How to Lose Weight With Apple Cider Vinegar
I’m sure you’ve heard a thing or two about how to lose weight with apple cider vinegar, or you have at least heard of ACV and some of its benefits.
There are plenty of good reasons why…
It’s not necessarily a new diet trend, but it’s still continuing to grow in popularity.
It’s great for your digestive system, working as a natural detoxifier and appetite suppressant.
It can also be a powerful weight loss tool when used correctly and taken at the right times.
The following are our best tips and suggestions for using apple cider vinegar (ACV) for weight loss and its many health benefits.
I’ll tell you what it is, why it’s healthy, how to use it, and where to get it!
So what exactly is it?
Apple cider vinegar is made by crushing apples, squeezing out their juices, and fermenting the sugars into alcohol, which is then fermented into vinegar. This process takes 3-4 weeks to finish before apple cider vinegar is ready to drink.
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The Many Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
I know this article is about how to lose weight with apple cider vinegar, but there are other amazing benefits as well! It’s been known to help with…
- Diabetes
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Hair Loss
- Skin Care – can help clear conditions and blemishes
- Healthy Cooking
- Pet Care
- Household Cleaning
- May help improve bowel irregularity and helps to remove toxins from the body at a faster rate.
- Helps with weight loss by breaking down fats so that your body can use them rather than store them.
- Studies have found that ACV may even be able to kill cancer cells or slow their growth.
What is in apple cider vinegar?
Most people don’t just wonder how to lose weight with apple cider vinegar; they also wonder what’s in it that makes it so healthy…
- High in potassium, a mineral that is oftentimes lacking in adult diets. This mineral is key for growth, building muscles, the transmission of nerve impulses, heart activity, etc. It also helps to prevent brittle teeth, hair loss, and runny noses.
- Rich in acetic acid. This acid is said to slow the digestion of starch, which can help to lower the rise in glucose that commonly occurs after meals.
- Rich in ash, which gives ACV its alkaline property. This aids your body in maintaining proper pH levels for a healthy alkaline state. (It is particularly important if you drink a lot of coffee or wine.)
- Rich in malic acid, which gives ACV its antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties
How does apple cider vinegar help you lose weight?
1. Appetite Suppressant
Studies published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that those that consumed apple cider vinegar with a meal reported feeling 2x fuller than those that ate meals without it.
This has been our experience as well.
Consuming apple cider vinegar does a terrific job at suppressing my appetite, especially when we consume it around that 2-3:00 slump when we’re feeling tempted to snack.
2. Controls Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels
Apple cider vinegar prevents those crazy blood sugar spikes and crashes you feel after eating a filling meal. According to the same study conducted above, blood sugar levels were much lower when a meal was consumed with apple cider vinegar.
This is great for a few reasons.
First, it gives you sustained energy after you eat and keeps your blood sugar from dipping too low. This will help keep you from binge eating.
Secondly, it will prevent a large insulin spike after meals, which causes fat storage.
3. Prevents Fat Accumulation
Apple cider vinegar stimulates your metabolism in a way that helps you burn fat faster. Scientists have concluded that consumption of acetic acid (what’s in apple cider vinegar) blocks fat accumulation.
You can see how this works 2x to your advantage. Not only does it help you burn fat quicker, but it also blocks fat from storing on your body.
4. Detoxifies the Body
We all carry around with us a host of toxins received from our environment and our diets. The good thing is that apple cider vinegar helps flush those toxins from the body with a variety of nutrients.
Essentially, ACV latches onto these toxins and helps pull them down your digestive tract. Which is a great lead into the next point…
5. Helps Digestive system
Being rich in acetic acid, ash, and malic acid makes apple cider vinegar a powerhouse for your digestive system.
The compounds listed above help you better absorb and use the nutrients you eat while discarding the remains. You want to get the FULL benefit from anything healthy you eat, and apple cider vinegar will help you do that.
Other Common Questions About Apple Cider Vinegar
When should I drink apple cider vinegar?
Now that you know exactly how awesome it is, let’s talk about how EXACTLY you need to use it to lose weight.
