Apple cider vinegar is nothing new. It’s been used to for pneumonia, detoxification and weight loss for years. To get weight loss benefits, the apple cider vinegar is one that you can simply add to your diet. One method is to drink several teaspoons of the vinegar, while other people add it to their meals.

How Can Apple Cider Vinegar Diet Help You Lose Weight?

Crushed apples are distilled and fermented to create apple cider vinegar. This creates a concentrated acetic acid liquid. There are many ways ACV taps into the body to promote weight loss.

1. Suppress Your Appetite

Apple cider vinegar can help you feel full sooner, therefore helping you eat less. There are some studies that show those who enjoyed their bread along with some vinegar felt fuller than those who ate just bread. The more acetic acid or vinegar ingested, the fuller they felt.

2. Control Blood Sugar Levels

Another reason to enjoy the ACV diet is to help control sugar crashes and spikes that have you wanting to eat in between meals. It is when your blood sugar is unstable that you are likely to break your diet. Studies have also measured blood sugar levels in control groups and vinegar-fed groups. The people who added ACV showed much lower blood sugar levelsafter meal.

3. Prevent Fat Accumulation

Those who are on the apple cider vinegar diet will benefit from the metabolism increasing. This is because there are a lot of enzymes and organic acids that help to boost your metabolism and the rate your body burns fat. There was a study done on rats who were fed ACV and a diet rich in fat. They did not have much fat accumulation. It is also shown to reduce your cholesterol.

Apple cider vinegar may affect your insulin which affects how you store fat. The hormone is linked to blood sugar and when people have type 2 diabetes it is disturbed. There is some suggestion that ACV works in a similar manner to the drugs given to diabetics. If you are living with type 2 diabetes, it may be a good idea to add ACV to your diet.

4. Detoxify the Body

Our body needs to get rid of toxins in order for all our systems, including the metabolism and digestion, to remain efficient. Apple cider vinegar can help to flush the body and get it to use its nutrients in the best way. ACV is high in soluble fiber which improves bowel movements and aids in weight loss.

Apple Cider Vinegar Diet Plans

There are two different ways you can have ACV.

Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar

One of the best ways to take it is in a drink made with honey and water. Try it this way:

• Add a teaspoon ACV to warm water with a spoonful of honey and drink it once a day. Add more vinegar the next time you try it and start to increase how often you drink it.
• Studies linking ACV to weight loss suggest you get 2 tablespoons mixed with a cup of water daily.

Consider the following suggestions for best results:

• Choose an unfiltered, unpasteurized, organic apple cider vinegar. These are important factors to get the most benefits and the general vinegars on the shelf will not be this way. You should see the ‘mother’, or grainy, cloudy substance at the bottom of the bottle. This is where you will find all the enzymes and beneficial bacteria. Be sure to buy organic here.
• Have your drink before each meal. You should ideally get an apple cider vinegar drink as soon as you wake up and again before you have dinner. This is because it will help to curb your appetite.
• You can mix with your preferred drink. You may want to avoid coffee, tea and soda because these drinks are already acidic on the stomach (unless you choose herbal, decaf tea) and the vinegar will only add to that, possibly giving you an upset stomach. Caffeine also may affect the cider vinegar absorption.
• You will want to dilute it every time so you don’t hurt your teeth, throat or stomach. The acid can cause trouble if not diluted. You may also choose to use a straw to protect your tooth enamel.

Getting ACV in Your Diet

• There are some things apple cider vinegar goes quite well with, such as a soup. This is particularly true with long cooked soups such as bean or rich, meaty stews. Please note to only add once the soup is cool, so you don’t kill off the good bacteria.
• You can use it for a light salad dressing mixing together with olive oil.
• Another way is to use it with for pickling vegetables.

Safe Use Tips

You can break it up into several times a day, but don’t have more than 2 tablespoons a day. If your stomach starts to burn or you have nausea, cut back on how much ACV you are getting. Try to avoid getting it on an empty stomach.

Apple cider vinegar may interact with some medications such as laxatives, heart, diuretics and diabetes medication. If you take regular medication, ask your doctor if ACV is okay for you.

What to Expect When Taking ACV for Weight Loss

You won’t see a quick and dramatic weight loss on the apple cider vinegar diet. The changes will be slow and permanent. Try to have patience and allow time. You may only see a one pound loss in a month but won’t gain it back. This is true success.

How fast you shed the pounds will depend on other factors, such as exercise, stress, nutrition and genetics. To get the best results, combine ACV with an exercise routine and healthy eating plan.

• Avoid processed foods, unhealthy fats, and skip the fast food.
• Get on your feet and keep moving. Even if it’s just moderate to light exercise a couple of times a week at first, it will help. You will see your metabolism increase. If you don’t have much time, at least get a 20-40-minute walk in every day.
• Try to increase the amount of potassium you get in a day. This will help to reduce your stress and can lower your blood pressure. Some good sources are sweet potatoes, bananas, spinach and avocado.
• Decrease your sugar intake, particularly refined sugar.