If that isn’t enough, apple cider vinegar is also very good at helping you lose weight faster. While not a standalone diet – calorie reduction and exercise are also very important – ACV can extend the efforts you’re already making and help you see progress sooner.

The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar has been linked to this incredible weight loss effect. Want to know how it works?

Here are the 7 real reasons you can count on apple cider vinegar to help you slim down and improve your all-around health.

1. It Burns Fat And Reduces Stored Fat

For one thing, acetic acid helps you burn fat. But even better, it reduces the body’s tendency to store fat at all. In rat and mouse studies, acetic acid was found to activate the genes that reduce belly and liver fat storage. Further studies in humans have supported this result.

One human study out of Japan found that participants who ingested either one or two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar every day all lost weight as well as had a reduction in body fat percentage, waist circumference, and triglyceride levels.

The participants who were given two tablespoons fared better than those who took just one, while those on a placebo were found to have gained a few pounds on average.

1. It Suppresses Appetite

We all know that cravings are diet-killers. Your brain can be quite persuasive when it comes to eating food rich in fat and sugar. But taking some apple cider vinegar with meals can suppress the centers in your brain that control appetite. Imagine dieting without the constant mind-over-matter struggle!

Another way it helps is by slowing the rate at which food leaves your stomach. That means you will feel full longer and be better able to resist the urge to eat between meals. Studies have shown that people who take ACV with their meals eat about 200-275 fewer calories throughout the day than people who don’t.

1. It Improves Metabolism

Metabolism is one of the most commonly misunderstood functions of the body. It describes the collection of functions the body must perform to sustain life. Digestion, by which food is converted into fuel, is just one of those functions. However, the higher your metabolism, the more calories your body burns and the easier it can be to lose weight.

Once again, it is the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar that researchers think is responsible for higher metabolic rates. Most studies on ACV and metabolism have been on rats, but the results are interesting.

Rats who took acetic acid in the course of these studies had a higher production of the enzyme AMPK. Humans also produce AMPK to burn fat as well as limit development of fat and sugar in their livers.

1. It Makes Food Safer

When you’re on a diet, chances are you’ll be adding a lot of chicken, seafood, and fresh produce to your diet. Unfortunately, these foods all top the list of the most recalled food products.

They may be easily contaminated with food borne germs such as salmonella, listeria, or E. coli. We all know that once you’ve been made sick by a particular food, your willingness to eat it again goes way down.

Apple cider vinegar can kill the bacteria that cause food poisoning. Certain studies have shown that vinegar may reduce the level of bacteria on food by 90% and eliminate 95% of some viruses. Of course, you still need to observe food recalls and to wash all produce carefully. Remember, throwing up for days may make you skinnier, but it won’t make you healthier, and that’s really what you’re going for.

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1. It Lowers Cholesterol

Apple cider vinegar provides other benefits that may help you keep your motivation up while dieting. One is that it reduces bad LDL cholesterol and raises good HDL cholesterol at the same time. It has also been shown to improve dangerous triglyceride levels. Studies in both healthy and diabetic rats and mice have made this conclusion.

People who are overweight do have an increased risk of high cholesterol, though it strikes people of normal weight, too. Anyone who wants better health should consider an apple cider vinegar regimen, but people who are actively trying to lose weight will be glad to know that they are killing several birds with one stone.

1. It Lowers Blood Pressure

In that same vein, animal studies have also found that apple cider vinegar inhibits the enzyme responsible for constricting blood vessels, so taking it regularly can lower your blood pressure. Honestly, apple cider vinegar along with your chosen weight loss plan has a synergistic effect on all your other efforts.

For example, hypertension makes your heart work harder, even at rest. You need to exercise to lose weight, but you also need to be gentle on a heart under strain. ACV can help you lose weight, which already relieves a burden on the heart, plus lower dangerous blood pressure. That can put you in a good place to increase your workout intensity.

1. It Improves Blood Sugar And Insulin Use

Blood sugar and weight loss are linked in a vicious cycle. When you gain weight, your risk for type 2 diabetes increases because the extra pounds are associated with insulin resistance. Once you have insulin resistance, it becomes very difficult to shed the extra pounds. However, losing weight is what you must do to reduce the chances of getting full blown diabetes. 

Adding apple cider vinegar to your meals lowers blood sugar and insulin levels typically generated by the carbohydrates in food. Studies have been done with people who already have type 2 diabetes and the results were impressive – when participants took ACV with meals their insulin sensitivity was improved by up to 34%.

Diabetics who drank some apple cider vinegar with a high-protein snack in the evening had a two-fold decrease in their fasting blood sugar.

Yep, apple cider vinegar is an amazing product with a ton of health benefits. Having an easier time losing weight is just one of them; you can improve blood pressure, cholesterol, and insulin sensitivity as well as reduce your risk for some scary diseases like cancer. And if you have any left, you can clear up fungal infections of the skin and disinfect the surfaces in your home.

A good amount in general is two tablespoons per day, and the benefits seem greater if you take them with a meal. One word of caution is for people who already have diabetes and take medication to manage it, and those with low potassium levels or a history of blood clots.

In these cases, ask your doctor before beginning an apple cider vinegar regimen. Otherwise, what are you waiting for? Get your ACV on!