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Apple cider vinegar

Also: ACV · cider vinegar

A social-media favourite. A handful of small trials show modest blood sugar and cholesterol changes.

Overall evidence

Evidence level: Limited or early evidence

Few, small, varied trials.

A few small or low-quality studies, inconsistent results, or mostly lab and animal work. Interesting, but not enough to rely on.

Apple cider vinegar
Photo: Veganbaking.net from USA, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-2.0)

What it is

Vinegar made by fermenting apple juice to alcohol and then to acetic acid.

Traditional use

Tradition, not evidence: how cultures use it, not proof that it works.

  • Europe and North America

    Diluted cider vinegar with honey is a folk tonic, and it is used in pickles and dressings.

What the research says

Each claim graded on its own evidence.

  • Apple cider vinegar and blood sugar or cholesterol

    Evidence level: Limited or early evidence

    A 2021 meta-analysis of nine small trials found apple cider vinegar lowered fasting blood sugar, HbA1c and total cholesterol, but not LDL cholesterol, with considerable differences between studies.[1]

In food amounts

A tablespoon or so in a dressing or marinade.

We describe everyday cooking amounts only, never supplement doses.

Safety

Medicines
If you take diabetes medicines, talk to your doctor before taking vinegar regularly for blood sugar.
General
Vinegar is acidic. Never drink it neat: it can irritate the throat and erode tooth enamel. Dilute it and use it in food.

If you take regular medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a baby or someone who is unwell, check with a doctor, pharmacist or midwife before using any food or supplement for a health reason.

Sources

  1. [1] The effect of apple cider vinegar on lipid profiles and glycemic parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (Hadi et al.) — BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 2021

Sources were checked when this entry was written. Research changes; if you spot something out of date, please tell us.

Cook with apple cider vinegar

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