So I might be jumping on a bandwagon here, but across my Pinterest feed, I keep seeing mash-up recipes for weight-loss or general good health using Apple Cider Vinegar but will it really help you lose weight?

We all know that there isn’t a magic elixir for losing weight, it takes time, diet, exercise blah blah blah but what if there was some substance to this claim of supporting your body’s needs with this ancient ingredient as you go through your health journey?

According to Dr. Oz, Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has long been considered beneficial when it comes to keeping your weight down and as it turns out, there are five main reasons for this welcomed side effect:

Lowers Blood Sugar Levels

In a study performed on mice, apple cider vinegar improved the way in which the liver and muscles absorbed sugar from the blood. These findings show that it can potentially keep your blood glucose level regulated (below 110 mg/dl), which will help your body burn more stored fat on a regular basis. If you have diabetes or even pre-diabetes, adding apple cider vinegar to your diet may help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce a blood sugar spike.

Decreases Insulin Levels

Apple cider vinegar has also been shown to alter the ratio of the fat storage and fat burning hormones in the body; reducing the ratio of insulin to glucagon, which favors fat burning. Having lowered insulin encourages the breakdown of fat, which can then be used as an energy source. Insulin causes the body to store up excess fat, and glucagon signals the body to release the fat and use it as fuel, so it’s beneficial that apple cider vinegar can lower one and increase the other.

Improves Metabolism Functions

In another study on rats exposed to apple cider vinegar, they found an increase of the enzyme, AMPK present in their bodies, which increases fat burning and decreases fat and sugar production in the liver. These findings are promising for those of us who want to rev up our metabolisms, though it’s not clear how big of an improvement it would make since every organism reacts differently.

Reduces Fat Storage

Research has shown that after rats were fed vinegar, they were protected from obesity and even showed an increase in the expression of genes linked to reduced belly fat and liver fat storage. If you are struggling to lose weight in your midsection, drinking apple cider vinegar might particularly benefit you in that way.

Burns Fat

In a study where mice were fed a high-fat diet, they found a significant increase in the genes responsible for fat burning. In a test conducted on humans over a 12-week period, obese Japanese participants were split into three groups, one of which consumed 500 ml of a drink that had either 15 ml, 30 ml, or 0 ml of vinegar. When measuring the body weight, BMI, visceral fat, waist circumferences, and serum triglyceride levels at the end of the study, they found that those numbers were significantly lower in the 15 ml and 30 ml group, as compared to the people consuming 0 ml. These results show a connection between apple cider vinegar and a reduced likelihood of developing metabolic syndrome.

Are you ready to try?

Recipe for Success

Here is the recipe that I tried this morning, it had just enough lemon and honey to take the bitterness away from the vinegar taste! Try it and comment on this post!

• 1 8oz Hot Water
• 2 tsp of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tbs of Manuka Honey
• 1/2 Fresh Squeezed Lemon
• Dash of Cinnamon