6 Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar, Backed by Science

Apple cider vinegar is a popular home remedy. People have used it for centuries in cooking and medicine.
Many people claim it can relieve a wide range of health complaints, but you may wonder what the research says.
Apple cider vinegar has various healthful properties, including antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. What’s more, evidence suggests it may offer health benefits, such as aiding weight loss, reducing cholesterol, lowering blood sugar levels, and improving the symptoms of diabetes.
However, little research exists, and further studies are needed before it can be recommended as an alternative therapy.

1. High in healthful substances

Apple cider vinegar is made via a two-step process (1).

First, the manufacturer exposes crushed apples to yeast, which ferments the sugars and turns them into alcohol. Next, they add bacteria to further ferment the alcohol, turning it into acetic acid — the main active compound in vinegar.

Acetic acid gives vinegar its strong sour smell and flavor. Researchers believe this acid is responsible for apple cider vinegar’s health benefits. Cider vinegars are 5–6% acetic acid (2Trusted Source, 3).

Organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar also contains a substance called mother, which consists of strands of proteins, enzymes, and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky appearance.

Some people believe that the mother is responsible for most of its health benefits, although there are currently no studies to support this.

While apple cider vinegar does not contain many vitamins or minerals, it offers a small amount of potassium. Good quality brands also contain some amino acids and antioxidants.

SUMMARY

Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting the sugar from apples. This turns them into acetic acid, which is a main active ingredient in vinegar and may be responsible for its health benefits.

2. Can help kill harmful bacteria

Vinegar can help kill pathogens, including bacteria (4Trusted Source).

People have traditionally used vinegar for cleaning and disinfecting, treating nail fungus, lice, warts, and ear infections.

Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used vinegar to clean wounds more than 2,000 years ago.

Vinegar is also a food preservative, and studies show that it inhibits bacteria like E. coli from growing in and spoiling food (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).

If you’re looking for a natural way to preserve your food, apple cider vinegar could help.

Anecdotal reports also suggest that diluted apple cider vinegar could help with acne when applied to the skin, but there doesn’t seem to be any strong research to confirm this.

SUMMARY

The main substance in vinegar — acetic acid — can kill harmful bacteria or prevent them from multiplying. It has a history of use as a disinfectant and natural preservative.

3. May help lower blood sugar levels and manage diabetes

To date, one of the most convincing applications of vinegar is helping treat type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by high blood sugar levels caused by insulin resistance or the inability to produce insulin (7Trusted Source).

However, people without diabetes can also benefit from keeping their blood sugar levels in the normal range, as some researchers believe that high blood sugar levels are a major cause of aging and various chronic diseases.

The most effective and healthiest way to regulate blood sugar levels is to avoid refined carbs and sugar, but apple cider vinegar may also have a beneficial effect.

Research suggests that vinegar offers the following benefits for blood sugar and insulin levels:

A small study suggests vinegar may improve insulin sensitivity by 19–34% during a high carb meal and significantly lower blood sugar and insulin response (8).

In a small study in 5 healthy people, vinegar reduced blood sugar by 31.4% after eating 50 grams of white bread (9Trusted Source).

A small study in people with diabetes reported that consuming 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bedtime reduced fasting blood sugar by 4% the following morning (10).

Numerous other studies in humans show that vinegar can improve insulin function and lower blood sugar levels after meals (11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source).

The National Centers for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says it’s very important that people do not replace medical treatment with unproven health products (13Trusted Source).

If you’re currently taking blood-sugar-lowering medications, check with your healthcare provider before increasing your intake of any type of vinegar.

SUMMARY

Apple cider vinegar has shown great promise in improving insulin sensitivity and helping lower blood sugar responses after meals.