Fact vs. Fiction: The Truth About Apple Cider Vinegar’s Impact on Your Health

I’ve got apple cider vinegar on the brain. You might, too, if you’ve watched Netflix’s latest series, Apple Cider Vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar has gained a lot of clout in the wellness and home spaces — some of which is earned, some not. It’s not a cure-all hack to fix illnesses or control your high blood pressure. That said, it’s not snake oil either; there are some real benefits that shouldn’t be discounted. Many people use apple cider vinegar as a home remedy for heartburn during pregnancy or tea to ease a sore throat. There are benefits beyond cleaning your kitchen, cooking or trapping fruit flies in your home. That said, some of the hype it’s gotten online has muddied the waters for what apple cider vinegar can really do for your health.
I like to think of apple cider vinegar as a tool to supplement your wellness journey, not solve all your problems. Let’s explore the areas where its health benefits may have been exaggerated.
It doesn’t cure cancer
If you have watched Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix, you probably know where I’m going with this. But apple cider vinegar will not cure or prevent cancer cells — no matter what influencers may say on the internet.
Unlike other kinds of vinegar, apple cider vinegar reduces acidity in the body, which is why some say it can help treat cancer, which was once said to have been caused by high acidity. This belief isn’t entirely unfounded: One study did find that cancer cells were more aggressive in an acidic environment. However, the majority of the research around apple cider vinegar and cancer uses tissue samples or animal studies. We don’t know if it’s the acidity or something else.
Even if the theory stands that making the body less acidic would prevent cancer, the body has its own process for maintaining pH. More research is needed to determine if there is any tangible evidence that apple cider vinegar can treat cancer. But in the meantime, we know it’s not a replacement for medication and treatments doctors recommend.
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It’s not a miracle worker for weight loss
One of the most popular reasons people use apple cider vinegar for their wellness is for weight management. There have been animal and human studies on apple cider vinegar and its acetic acid for weight loss. A 2009 trial of 175 people is the most quoted study about vinegar and weight loss. For three months, participants drank a drink with zero, one or two tablespoons of vinegar each day. At the end of the three months, those who consumed the vinegar lost between 2 and 4 pounds and had lower triglyceride levels than the placebo group. While this study may suggest some connection between vinegar and weight loss, the small sample size and short period aren’t enough to draw any direct conclusions. A different study suggests that the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar promotes feelings of fullness.
Yes, there’s more research suggesting that apple cider vinegar can help you lose weight, and it might have a moderate effect. However, we can’t tease out the other facets of health and weight loss (like a calorie-deficient diet) from apple cider vinegar’s effects. It won’t hurt you to add it to your diet, but it’s important to remember that it isn’t a replacement for a healthy diet and the recommended 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week.
Read more: Trimming Down? Avoid These 6 Weight Loss Mindsets for Better Results
It won’t make your high blood pressure go away
There are claims that apple cider vinegar can lower blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels. In theory, this makes sense. Hypertension (high blood pressure) occurs when the force of your blood pushing against your blood vessels is consistently too high, and your heart has to work harder to pump blood. Prolonged stress on the heart can lead to heart attack or stroke. It would be great if drinking apple cider vinegar could drop your blood pressure to the normal range (less than 120/80) to avoid lifestyle changes like exercising, lowering your sodium levels and quitting smoking. But does it really work that way?
Unfortunately, there’s just not enough research to support this claim. The studies we have are older and are limited to animals. A 2022 systematic review of research points to some effects of vinegar on blood pressure, though it doesn’t specifically examine apple cider vinegar.