Are you looking for an organic, natural way to safely lose weight? Apple cider vinegar is creating all the buzz online, but let’s see how it fares against scientifically-proven weight loss systems like our 21-day body makeover program.
We’ve heard about apple cider vinegar as the new magic potion for fast weight loss. This solution that has been used for thousands of years as a form of medicine shot to fame recently, hailed by celebrities as the secret to their gorgeous bodies.
But what exactly is this liquid and what makes it so effective in making you shed the pounds?
What is Apple Cider Vinegar
Basically, apple cider vinegar is fermented apple juice. To make ACV, you have to crush an apple, extract the juices, add yeast to the juice to turn the sugar in it into alcohol. Then, add bacteria to ferment that alcohol into vinegar.
It takes about a month to fully ferment apple juice into apple cider vinegar. But the high demand for this condiment pushed ACV producers to come up with ways to speed up the fermentation process. Now, they can do it in just one day.
ACV’s magic component: Acetic acid
The bacteria used for fermentation is called “the mother”. The kind of ACV with “the mother” still in it is actually thought to be more preferable (better quality) than without.
The fermentation process produces acetic acid in apple cider vinegar. This fatty acid is what gives ACV its strong odor and sour taste. Acetic acid makes up 5 to 6 percent of apple cider vinegar and has a lot of weight loss related benefits. This includes:
- Decrease blood sugar level
- Lowering bad cholesterol
- Pulls down blood pressure
- Slowing down “stomach emptying”, which makes you feel full for longer
- Giving your immune system a boost
- Makes skin better (eliminating acne)
- Improving digestion and gut health by adding good bacteria
- Acting as antioxidant
It’s also known to help with PCOS and is a natural way to combat diabetes by increasing sensitivity to insulin.
Apple Cider Vinegar Diet
Because of these health benefits, people have taken to splashing apple cider vinegar in their drinks and food. The apple cider vinegar isn’t exactly a diet with specific food guidelines. Basically, you would add a couple tablespoons to a drink or some food once a day.
People also swear by ACV as a good detox drink. To make it, simply dissolve ACV in 8oz of water and add a sweetener like honey or an artificial one. You can also add other detox-friendly ingredients like lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and ginger to give your drink a stronger antioxidant punch.
One health blogger documented her results when she tried the apple cider vinegar diet. Neither did her weight decrease nor her appetite subside.
Scientifically speaking…
While the apple cider vinegar diet is backed by endless stories of successful weight loss, scientific data proving its effectivity in humans is actually very lacking. Most of the research is on animals, and the studies on humans use a sample size that’s too small for the results to be conclusive, although they show a lot of promise.
There’s a study conducted in Japan in 2009 that showed weight loss in animals. Another study dealt with 144 Japanese people, all adults, and had them consume 1 tbsp of ACV, 2 tbsp or ACV, or a placebo for 12 weeks.
The groups who consumed 1tbsp and 2tbsp of ACV lost 1.2kg and 1.7kg and 26% less triglycerides respectively, while the group that got the placebo actually gained 0.4kg. The ACV groups also lost a fair amount of body fat percentage and waist circumference.
This study is by far the largest among human ACV weight loss studies, but we can hardly take this single research as conclusive truth. On the other hand, our 21-day organic full body cleanse harnesses the power of green tea, which has ample scientific evidence about its weight loss effects among other myriad health benefits.
Things to watch out for
Before everyone jumps onto the bandwagon, let’s not forget that ACV is actually acidic. While it is generally safe to consume, you can’t simply down a bottle a day in the hopes of hastening the weight loss effects.
The recommended volume is less than 2tbsp (30ml) per day. To be on the safe side, start with 1tbsp and increase your intake as you get used to it. There’s a woman who took 250ml of ACV every day for 6 years. She had to be brought to the hospital due to very low potassium levels.
First, it’s acidic nature means taking it in a concentrated state will eat away at your teeth’s enamel. This is why you need to mix it in with water or in food. If you’re suffering from stomach acidity or acid reflux problem, best give this a pass and avoid aggravating your condition.
Another thing, avoid taking ACV before doing strenuous physical activities like going for a jog. One health blogger made the mistake of downing her ACV-water mixture before her morning run and experienced throat burn.
If you’re trying to lose weight to eliminate your diabetes and you’re taking insulin, apple cider vinegar might have adverse effects when mixed with your medication so better ask your doctor first before embarking on this diet.
Should you do it?
Evidence from people’s experience on the diet indeed shows a lot of promise. However, scientific research about apple cider vinegar’s safety and effects leave a lot of room for more concrete results. Basically, no one’s sure yet whether or not prolonged consistent consumption of ACV is safe. This means you can try it out, but with caution.
Now, if you want to start your weight loss journey right away but want to do it in a safe and holistic way, detoxing is the best way to begin. Instead of just adding another element (like mixing in ACV to everything) to your diet and hoping for the best, you need to unlearn old unhealthy habits and establish new ones in order to maintain your weight loss. Our 21-day organic full body cleanse program is precisely the right duration for habit-building!
This organic full body detox program will “wipe the slate clean” so to speak, resetting your palate to get rid of your tastes for unhealthy food. Our supplements and shakes are all professional-grade and our formulas are based on scientific research. Because we believe in a holistic approach to weight loss, our program includes 10 free easy-to-follow exercise videos to help you sweat out toxins, 2 fitness ebooks to get you in the right weight loss mindset, healthy meal recipes in ebook and video format, and access to expert support 7 days a week should you need more guidance!
There’s really no other program out there that offers this kind of value. We designed it to help you take control of every aspect of your weight loss journey, no guessing games, no hearsays. One click and you’re on your way to better health and a better body! So what are you waiting for?
Related Topic: Supercharge Your Cleanse with the Keto Diet!
