to taste
Make slimming fridge pickles
To jar, add 1 cup cucumber, ¾ cup hot water, ¾ cup ACV, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp sweetener, 2 Tbs. fresh dill. cover; shake. Store in fridge.
Swap in quick ACV dressing
Whisk together 2 Tbs. ACV, 1 Tbs. olive oil, 1 Tbs. warm water, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1⁄4 tsp. salt and fresh or dried herbs to taste.
Bonus recipe: Nature’s Sport Drink
Before Gatorade, pioneers hydrated with this tasty beverage—usually called switchel or haymaker’s punch—which stars electrolyte-rich ACV
Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh ginger, peeled/chopped
- 2⁄3 cup lemon juice
- 1⁄2 cup maple syrup or any healthy sweetener to taste
- 1⁄2 cup apple cider vinegar
Instructions:
- In large saucepan, add ginger and 7 cups water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Cool 15 minutes.
- Strain liquid into pitcher.
- Stir in remaining ingredients. Chill and enjoy over ice
Serves 8
Click through for more on ACV and weight loss:
Lower Your Blood Sugar and Lose Stubborn Belly Fat on This 7-Day Cleanse
Apple Cider Vinegar Challenge: Lose Up to 17 Pounds in 72 Hours With This 3-Day Diet Plan
Try the Spicy New Twist to the Apple Cider Vinegar Detox to Shed Weight Fast
Additional reporting by Adrienne Farr and Kate Arcell
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