Apple Cider Vinegar Is Not the Dream Elixir
Apple cider vinegar has been a versatile herbal remedy for decades, touted as a disinfectant, a natural way to restore skin and hair, and a superfood with all kinds of benefits. Science has supported some of these goals for vinegar in general, but the observed results are pretty impressive.
Don’t expect apple cider vinegar to do anything for your skin and hair
Several natural living and homeopathic cosmetics sites tout the benefits of apple cider vinegar for rejuvenating the appearance of skin and hair. Some people with a medical background recommend it. “I have personally incorporated apple cider vinegar into my daily diet and skin care routine and have seen first-hand the benefits of it,” says Rebecca Lee, RN and founder of the natural health website RemediesForMe.com . But there is no definitive research on how well apple cider vinegar performs at cleansing skin and hair.
Cosmetologist Randy Schueler is skeptical. “The benefits of apple cider vinegar for hair or skin have been largely exaggerated,” he says. “Vinegar has a low pH level that doesn’t hurt, but other than helping to remove mineral deposits, vinegar doesn’t really do any good.” And the idea that it makes hair shinier is, he says, “just a myth.”
Vinegar Kills Bacteria, But Does Not Replace Lysol
Vinegar has been used as a disinfectant since the time of Hippocrates, the Greek grandfather of medicine, who prescribed it for ulcers and ulcers. This material does kill bacteria, making it a great choice for washing salad .
But it’s been a long time since vinegar was your best germ killer for most purposes. For example, in one study, chemical disinfectants like Clorox and Lysol easily outperformed vinegar in reducing pathogens. Healthcare professionals generally agree that modern chemicals are better at cleaning wounds and fighting infections.
This is not a miracle tonic for weight loss
If you’re a mouse, good news: experiments have shown that vinegar helps mice burn fat and suppresses their appetite (by making them nauseous).
There is one major study of the effects of vinegar on humans published in 2009 by Japanese researchers . Subjects deemed “obese” by Japanese standards (no less stringent standards for the country that invented Denny’s Grand Slam ) were divided into three groups and received a drink containing one tablespoon of vinegar, two tablespoons of vinegar, or a placebo. All people who drank vinegar lost more weight than those who drank a placebo.
How much weight? Just two to three pounds in 12 weeks . So even if it helps, we are not looking for the secret to serious weight loss.
Adding vinegar to food has also been shown to reduce a person’s glycemic response to that food , making it a useful tool in the fight against diabetes. You can take advantage of this by using avinegar-based salad dressing or adding a Japanese vinegar ingredient such as vinegar or pickled vegetables to your rice . It was also shown that vinegar limiting reaction of sugar in the blood after a meal in people with type 2 diabetes .
“Everyone has an explanation of how it works,” says David Groener, MD, NYC Surgical Associates. The exact mechanism is not exactly known, but the vinegar properties and antioxidants that apple cider vinegar provide are known to absorb or counterbalance the effects of sugar, he says.
So some science supports the apple cider vinegar folklore, but there is no reason to worry about it as much asDr. Ax . Also, doctors warn that vinegar has its drawbacks. Its acidic properties can damage teeth, damage throat, cause indigestion, and lower potassium levels.
And it tastes like vinegar.