Here are the 2 best strategic times to drink apple cider vinegar:
- Drink a glass 30 minutes before your meals.
This is the perfect time to enhance your digestion and at the same time reduce your appetite, which are both excellent for weight loss.
- Drink a glass when you feel like breaking your diet.
When you feel those cravings coming on, make yourself a glass of ACV water for relief! It’s really great for that middle of the day break between lunch and dinner when those chip/candy cravings come on. You can keep a bottle with you at work to help prevent binge eating!
How often should I drink it?
If you’re just starting out, take it slow.
Try one glass on your first day and see how you do. The next day, you can add another until you work yourself up to 3 glasses a day maximum.
Any more than that is overkill and will hinder the effectiveness of the drink.
How much should I drink?
For the first glass on your first day, try 1 tablespoon with 8oz of water (a cup).
You can work your way up to 2 tablespoons per cup overtime, but the taste may take some getting used to.
Remember, everybody is a little bit different, so take this advice with a grain of salt. Go by how you feel and how your body is responding.
How can I make apple cider vinegar more effective?
The best way to make your results with apple cider vinegar more effective is to take it before eating high protein meals.
- Eggs
- Fish
- Whey Protein
- Poultry
- Pork
- Other unprocessed protein items
Combining apple cider vinegar with high protein meals has been shown to have the most dramatic and positive effect on metabolism, digestion, and fullness.
What brand should I buy?
This is the final and very common question I get when people ask how to lose weight with apple cider vinegar.
It’s usually a difficult question when it comes to most health-related products; however, when it comes to ACV, there’s one clear answer.
Bragg’s Organic Raw – Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar is without a doubt, the best brand on the market.
Why? It has all of the ideal characteristics (organic, raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized, has 5% of acidity and includes the “mother”) that apple cider vinegar must have in order to deliver all of the benefits explained above.
It’s best raw in liquid form, but you can also take apple cider vinegar pills.
How do I make it?
When I was learning how to lose weight with apple cider vinegar, I found three great recipes to try:
1. Good Ol’ Fashioned Apple Cider Vinegar
I think this is by far the best. I like to keep things simple.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 tablespoons of ACV
- 8oz of water
2. Green Tea Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss
Everyone knows how great green tea is for boosting the metabolism and helping you burn fat faster. Just remember to let your tea cool down before adding the apple cider vinegar so that the hot water doesn’t kill off any of the nutrients.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup green tea
- 1 tbsp quality ACV
- Raw, unpasteurized honey to taste
3. Lemon Water & Apple Cider Vinegar
Lemon water has plenty of health benefits, including immune system support, weight management, and its high content of vitamin C. Plus, there’s a little cinnamon for added digestive support!
Ingredients:
- 1 glass of water
- 1 tbsp quality ACV
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Honey to taste
Go get a bottle for yourself, and enjoy all the health benefits that come with it!
Other FAQs About Apple Cider Vinegar
What is the shelf life of Apple Cider Vinegar?
On Bragg’s website, it says that it is good for an almost indefinite amount of time, but the FDA requires them to say that it has a shelf life of 3 to 5 years. The brand owners feel it is ok for longer than that as long as it is kept out of direct sunlight.
Does Apple Cider Vinegar need to be refrigerated?
It does not. As long as it remains out of direct sunlight, it will be just fine in your pantry or on your counter.
Is Apple Cider Vinegar safe for those with gluten intolerances or nut allergies?
Yes.
There you have it. That’s exactly how to lose weight with apple cider vinegar…
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Leave a comment below if you enjoyed this article on how to lose weight with apple cider vinegar or have any questions!
I’ve heard of people taking shots of apple cider vinegar. Do you recommend that?
Great question Mindy! We don’t recommend doing that. It’s okay every once in a while, but ACV has a high acidity content. Like lemon juice, it’s not really good for your throat to just drink straight everyday. It’s also bad for the enamel on your teeth. If you want to hurry up and get it over with, try adding 1 tsp to 8 oz of water and drinking it quickly. If you actually like the taste more, try 2 tbsp in 16 oz of water for a healthy boost of nutrients and hydration!
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And certainly, thank you to your sweat!
Anytime 🙂