Apple Cider Vinegar and Diabetes: A Cure or an Aid?

If you’ve been searching for various remedies to help manage blood glucose levels, you’ve probably come across the suggestion to add apple cider vinegar into your meal plan. But does this so-called natural remedy really work?

It turns out that using vinegar as a treatment for health aliments, such as infections and stomachaches, has been practiced for centuries in cultures throughout the world. But it was a Japanese study that suggested apple cider vinegar may promote weight loss that thrust it into the spotlight for people looking to slim down or better manage their diabetes.

Since then, other researchers have studied this vinegar’s impact on appetite and blood glucose management. “There is some emerging evidence that suggests apple cider vinegar may have certain potential benefits for people with diabetes,” says Susan Weiner, RDN, CDE, author of Diabetes 365: Tips for Living Well. But she adds, “all of the studies in this area are small and have varying results.”

Mona Morstein, ND, author of Master Your Diabetes: A Comprehensive Integrative Approach for Both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, also shared concern regarding the research so far. “Studies done with small groups is always something to be wary of when expanding findings to millions of others,” says Morstein, noting that, at the same time, the results in the studies conducted to date have all been positive.

Apple Cider Vinegar for Diabetes: What Studies Say

Controlling blood sugar is important for people with diabetes, and some research suggests apple cider vinegar may help do the job. According to a study published in the journal Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, consuming vinegar with complex carbohydrates may reduce post-meal blood glucose levels by as much as 20 percent.

Additional research published in July 2013 in the Journal of Functional Foods found that consuming vinegar two times per day with meals may reduce fasting blood glucose levels in those at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. But a review published in August 2016 in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research found vinegar consumption may be more effective in regulating glucose control in individuals with normal glucose tolerance versus those with type 2 diabetes.

Potential Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar for Diabetes

What is it about this vinegar that may be providing these benefits? “Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid, which my slow down the conversion of complex carbs into the bloodstream. In theory, this process would prevent unwanted blood glucose spikes,” Weiner says.

Although there isn’t a clear consensus in the scientific community about what may make acetic acid beneficial, theories include that the component may affect the way carbs are digested, promote muscles’ uptake of glucose, and potentially ramp up B cell insulin secretion, according to a study published in October 2013 in the Journal of Functional Foods.

Nonetheless, those who take drugs that increase the risk of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, should carefully monitor glucose levels when consuming vinegar. “It’s prudent to check blood sugar levels frequently, especially if you take a medicine — like insulin or sulfonlyureas — that has hypoglycemia as a side effect,” says Jill Weisenberger, RDN, CDE, author of Diabetes Weight Loss Week by Week, who is based in Newport News, Virginia.

If you choose to use apple cider vinegar, experts advise that you do so with caution. “It’s worth a try, but only cautiously and responsibly,” Weisenberger says. “It is still important to eat well, not go carb-crazy, and to monitor pre- and postmeal blood sugar levels.” Weiner agrees, noting that apple cider vinegar “is not a cure for diabetes,” nor should it take the place of using medication and following a diabetes-friendly diet and lifestyle.

How to Incorporate Apple Cider Vinegar in Your Diabetes Diet

If you want to give apple cider vinegar a try, make sure you do so in a safe way. “Never drink vinegar straight. It must be diluted in eight ounces of water,” Weisenberger says. You can also incorporate vinegar in your diet by using it as a dressing on salads, a marinade for meats, or tossed with your favorite nonstarchy vegetables.

To see an impact on blood glucose levels, the timing of consuming vinegar is also key. “It should be consumed before or during meals, or before bedtime,” Weiner says.

When choosing an apple cider vinegar, the quality of the product may make a difference as well. Although research on the impact of vinegar on blood glucose levels has not distinguished between the use of filtered or unfiltered vinegar, there may be some benefits to choosing the unfiltered variety. The "mother" portion of vinegar, which is a thick layer produced by bacteria on the surface of vinegar, is removed from filtered vinegar, and according to a study published in February 2015 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, this mother portion can provide additional antioxidant properties.

Regardless of which variety of vinegar you choose, it is most important to discuss any adjustment with your diabetes meal plan with your medical team. Always monitor your blood glucose levels with any dietary change, and discuss with your physician whether adding vinegar to your meal plan is appropriate for you.