Does Apple Cider Vinegar Lower Blood Sugar? Experts Say It Can Help Reverse Type 2 Diabetes
Plus learn how sipping ACV helped one woman lose more than 100 pounds
There’s been plenty of buzz around apple cider vinegar (ACV) in recent years. You may have seen it recommended for everything from weight loss to lowering high cholesterol to managing diabetes. But does apple cider really lower your blood sugar?
Turns out this isn’t just another wellness trend without any science to back it up: Studies around ACV seem to confirm that it really can be beneficial for our health, especially when it comes to keeping your blood glucose levels in check. Here’s everything you need to know about the pantry staple’s effect on your blood sugar, including how to use it safely and how it helped one woman lose over 100 pounds.
Does apple cider vinegar lower blood sugar?
The vinegar in ACV is made by fermenting crushed apples with probiotics that turn its sugar into acetic acid. This powerful compound has a myriad of health benefits, including lowering cholesterol and regulating glucose—especially in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Woman's World Answers
“A number of studies suggest that vinegar might prevent spikes in blood sugar in people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes by blocking starch absorption,” according to Harvard researcher Robert H. Shmerling, MD.
In fact, a landmark study from Arizona State University revealed that the acetic acid in vinegar blunts sugar spikes by up to 64 percent after meals. Not only can this prevent and even reverse type 2 diabetes, but it also helps control cravings and improve levels of insulin, a hormone that tends to malfunction in fattening ways as we age.
“Vinegar compounds mimic the diabetes drug metformin—but without the side effects.” —David Jockers, DC
“The healthier we can keep our blood-sugar and insulin levels, the more fat we burn and the more weight we lose,” says nutritionist JJ Smith, author of the bestselling book, 7-Day Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse.
Another study on people who have type 2 diabetes found that drinking ACV every night before bed reduced their resting blood sugar levels in the morning. This is likely due to the acetic acid in vinegar, which has an antiglycemic effect.
It works like a prescription diabetes drug
“Compounds in vinegar mimic the diabetes drug metformin, but with none of the side effects,” says natural-health expert David Jockers, DC, creator of The 30-Day Sugar Detox Challenge.
And Columbia University-trained nutrition expert Fred Pescatore, MD, adds that if you stir cayenne powder or turmeric into your vinegar tonic, you’ll flood your body with antioxidants that have been proven to further improve blood-sugar control and insulin function.
ACV speeds weight loss, too
Japanese scientists found that daily doses of diluted vinegar—either taken before a meal or before bed—react with body chemistry in a way that reduces body fat overall and even targets stubborn belly fat, increasing total weight loss by 400 percent or more. And it works wonders even if you don’t diet!
“There are so many ways acetic acid helps get you slim,” says Smith. She cites research that found it stimulates the production of metabolism-speeding enzymes. There’s also a Swedish study that shows acetic acid flips switches that make us feel full for so long that we automatically eat 1,900 fewer calories a week.
How to lower your blood sugar with apple cider vinegar
Participants in the Arizona State University study took about 2 Tbs. of ACV every night, which you can dilute with water to make more palatable. That won’t affect the vinegar’s benefits and will also give you a boost of hydration before bed. Just make sure to brush your teeth after, since vinegar can be harmful to tooth enamel.
To experience the healing benefits of apple cider vinegar, Dr. Pescatore recommends choosing “raw, unpasteurized vinegar with a cloudy look.” Why? That means the liquid is loaded with “probiotics that help bolster strains of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract,” he explains.
Make your own ACV tonic
Enjoy this drink one to two times a day, either before a meal or at bedtime:
- 8-12 oz. water or brewed herbal tea (hot or chilled)
- 2 Tbs. raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, such as Bragg’s or White House
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- Stevia to taste (optional)
Combine all ingredients, stir and drink. For best results, check labels and choose apple cider vinegar that contains “the Mother”—bits of fermented apple rich in fat-fighting enzymes. Note: To protect tooth enamel, experts say we must always dilute vinegar before drinking.
As always, apple cider vinegar is not a singular remedy, but a complement to a healthy diet and exercise routine. Make sure to consult your doctor before starting a new regimen to ensure it’s the right thing for you.
Success story: how one doctor lost over 100 pounds with ACV
Kimberly Bethel, MD, 60, dealt with lifelong weight struggles that left her “battling hypothyroidism, hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and arthritis,” says the Ohio-based family physician.
At 306 pounds, her blood-sugar numbers had crept continuously higher. “I found myself staring diabetes in the face,” she recalls. She’d heard good things about Smith’s Facebook group and decided to check it out. A week later, she was 16 pounds lighter, and has been devoted to Smith’s strategies ever since. The nutritionist recommends getting two to three servings of vinegar a day, either mixed in water or salad dressing.
“I use apple cider vinegar one to three times a day before meals, and it has helped tremendously with weight loss,” says Dr. Bethel. “The weight always comes off easier with apple cider vinegar.”
She even inspired her adult daughter, Maya, to try it, and it doubled the speed of Maya’s weight loss. Today, Maya is down 107 pounds and Dr. Bethel herself is glowing with pride—and vitality too. Now 101 pounds lighter, she cheers, “My cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar are all normal. My joints don’t hurt. I feel fantastic, and my energy level is high. I have my health back!”
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