Historical evidence credits ancient Babylonians (5,000 B.C.) with creating vinegar or “sour wine” stemming from the French origin “vin airgre.” The benefits were not overlooked by the Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, who historically used apple cider vinegar (ACV), or cider vinegar, to treat wounds and prescribed it as a tonic solution for a persistent cough. Studies have shown that apple cider vinegar has a profound ability to improve blood sugar regulation and speed up weight loss.
The fermentation process is required in two series to produce cider vinegar. First, bacteria and yeast break down the sugars into alcohol. Secondly, over a slow and lengthy process, acetobacterium cause the oxidation of alcohol into acetic acid.
Acetic acid distinguishes ACV by giving it a pungent, sour taste and may leave a cloudy, substance, called the mother, in the bottom of the glass (1). The mother is the fermenting portion of the apple and it is rich in enzymes. It is best to buy raw, unpasteurized ACV with the mother intact.
Blood sugar control
A common way of fulfilling a dietary dose of cider vinegar is to utilize it in salad dressing or take a small shot glass of the tonic before a high caloric meal, especially before consuming protein such as beef that requires a longer period for digestion. A Japanese study in 2003 found that the glycemic index (GI) was reduced by over 30% when the simple swap of a pickled cucumber was made for a fresh cucumber (1).
Researchers believe that cider vinegar has antiglycemic properties and plays a pivotal role in regulating sugar levels in type 2 diabetics. Specifically, it is possible that a key component of the vinegar acts as an antiglycemic agent by mocking the chemical pathway of the drug, metformin, used by diabetic patients. Side effects of metformin use include drowsiness, nausea, and diarrhea among other problems (2).