Can Apple Cider Vinegar Help Support Gut Health?

In recent years, apple cider vinegar has caught the attention of wellness influencers and naturopaths. If you've been tempted by its potential health benefits, you might be wondering if it actually lives up to the hype.

There's been some research backing apple cider vinegar's benefits for digestion and blood sugar control. But how strong is the science? Here's what a dietitian has to say.

How It's Made

Apple cider vinegar is fermented through a process that converts apple juice into a liquid rich in acetic acid. That's what gives it the distinct smell and taste.

Fermentation starts by adding yeast to apple juice. Once the sugar turns the mixture into alcohol, acetic acid bacteria gets added back in for apple cider vinegar to take its final form.

Unlike other vinegars, apple cider vinegar still contains "good" bacteria after it's been distilled, says Yaffi Lvova, a registered dietitian nutritionist with Banner Health.

That's the whole thing. It's got probiotics that other vinegars don't.

What It Actually Does

Wellness communities have been raving about apple cider vinegar's potential benefits for digestion, weight loss, blood sugar control, and reducing inflammation.

There's been some research to back these claims, but Lvova warns apple cider vinegar shouldn't be seen as a cure-all for health. Consuming it might help support a few bodily functions. But evidence showing a direct link to the vinegar's purported benefits is still limited.

If you want apple cider vinegar that contains the prebiotics that may help feed your gut bacteria, buy it raw and unfiltered. You'll notice cloudy looking material at the bottom of the jar.

Before consuming, if you want to remove these clumps, filter it through a cheese cloth as you pour it out, Lvova recommends.

That cloudy stuff at the bottom is where the good bacteria lives. Don't buy the clear, filtered version if you're trying to get gut health benefits.

Don't Drink It Straight

Many people take undiluted apple cider vinegar shots for health. But "you don't want to drink it straight," Lvova says. Over time, it could "really damage your esophagus, and potentially your intestines as well."

So those wellness influencers chugging straight apple cider vinegar shots are potentially damaging their esophagus.

If you want the possible benefits of consuming apple cider vinegar, the easiest way is using it in salad dressing. "It's very, very easy to make a vinaigrette that is delicious and inexpensive." Try mixing one part vinegar, one part oil, a pinch of salt and seasonings of your choice, Lvova recommends.

What You Need to Know

Apple cider vinegar has some science backing its benefits for digestion and blood sugar control. But the evidence is limited. It's not a cure-all despite what influencers claim.

It's made through fermentation that creates acetic acid and keeps live active cultures intact. Unlike most vinegars, it still has "good" bacteria after distilling.

If you want gut health benefits, buy it raw and unfiltered. That cloudy stuff at the bottom is the prebiotics.

Don't drink it straight; it can damage your esophagus and intestines. All those undiluted shot videos? Bad idea. Use it in salad dressing instead. One part vinegar, one part oil, salt, seasonings.

Bottom Line

Does apple cider vinegar help gut health? Maybe a little if you use it right. Is it the miracle product influencers claim? No.

It's vinegar with some probiotics. Put it on salad. Don't chug it. And, don't expect miracles. That's the reality.

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