Can Apple Cider Vinegar Help with Weight Loss?

Lose Weight with Apple Cider Vinegar

You may have already heard about the new diet trend: drinking apple cider vinegar (ACV). Though cider vinegar is only now gaining in popularity, its ability to help people lose weight has been known for a while now.

I’ve been drinking apple cider vinegar myself for over a year and I've been really impressed with the results. But there are definitely some things I wish I had known before starting. So, if you’re interested in trying out apple cider vinegar as weight-loss plan, you might find some of my tips and suggestions below helpful.

Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar can be used as a treatment for any number of conditions, including:

• Warts
• Headaches, nausea
• Skin care
• Weight loss
• Diabetes
• Hair loss
• Household cleaning
• Healthy cooking
• Pet care

How to Lose Weight with Apple Cider Vinegar

How Much Vinegar Should I Drink?

You don't need to drink very much to get its weight loss benefits. Just mix 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to a cup (16 ounces) of water and drink the mixture between one and three times a day, ideally before a meal. I prefer to drink it first thing in the morning after waking up and then an hour before each meal.

How Often Should I Take ACV?

If you are just starting out, I’d suggest starting off slow. Add a single teaspoon to a cup of water initially, and drink it only once a day. That way, you can get used to the taste and make sure your stomach can handle the acidity. Gradually increase the dosage to two and then three teaspoons and increase the frequency to twice a day. If you don't like the taste, you can add a bit of honey to it.

Go slow and notice how your body responds. You may begin to feel more energetic in just a day or two. You may even notice that you need to use the restroom more frequently. This is because you are flushing the toxins out of your body.

Drinking the vinegar will also help your digestion and make you feel less bloated. With an improved, more efficient digestive system, your body is able to break down fat more quickly and absorb nutrients more easily.

How Does It Help You Lose Weight?

While there’s been quite a bit of research on apple cider vinegar, it’s still not totally clear how it helps you lose weight. The most common explanation is that the acids and enzymes in the vinegar suppress appetite and improve your metabolism. It also makes you retain less water and feel more refreshed.

Recently, a new theory has emerged. Some researchers believe that vinegar somehow slows down the rate at which your blood sugar increases, which in turn reduces production of insulin. There's ample medical evidence to suggest that lower insulin levels encourage weight loss.

Best Way to Use ACV for Weight Loss

• Read Before Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss
  I wrote this article to answer common questions about apple cider vinegar - How often to drink ACV? When to drink? What can I mix it with? Will I lose weight fast if I drank more cider vinegar?

For How Long Should I Drink ACV?

Remember, apple cider vinegar is a natural product. Research shows that it results in weight loss. But it is gradual. But the good news is the effect is permanent.

Remember, apple cider vinegar is a natural product. Research does show that drinking it regularly results in weight loss. It is not a quick fix weight loss solution, however. The change in your body will be gradual, but permanent. While drinking ACV it's also important to eat healthy and exercise regularly. Furthermore, since everyone's body is different, your results will vary.

While no drastic change in diet is required, you will do well to stay away from fried food and anything that contains too much fat and carbohydrates.

Speed Up Your Weight Loss

The ACV drink works best when it's part of a healthy diet. So, if you want to lose more weight, there are other things you can do as well.

• More exercise: Try to walk about 20 to 40 minutes a day, five days a week. Doing so will increase your metabolism, which means that the calories you consume will be used up instead of stored as fat.
• More potassium: Start your morning with a banana. It is high in potassium, which reduces stress levels and blood pressure.
• Less sugar: Yes, fruit contains sugar, but if you eat them in moderation, they should pose no problem. Plus they contain lots of fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients.

• What Kind of Apple Cider Vinegar Should I Buy?

  That's an easy answer: buy the organic kind. It contains the "mother" of vinegar, which is the cloudy sediment that contains all the good enzymes and probiotics that make ACV so healthy.

  You can even make apple cider vinegar at home. But I would highly recommend buying ACV from the market if you are just starting out and haven't used apple cider vinegar before. This will help you familiarize yourself with the taste of good apple cider vinegar.
  

  Making apple cider vinegar at home is easy!

  How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar at Home

  Steps for making apple cider vinegar at home

  If you are a city dweller, it may be a bit difficult to make Apple Cider Vinegar at home. A better option would be to buy Apple Cider Vinegar online.

  However, for country folks, making Apple Cider Vinegar at home is not only easy but also offers a better health outcome, since your apple cider vinegar will be organic. Remember, you will need winter or fall variety of apples. You cannot use summer apples as these don't contain enough sugar.

  This recipe calls for whole apples, but you can also use scraps, peels, and cores. So if you're going to be making apple pie, save the left-overs to brew your own batch of ACV! You know the

  Now, before you get all excited and go out to get apples, remember a few things.

  • You need to stir the juice every other day or so day. Can you commit to this? You need to stir the juice every other day or so. Can you commit to this? If you fail to stir it, your apple cider vinegar will not form because it will not get enough oxygen.
  • The ideal temperature for making apple cider vinegar is about 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. A lower or higher temperature will prevent the fermentation process from taking place.
  • Avoid metal container for making and storing the vinegar. Use only glass, plastic, wood, enamel, or stainless steel containers.
  • The length of the fermentation depends on the season – it will take less time during summer and a bit longer during the colder months.
  • The vinegar is ready when you can see the "mother" form. The "mother" is the cloudy sediment that contains all the enzymes, minerals, and probiotics that give ACV its health benefits. Non-organic, over-processed vinegars don't have the "mother," and are clear when held up to the light.

  Ingredients

  • 3 apples, medium-sized
  • 3 teaspoons sugar
  • filtered water, to cover the apples
  • cheese cloth

  Instructions

  1. Wash apples and chop them into medium-sized pieces. Place pieces into a sterilized jar.
  2. Mix sugar with one cup of water and pour the mixture into the jar to cover the apples. Add more water if necessary.
  3. Cover the jar with the cheese cloth or a paper towel. This allows the liquid to breathe while protecting it from bugs.
  4. Place the jar in a warm, dark place for 2-3 weeks.
  5. At the end of 2-3 weeks, strain the liquid to get rid of all the apple pieces and then return the vinegar to your pantry for another 4-6 weeks, stirring every few days.
  6. After the first four weeks, you can start to taste the vinegar and once it's reached the acidity level you like, you can transfer it to another jar and begin to use it.