A condiment with a tangy flavor and pungent smell, Apple cider vinegar is a must in the kitchen. Its richness in active ingredients gives it medicinal virtues, exploited by Man since immemorial. This low-calorie ingredient could also be a slimming ally. Â
Apple Cider Vinegar, A Fermented Product Rich In Acetic Acid
Apple cider vinegar is a drink obtained by a manufacturing process in two stages. First, Saccharomyces yeasts ferment apple juice and transform the sugars naturally present in the fruit into alcohol. Bacteria of the genus Acetobacter then convert the alcohol into acetic acid. This volatile organic acid gives the product its acidic taste and characteristic odor.
Ingestion Of Vinegar Increases Blood Acetate Concentration
Apple cider vinegar contains 5 to 6% acetic acid. The blood concentration of this compound increases rapidly after ingestion of vinegar. The administration of 100 vinegar to healthy people causes a peak in blood acetic acid after 15 minutes, which reaches 350µmol/L. The presence of this compound in the body, which is part of the short-chain fatty acid family, largely contributes to the health benefits of this food.
 It is added to internal production by beneficial bacteria in the intestinal microbiota. A condiment with a tangy flavor and pungent smell, cider vinegar is a must in the kitchen. Its richness in active ingredients gives it medicinal virtues, exploited by Man since immemorial. This low-calorie ingredient could also be a slimming ally. Â
Apple Cider Vinegar, A Fermented Product Rich In Acetic Acid
Apple cider vinegar is a drink obtained by a manufacturing process in two stages. First, Saccharomyces yeasts ferment apple juice and transform the sugars naturally present in the fruit into alcohol. Bacteria of the genus Acetobacter then convert the alcohol into acetic acid. This volatile organic acid gives the product its acidic taste and characteristic odour. Ingestion of vinegar increases blood acetate concentration.
Apple cider vinegar contains 5 to 6% acetic acid. The blood concentration of this compound increases rapidly after ingestion of vinegar. The administration of 100 vinegar to healthy people causes a peak in blood acetic acid after 15 minutes, which reaches 350µmol/L. The presence of this compound in the body, which is part of the short-chain fatty acid family, largely contributes to the health benefits of this food. It is added to internal production by beneficial bacteria in the intestinal microbiota.
Acetic Acid May Regulate Brain Circuits That Control Appetite
Acetate can pass through the protective membrane of the brain. In mice, administration of this compound into the intraperitoneal cavity, the space that contains the digestive organs, causes activation of certain areas of the hypothalamus. This region of the brain controls hunger and the presence of acetate results in appetite suppression.
The Stomach Empties More Slowly In The Presence Of Vinegar
The reduction in the feeling of hunger obtained thanks to apple cider vinegar could also be explained by its tendency to delay gastric emptying. As the stomach’s contents remain in place longer, satiety signals are emitted more lastingly. Vinegar should be avoided in cases of lazy stomach syndrome (gastroparesis), where gastric emptying is difficult. This situation is sometimes caused by diabetes, in which case consuming apple cider vinegar can make blood sugar control more difficult.
Tolerance And Satiating Effect Of Cider Vinegar
Some researchers hypothesize that the appetite-suppressant effect of vinegar is linked to its poor oral tolerance. Causing an unpleasant feeling of nausea would encourage people to stop eating food.
Action At The Level Of Genes Regulating Fat Metabolism
Vinegar also appears able to oppose the accumulation of fats in the body by modulating genetic expression. A study carried out in animals demonstrated its ability to reduce the activity of genes involved in fat production in the liver. Excess hepatic lipids promote the development of insulin resistance, the first step towards type 2 diabetes. At the same time, acetic acid appears able to increase the expression of genes, ensuring the production of enzymes involved in the breakdown of fats, such as acetyl-coenzyme A oxidase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1.
The Effects Of Vinegar On The Glycemic Load Of Foods
Vinegar also helps moderate the increase in blood sugar levels following a meal containing foods with a high glycemic index, as shown in a study on 11 healthy men. They ate a snack made from a bagel, a small ring-shaped bread, and fruit juice with a high glycemic index of 81, with or without vinegar.Â
The addition of vinegar limited the rise in blood glucose levels one hour after the meal. In addition, apple cider vinegar reduced the number of calories ingested during the day by 200 to 275. An analysis of 11 studies devoted to this subject confirmed the ability of vinegar to reduce blood sugar levels after meals and insulin production. This hypoglycemic effect is directly linked to its acid content. When neutralized with baking soda, vinegar loses its effectiveness.
Acetic Acid Reduces The Activity Of Digestive Enzymes
To better understand the hypoglycemic properties of apple cider vinegar, a Japanese research team studied the effect of acetic acid on glucose transport and the activity of several digestive enzymes. These enzymes, responsible for cutting molecules to allow their assimilation, are very sensitive to acidity. The researchers did not see any variation in glucose transport functions.Â
On the other hand, they demonstrated a significant decrease in the activity of several enzymes of the disaccharidase family: sucrase, maltase, trehalase and lactase. The latter is specifically responsible for the digestion of sugars and their slowing down by acetic acid, therefore explaining a more gradual increase in blood sugar in the presence of cider vinegar.
A Drizzle Of Vinegar To Lower The Glycemic Load Of Starchy Foods
These properties of vinegar can be used to lower the glycemic index of foods. Boiled potatoes served cold and topped with vinegar have a much more modest effect on blood sugar levels. Vinegar consumption should not be too far from the meal to obtain the best benefits. A study has shown that its effects are more evident when ingested during it than 5 hours before. Commercially available vinegar-based tablets, however, do not have such a favorable impact on blood sugar levels.
The Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar For Type 2 Diabetes
This improvement in blood sugar control is an asset for preventing or fighting type 2 diabetes. In people at high risk of developing this metabolic disorder, consuming vinegar for 12 weeks reduces fasting blood sugar levels. A study carried out over eight weeks in patients who developed the disease showed a reduction in fasting glucose level of 7% thanks to the consumption of 20 ml of cider vinegar per day, while it increased by 12% in the control group. However, taking vinegar can cause unpleasant symptoms in some people, such as belching, flatulence or acid reflux.
Consume Apple Cider Vinegar Daily
It should be selected carefully to get the most out of apple cider vinegar. It is preferable to opt for an unpasteurized artisanal product from organic farming. Certified organic cider vinegar presents greater microbial diversity than its equivalents from conventional agriculture, which could have a favorable impact on its effects.
In terms of taste, cider vinegar goes well with rapeseed oil, an exciting fat in salad dressing, because it is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 beneficial for our health and uncommon in food. Eating pickles, small vegetables marinated in cider vinegar, is a complementary way to benefit from its virtues. This is also the case for chutneys, sweet and sour sauces made from fruits, vegetables, spices and vinegar.
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