What You Need to Know About Apple Cider Vinegar Weight Loss

"I do vinegar shots. It has to be organic apple cider, unfiltered. Two tablespoons. For some reason I've noticed a difference on my stomach." - Hollywood star Fergie quoted in the Glamour magazine.

"Apple cider vinegar is an old-fashioned remedy that a lot of people don't seem to know about. It's been used for a long time and helps people who have arthritis, dandruff, any colon problems, skin problems and bad breath." - Fergie's trainer Natasha Kufa.

Source: Nine MSN

Apple cider vinegar is being claimed to be the new magical tonic for weight loss and for many other ailments. I have written a few articles here about how to lose weight with apple cider vinegar, and have published a book titled Magical Apple Cider Vinegar: The Ultimate Guide For Weight Loss, Hair Fall and Beautiful Skin.

One of the questions I am often asked is what does the research say about the benefits of apple cider vinegar for weight loss.

I have done extensive reading about apple cider vinegar for my article and for my best-selling book.

Let's look at apple cider vinegar benefits closely and see what it offers for people keen to shed a few pounds.

What is apple cider vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is not to be confused with other vinegars. Apple cider vinegar is not white vinegar found in the kitchen. White vinegar is not know to offer any weight loss benefits like cider vinegar. White vinegar is refined, and may contain chemicals.

Apple cider vinegar known for its weight loss benefits is unpasteurized, unfiltered cider vinegar. This unpasteurized cider vinegar is made with natural process of fermentation and oxygenation, and may taken weeks and months to mature. The mass-produced pasteurized cider vinegar is usually produced in a few days by heating. This is not the cider vinegar recommended for weight loss.

Also, the cider vinegar needs to be unfiltered, which means it should contain the "mother" of vinegar. The mother is the muddy, floating substance that you see in the bottle. The mother has all the enzymes which are said to help our digestion system.

Often, it is recommended to buy organic apple cider vinegar, which is made from locally-grown organic apples. This ensures that there are no harmful chemicals in cider vinegar. Also, the producer has a better control on the quality of apples because they buy from a source closer to their facility.

In 1958,, It was Dr D. C. Jarvis who brought apple cider vinegar to limelight with his book "Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor's Guide to Good Health".

In the book, Dr Jarvis talks about Vermont medicine of aboriginal people and looks at nature's plan to provide natural cure for many ailments.

Since then, apple cider vinegar came to be known as the cure for many ailments, including for weight loss treatment.

There is limited medical research available to substantiate any claims for the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar for weight loss. For example, a 2005 study of 12 people found that those who ate a piece of bread along with small amounts of white vinegar felt fuller and more satisfied than those who just ate the bread. (Source: WebMD)

Apple cider vinegar helps us feel full and thus reduce the quantity of food we eat, thus helping in weight loss.

Cider vinegar also acts as a cleansing agent, and helps in removing toxins from the body. Improved digestion also helps in making sure that we are not storing unnecessary fat in the body.

Finally, apple cider vinegar is said to increase metabolism rate, thus helping us burn more fat, and shed a few pounds in the process.

The limited research available to support the claim that apple cider vinegar helps in weight loss, should not be discouraging.

As with all alternate medicine remedies, research is often limited. This is because there aren't millions of dollars to be earned by selling apple cider vinegar. As such, there's limited funding available for scientific research into the benefits of apple cider vinegar for weight loss and for other ailments.

Second, apple cider vinegar is not a quick fix, and as such, is unlikely to be prescribed by doctors who are often dealing with situations that need immediate relief.

Apple cider vinegar is a natural product, and there are no known side effects. It's use is versatile, as it can be used as a conditioner for hair, as well as for improving blood glucose level. A 2007 study showed that drinking apple cider vinegar every day lowered the blood glucose level among people at the risk of type 2 diabetes.

While various studies have been preliminary, the outcomes of these research projects have been positive.

With my articles, I have received feedback from many readers who have benefited from apple cider vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar is not a recent discovery. Man has been drinking apple cider vinegar for thousands of years.

There seems to be merit in the age-old wisdom behind the tradition of drinking apple cider vinegar.