Apple cider vinegar: Expert shares recipe for weight loss drink
Apple cider vinegar is famously difficult to swallow in liquid form, but now the acidic drink is available as a supplement. Express.co.uk chatted to two GPs – Dr Hannah Davies MBBS BSc, GP registrar and Dr Jane Leonard MBCHB. BSC HONS (1ST ) MRCGP to find out whether or not it’s worth having apple cider vinegar every day, and if the gummies really work as well as apple cider vinegar in its true form.
Although you may just be hearing about the wonders of apple cider vinegar now, this stuff has been around for centuries.
Dr Davies said: “The medicinal uses of vinegar have been known for thousands of years, dating back to Hippocrates!
“It is gaining far more attention now given the current obesity pandemic we are in.”
Apple cider vinegar is rumoured to help you lose weight, regulate your blood sugar, and even beat constipation… but is all of this true?
READ MORE- High cholesterol: Apple cider vinegar could lower levels
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What is apple cider vinegar good for?
Regulate blood sugar levels
High blood sugar levels and Type 2 diabetes can be treated with apple cider vinegar.
Type 2 diabetes happens when you have too much sugar in your blood or you have problems with a chemical called insulin in your body.
Dr Jane Leonard said: “Apple cider can lower blood sugar and reduce insulin levels.”
Whether you have diabetes or not, we can all benefit from keeping our blood sugar levels in a normal range.
High blood sugar levels are believed by some to cause ageing and other chronic diseases.
Lower cholesterol
Having high cholesterol is when you have too much cholesterol in your blood, and this is mainly caused by eating too many fatty foods, lack of exercise, being overweight, smoking and drinking alcohol.
While losing weight, eating healthily and getting more exercise can all help you lower cholesterol, apple cider vinegar can help too.
Dr Leonard said: “Apple cider vinegar is said to lower cholesterol and can help lower blood pressure when combined with diet and exercise.”
Lower blood pressure
About a third of adults in the UK have high blood pressure, and many of us probably don’t even realise it.
High blood pressure puts a strain on your blood vessels, heart and other crucial organs such as your brain, kidneys and eyes.
Having high blood pressure can put you at risk of developing life-threatening health conditions such as heart disease and kidney disease, but apple cider vinegar can help you to lower your blood pressure.
Dr Davies explained: “Apple cider vinegar has been shown to reduce blood pressure by reducing the activity of an important enzyme (renin) and hormone (aldosterone) involved in blood pressure control.
“This is good news for our cardiovascular health.”
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Weight loss
If you’re looking to lose a few pounds, apple cider vinegar could help due to its postprandial anti-glycaemic effect.
Dr Davies said: “When apple cider vinegar is co-ingested alongside other foods, vinegar can help flatten the sugar spike that would usually occur after a meal.
“Furthermore, it has been shown to increase sensitivity to insulin (sugar-lowering hormone) which, again, helps our bodies to cope with sugar loads following a meal.
“This might have important implications for preventing progression to diabetes in high-risk individuals.
“Moreover, by reducing the sugar-load after a meal, individuals tend to feel fuller and subsequent hunger is reduced, hence explaining why it may have useful weight-reducing properties.”
Source of polyphenols
Polyphenols are micronutrients which we get through some plant-based foods- including dark chocolate and green tea.
Polyphenols are full of antioxidants and thought to improve digestion and help you manage your weight
Apple cider vinegar is another source of polyphenols.
Dr Davies said: “Apple cider vinegar is a source of polyphenols which are products made by plants to help fight oxidative stress.
“When we eat polyphenols we increase our antioxidant protection which has been linked to reduced cancer risk.”
Reduce acne
Whether or not apple cider vinegar improves acne is up for debate, but plenty of people suffering from the skin condition rave about its impacts.
Dr Leonard said: “Apple cider vinegar has antibacterial action which is thought to help acne.
“As a GP there is no harm in trying this, but acne is both caused by hormones and bacteria on the skin so it’s likely to need antibiotics to help improve the skin symptoms in the long term.
“There is no firm scientific evidence to support these benefits, but there is no harm in taking the supplement.”
Do apple cider vinegar gummies really work?
If you can’t stand the taste of apple cider vinegar, you might be tempted to purchase apple cider vinegar gummies instead.
Lucky for you, the doctors say there is no difference between drinking diluted apple cider vinegar and taking it in supplement form.
Dr Leonard said: “Whether you drink the apple cider vinegar or take a supplement you’re getting the same potential health benefits.”
The Wonder Health Apple Cider Gummies retails for just £13.99 and promise to help you tackle skin, brain, bone, joint and heart health all at once.
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