Apple Cider Vinegar Craze

Apple cider vinegar is made through a two-step process. First, yeast is added to apple juice to break down the sugars and turn them into alcohol. Then, bacteria is added, which converts the alcohol into acetic acid. This bacteria is what is known as the mother, because it is the catalyst that gives rise to the vinegar.

This, in turn, helps your body to make the most of the food you eat and works to balance any bad bacteria to help stop you from getting unwell. Whilst apple cider vinegar without the mother has excellent benefits, if you're looking to reap all the best health benefits, choose apple cider vinegar with the mother

Countless tips and tricks on how to lose weight quickly and “cleanse” the body are circulating online. However, most of them are unsubstantiated and ineffective. Taking a shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning on an empty stomach is one practice that many wellness gurus claim helps you lose weight, reduce hunger, and remove toxins from your system. Although limited research suggests that vinegar may have a beneficial effect on hunger levels and body composition, results are far from conclusive. Plus, the majority of this research has taken place in animals, not humans.

However, little research exists, and further studies are needed before it can be recommended as an alternative therapy.

Additionally, drinking apple cider vinegar can cause adverse side effects, such as tooth erosion and nausea

1. Delayed stomach emptying - Small studies in humans have suggested that apple cider vinegar may reduce the rate at which food leaves the stomach and enters the lower digestive tract. This could slow the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream. However, this effect may worsen symptoms of gastroparesis Trusted Source, a common condition that affects people living with diabetes.
Digestive side effects: Apple cider vinegar may cause unpleasant digestive symptoms in some people.

Human and animal studies have found that apple cider vinegar and acetic acid may decrease appetite and promote feelings of fullness, leading to a natural reduction in calorie intake (8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source).

However, one controlled study suggests that in some cases, appetite and food intake may decrease due to indigestion.

3. Erosion of tooth enamel :Acidic foods and beverages have been shown to damage tooth enamel (12Trusted Source).

Soft drinks and fruit juices have been more widely studied, but some research shows the acetic acid in vinegar may also damage tooth enamel.

In one lab study, enamel from wisdom teeth was immersed in different vinegars with pH levels ranging from 2.7–3.95. The vinegars led to a 1–20% loss of minerals from the teeth after 4 hours (13Trusted Source).

Importantly, this study was done in a lab and not in the mouth, where saliva helps buffer acidity — and a person would not hold vinegar in their mouth for 4 hours. Nevertheless, there’s some evidence that large amounts of vinegar may cause dental erosion.

A case study also concluded that a 15-year-old girl’s severe dental decay was caused by consuming 1 cup (237 mL) of undiluted apple cider vinegar per day as a weight loss aid (14Trusted Source).

4. Drug interactions : A few medications may interact with apple cider vinegar:

Diabetes medication. People who take insulin or insulin-stimulating medications and consume vinegar may experience dangerously low blood sugar or potassium levels.
Digoxin (Lanoxin). This medication lowers your blood potassium levels. Taking it in combination with apple cider vinegar could lower your potassium too much.
Certain diuretic drugs. Some diuretic medications cause your body to excrete potassium. To prevent potassium levels from dropping too low, do not consume these drugs with large amounts of vinegar.