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We've long loved to think that vinegar is a weight loss weapon. Now a new study suggests there's something in that.
In a study on mice, Japanese researchers fed one group a high-fat diet along with acetic acid, a main component of vinegar, for six weeks. The others were fed a high-fat diet and given water.
Mice in both groups gained weight, but the mice who consumed acetic acid gained up to 10% less than those given water, the study found. The results are in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Health24's DietDoc commented, however, that it was always risky to extrapolate findings from animals, such as rats, to humans.
"If vinegar really does assist with weight loss, then all the individuals who use various apple cider preparations should have lost thousands of kilograms, which is not the case," she added.
She stated that she would not recommend vinegar for weight loss. However, it is known that adding vinegar to a meal (e.g. as a dressing over salad or to prepare "suur pap") can assist to lower the glycaemic index of the meal and this may help a bit towards losing weight.
What researchers found
In the lab, researchers found the acetic acid inhibited the accumulation of body fat and hepatic lipids, which include cholesterol and triglycerides, by increasing the expression of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation.
The genes produce proteins that help break down fats, preventing the fat from being stored by the body.
Vinegar, used throughout the world as a condiment and a preservative, has been used as a folk medicine for thousands of years, including to treat scurvy during the US Civil War and to treat wounds during World War I.
Recent research has shown that vinegar might help control blood pressure, blood sugar levels and fat accumulation.
So does this mean you should douse your fish and chips with malt vinegar to make it healthier? Dream on. - (HealthDay News, June 2009)
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