This diet has been getting a lot of buzz lately. Here’s what to know before you start stocking up on the vinegar of the moment.
What’s Apple Cider Vinegar, and Why Are People So Crazy About It?
Apple cider vinegar (or ACV, as it’s sometimes called) has been around for millennia, but in recent years, it’s gained traction as one of the most popular diet fads on the market. You could even say it’s secured superfood status at this point, says Claire Martin, RD, a nutritionist and the cofounder of Being Healthfull in Oakland, California.
Celebrities such as Katy Perry, Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Kate Walsh, and Jennifer Aniston have spoken about their love of apple cider vinegar, which has helped generate buzz around the additive.
Michelle Jaelin, a Hamilton, Ontario–based registered dietitian and the president of NutritionArtist.com, suspects apple cider vinegar is also popular because Americans are more and more interested in and accepting of natural health remedies.
Plus, there’s the fact that the apple cider vinegar diet is easy to follow compared with other fad diets. It doesn’t require a lifestyle overhaul, which is why, Jaelin says, many think of it as a “magical elixir.”
What Is the Apple Cider Vinegar Diet?
The diet centers on apple cider vinegar, which is low in calories and contains B vitamins, Martin says. “B vitamins are a building block for good health, playing a key role in keeping you energized and with a good metabolism,” Martin says.
You can buy apple cider vinegar at most grocery stores or online.
Just be sure to reach for the kind labeled “with the mother.” The mother is the combination of yeast and bacteria that forms during the fermentation process, according to University of Chicago Medicine, and before you drink it, you’ll want to give your vinegar a shake, because the mother tends to settle at the bottom of the bottle.
You may still notice strands of it floating in the solution, and that’s okay. You’ll want this included because it’s supposedly a digestion-aiding probiotic (the proposed benefits of the “mother” are not supported by research at this point). (1)
The premise of the apple cider vinegar diet is to simply increase your intake of the rosy-hued additive. Some people do it by drinking vinegar straight or diluted in water, usually at mealtimes, while others make a point to use it regularly in their meals.
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