The Science Behind the "Power" of Vinegar

Throughout history as early as 400 B.C. starting with Hippocrates Vinegar or "sour wine" has been used as an natural antibiotic,a natural cleanser and a preservative to name a few. In the late 1970's and early 80's apple cider vinegar became a hot weight loss supplement and one of the hottest weight loss tonics. Today a number of university scientist have found that there may be something after all to the weight-loss benefits of vinegar. Through testing and controlled focus groups these scientist have determined that there are weight loss benefits of vinegar. It stabilizes blood sugar and insulin levels, reduces appetite, and helps people lose weight.

Vinegar's effect on blood sugar would be enough to reduce appetite and weight. That's because controlling glucose and insulin levels reins in the extreme blood sugar swings that trigger hunger. But the latest studies on vinegar have found that much more is going on here. In 2004, Carol Johnston a nutrition professor at Arizona State University, Mesa reported that consuming a small amount of apple cider vinegar could significantly diminish post meal increases in glucose and isulin. That decrease would lessen a person's tendency toward diabetes.

In the journal Diabetes Care she wrote they fed 29 subjects a high carb breakfast consisting of a white bagel, butter and orange juice, providing 87 grams of carbohydrates. Some subjects were given 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or placebos a couple of minutes before the meal. A week later, the subjects were "crossed over" so everyone consumed a meal with and without the vinegar. The subjects fell into threee groups:healthy, insulin resistant, and type 2 diabetic.

What Johnston found was all of the subjects had significantly smaller post meal increases in glucose and insulin. the insulin resistant subjects' insulin function improved by 34 percent, and those with diabetes improved by almost 20 percent. Even the healthy subjects had a healthier response to the carbs.

A team of Swedish researchers reported the results of two more vinegar studies. Elin Ostman, Ph.D., of Lund University asked a group of 12 healthy men and women to eat 50 grams of bread and household white vinegar with the bread. When the men and women consumed 2 tablespoons of vinegar, their expected post meal increases in both glucose and insulin levels were far less than expected. The subjects felt less hungry 30 minutes, 90 minutes, and two hours after eating.

In another study the same Swedish researcher tested the effects of a vinaigrette dressing. The dressing contained rwo tablespoons of vinegar and 1/2 tablespoon of Olive Oil the post meal glucose and insulin responses of 13 men and women subjects. This time subjects were fed 50 grams of either boiled potatoes or boiled and refrigerated potatoes, first without the dressing and then with the dressing. the vinaigrette dressing decreased the post meal increase by 43 percent and insulin response by 31 percent. Ostman also discovered by refrigerating the potatoes increased the "resistant" starch further reduced the glucose and insulin response.

Why would vinegar help pople lose weight?

The acetic acid in the vinegar is what makes it work. You can use Apple Cider, White Vinegar or any other vinegar as long as it contains enough acetic acid (must be 5%).

Acetic acid inhibits the activity of various carbohydrate digesting enzymes, including amylase, sucrase, maltase, and lactase becoming a natural starch blocker. Acetic acid also seems to help convert glucose to glycogen, which is stored as a reserve fuel in muscle tissue. By converting glucose to glycogen, there's less demand for insulin and probably more efficient use of it.

So the next time you crave something salty, instead of reaching for the potatoe chips or pickles try an apple cider vinegar cocktail. The acetic acid will aid your digestion helping you to lose weight and may help your glucose and insulin response.