Does Vinegar Help with Weight Loss?

Introduction

Apple cider vinegar has many health benefits. In a previous article I discussed the role that apple cider vinegar can play in diabetes management. Apple cider vinegar may also help with weight loss. Although there are not many studies on this topic, scientists believe they know the mechanism through which vinegar can help with weight loss. This article will discuss the role of vinegar in weight loss, with a focus on the effect it can have on how fast food moves through the stomach.

Vinegar Can Delay Gastric Emptying

One reason that apple cider vinegar may reduce blood sugar spikes in people with diabetes has to do with the effect that vinegar has on gastric emptying (how quickly food leaves the stomach) (1). Slower gastric emptying would keep someone full longer and also decrease blood sugar spikes. A study giving subjects fiber found delayed gastric emptying and subsequent higher levels of satiety (2).  

Vinegar and Weight Loss

Scientists gave subjects a meal containing only bread or a meal containing bread and vinegar and measured satiety levels after the meal (3). Those in the bread and vinegar group reported higher levels of satiety than the bread group, amounting to a two fold increase in satiety. Higher levels of vinegar were associated with greater satiety. The amount of vinegar used in the study was 30 mL. A similar study also found that adding vinegar to a starchy meal resulted in delayed gastric emptying (4).

Vinegar and Weight Loss- Animal Studies

Most animal studies have shown that vinegar can help with weight loss and prevent weight gain. A study using healthy and obese rats found that giving vinegar daily for a few weeks reduced total weight gain and average daily weight gain (5).

Summary

• Vinegar may help with weight loss by reducing the rate at which food moves through the stomach, leading to longer feelings of being full.
• Human studies have shown that taking 30 mL of vinegar with bread leads to higher levels of satiety compared to eating only bread.
• Studies using rats have found that giving vinegar daily for a few weeks leads to higher weight loss than in the control group.

Sources

1. Kohn, J. B. (2015). Is vinegar an effective treatment for glycemic control or weight Loss?. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 115(7), 1188.
2. Bergmann, J. F., Chassany, O., Petit, A., Triki, R., Caulin, C., & Segrestaa, J. M. (1992). Correlation between echographic gastric emptying and appetite: influence of psyllium. Gut, 33(8), 1042-1043.
3. Östman, E., Granfeldt, Y., Persson, L., & Björck, I. (2005). Vinegar supplementation lowers glucose and insulin responses and increases satiety after a bread meal in healthy subjects. European journal of clinical nutrition, 59(9), 983.
4. Liljeberg, H., & Björck, I. (1998). Delayed gastric emptying rate may explain improved glycaemia in healthy subjects to a starchy meal with added vinegar. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 52(5), 368.
5. de Dios Lozano, J., Juárez-Flores, B. I., Pinos-Rodríguez, J. M., Aguirre-Rivera, J. R., & Álvarez-Fuentes, G. (2012). Supplementary effects of vinegar on body weight and blood metabolites in healthy rats fed conventional diets and obese rats fed high-caloric diets. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 6(24), 4135-4141.