Once considered a “peasant vinegar”, apple cider vinegar is now one of the most fashionable of ‘superfoods’, billed as a panacea to all manner of life’s ills – and no doubt playing a leading role in many a new year resolution. But is it worth the hype?
“Most people also say that they want to eat better in the new year. But how?” asks Dr Vincent, food scientist, clinical nutritionist and founder of health and wellness brand, Renovatio. “One solid action you can put into place is to take a bit of apple cider vinegar every day.”
Vinegar has been used for pickling, for preservation, for flavouring, and for medicinal purposes for at least 7,000 years. Legend has it that a courtier in Babylon around 5,000 BC discovered wine formed from a forgotten batch of grape juice, leading to the creation of vinegar, while Hippocrates in the 5th century BC used vinegar to treat wounds. Hannibal of Carthage was said to use boiling vinegar to help crack rocks blocking his army’s progression, and Cleopatra used it to make a love potion from dissolved pearls.
But the first reliable documentation of both apple cider and apple cider vinegar, according to Reginald Smith, author of The Eternal Condiment, came with the Norman conquest of Britain in 1066. Centuries later, the concoction made its way across the Atlantic where, for many years, it was considered “peasant vinegar” writes Smith, unlike “high-class” malt vinegar which had to be imported. Possibly the first to realise the potential health benefits of apple cider vinegar was US physician Dr DC Jarvis in his 1959 book, Folk Medicine. Since then, there have been numerous studies to varying degrees of success.
Acetic acid is the main component of the vinegar, formed by the sugars created through the fermenting process, and is believed to be behind many of its health benefits. Research published by BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies in 2021 found that apple cider vinegar lowered blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, while other studies have shown it to help with weight loss, reducing body fat, treating heartburn, and improving blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It even kills pathogens (“So you can use it to clean your fruits and vegetables like salad leaves before consuming them,” says Dr Vincent), and may help soothe skin conditions such as eczema. But it’s not just physical effects, other research has found that the vinegar may have potential for helping treat mental health issues like depression, too.
Though, it should also be noted that apple cider vinegar’s ability to lower blood sugars could be problematic for diabetics who use insulin, and it should also be avoided by those suffering with gastroparesis, where food passes through the stomach slower than it should. Anyone on prescription medicine should consult their GP before incorporating apple cider vinegar into their diet also.
And as for the best way of consuming it? Up to two tablespoons is generally the agreed-upon dosage, usually diluted in water, fruit juice or tea. It’s also a popular addition to salad dressings and vinaigrettes. (Those looking to treat hair or skin conditions should add a cupful to their bathwater).
However you choose to consume apple cider vinegar, Dr Vincent recommends working the dosage into your daily routine to maximise its benefits, so as “you welcome in the new year, may you look forward to a year of better health!”
