Does Apple Cider Vinegar Help You Lose Weight? The Answer  

Vinegar may burn fat, and this health benefit continues to be widely studied. Let’s first look at what exactly vinegar is.

Apple cider vinegar is the most widely used type of vinegar for household remedies and consumption for weight loss because it tends to be the most palatable and, as such, will be used interchangeably with vinegar for this article.

What is Vinegar?

Vinegar combines acetic acid, the main active ingredient, and water made by a two-step fermentation process and has been around for thousands of years.

You can make vinegar from fruits, whole grains, potatoes, and rice [1]. Apple cider is a popular supplementation as it is a more palatable vinegar with many health benefits.

As far as home remedies go, apple cider vinegar is popular for treating dry skin and eczema [5].

Because the skin is naturally acidic, apple cider vinegar topically may help restore the skin's pH balance.

Apple cider vinegar also has antibacterial properties, potentially helping prevent skin infections which could be why many people use diluted apple cider vinegar as a face wash.

Could Lower Cholesterol

One study shows participants had a significant reduction in LDL cholesterol after eight weeks of apple cider vinegar consumption compared to the placebo group [6].

Additionally, a meta-analysis reviewing vinegar’s effect on cholesterol levels is favorable,  even at a small one-tablespoon dose [7].

Could Aid Weight Loss

Many studies show that consuming apple cider vinegar for weight loss may be effective by increasing the feeling of fullness, leading to eating fewer calories and potentially losing weight.

Lower calorie consumption proved particularly true when apple cider vinegar supplementation included a starchy meal [6].

Additional studies show that participants who consumed vinegar had slower gastric emptying, the process by which food leaves the stomach. Slowing this process may help you lose weight by feeling full longer, potentially reducing calorie intake t [7].

Vinegar may aid fat burning, and ongoing research on vinegar’s effect on reduced belly fat and sustainable weight loss is promising.

One animal study shows vinegar may suppress fat accumulation leading to a 12-week study of obese human participants involving apple cider vinegar consumption and a highly-monitored restricted-calorie diet.

This double-blind trial concluded that daily vinegar consumption might lead to reduced body fat percentage [8].

Vinegar may help reduce body fat by suppressing lipogenesis (fat storage) by blocking certain enzymes that create fatty acids [9].

Gut bacteria influence how your body burns and stores fat. Apple cider vinegar improves gut health, enhancing fat burning [10].

“When you consume vinegar, it could be acting as a mediator to control chemical processes that would otherwise create fat.”

-Darla Leal, Master Fitness Trainer

So you have decided to consume apple cider vinegar. There are many health benefits but also some risks of side effects.

When participating in an apple cider vinegar diet, you must dilute the vinegar to reduce the risk of esophageal or teeth damage.

Apple cider vinegar use seems to be generally safe for most individuals.

Excessive use and high doses can lead to adverse side effects like burns and digestive issues.

“ACV is very acidic and may corrode your teeth if not properly diluted. Be sure to limit your intake to 2 tablespoons (30 mL) or less per day, and dilute it in water.”

-SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD

Acidic beverages and foods, including apple cider vinegar, may damage tooth enamel, though the time of submersion and quantity of vinegar seems extreme in studies and actual occurrences of damage.

For example, one study had teeth submerged in undiluted vinegar for four hours, obtaining the results in a lab without the benefit of saliva’s buffering ability [11]. Most people will not have vinegar sitting in their mouths for four hours.

When you drink ACV, you risk burns to the mouth and esophagus or burns to the skin when applied topically from the acetic acid [12].

Along with indigestion, apple cider vinegar may have drug interactions like diabetes and heart medications, diuretics, and laxatives [13].