Apple Cider Vinegar - Magic Diet Elixir or Just A Bunch of Sour Apples?

Back in my college days a friend of mine was freaking out because he had been spending much time with his face in the bong and found out he'd have to take a drug test for pretty lucrative job opportunity. I'll be honest with you, as this was pre-Internet, I have no earthly idea where I had heard this, but I told him:

"Dude, drink vinegar, I heard vinegar will make you pass a drug test."
He took a quick sip out a bottle of wine vinegar and spit it out. "C'mon you've got to drink it, you want that job don't you."
"Yes"
"I know, why don't you just do it like a shot. You'll barely taste it." So he grabbed a shot glass out of the cabinet, poured himself a shot of the vinegar, toasted me, did the shot and proceeded to vomit tuna fish salad sandwich all over the kitchen and I proceeded to laugh my ass off. I think he did pass that test, but it certainly wasn't from the vinegar.

A few years later I caught a friend of mine at a party tippling from not a bottle of booze, but a bottle vinegar I had on the top of my fridge. "What the hell are you doing? Gross!"
"I love it."
"Blech." I just figured it was a weird dietary quirk, like Pica where people eat dirt.

Years later I was waiting in line at the grocery store and I picked up one of those mini books they always have next to the scrolled horoscopes "Magic Vinegar Secrets" or something of that ilk it relayed all these curative powers of apple cider vinegar everything from gout to fat ass. I didn't buy the book, but my interest was piqued and I did a little research about the apple cider vinegar (ACV) and weight loss.

As I found, people who love ACV LOVE ACV, and claim that including some organic apple cider in your diet is the foundation of weight loss, that it melts fat, among other magic acts. According to the home remedy site Earthclinic.com the best way to accomplish this is to do the following:
"2 Tablespoons of ACV in water, 3x a day. Take a stronger concoction (more vinegar, less water) directly after a heavy meal for weight loss. " On the other hand, over at the Diet Channel, they say regarding the ACV diet:

"Like many other fad diets, it's not clear as to whether there are any
properties in the vinegar that will help you lose weight. The primary reason
that this diet would work is that you are told to eat moderate portions, watch
the nutritional composition of the food you eat, and get exercise. Just doing
those alone is often enough to stimulate your body to maintain a healthy weight,
if not lose weight."

Also, as noted in my post below, apple cider vinegar is a core component of the master cleanse.

I decided to give this a go. What I found made the vinegar most palatable was to:

1. Keep the vinegar chilled in your fridge
2. Pour a splash or two over some ice and top with either water or sparkling water. It is actually quite refreshing.


I did try drinking it straight up one time, but it was a bit too much.

I can't say I noticed it expediting my weight loss, well maybe as a diuretic, but my skin looked clearer and I had less trouble with my reflux. Also, the stuff is so inexpensive, it really is worth trying out. Make sure you use organic apple cider vinegar with "the mother" like Bragg's. Trader Joe has a decent brand of apple cider vinegar as well. Don't use white vinegar.

There are many sites with oodles of information about Apple Cider Vinegar. Wisebread.com has a wonder post about 200+ uses for apple cider vinegar.

Also, the Bragg Vinegar folks have this book. I haven't read it yet, but I have one on the way!



So, don't expect miracles, don't ever expect anything from a fad weight loss regimen, but don't expect nothing either. If you've have had a positive experience, please leave a comment as such, I'd love to hear it!

PS. Don't waste your money on those vinegar pills!