You’ve started 2025 right: You’re exercising daily, meeting your step goals and eating healthy. Looking for something else to bump up your health game? Consider adding apple cider vinegar to your diet.
This pungent pantry staple is often mixed into salad dressings and other recipes, but it’s also touted for its health benefits, including its role in lowering blood sugar and cholesterol as well as supporting gut health. I spoke with Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Human Nutrition, to find out how beneficial apple cider vinegar really is, and whether there are any risks involved with consuming it.
What are the health benefits of apple cider vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is made through the fermentation of apples (hence the name), and it contains vitamins B and C, acetic acid — helpful for killing harmful bacteria — and natural probiotics and antioxidants. Zumpano says apple cider vinegar can help improve your blood pressure, ease inflammation, promote gut health, and lower triglycerides and cholesterol, among other things.
Lowers cholesterol
Research has linked apple cider vinegar to a reduction in total cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as fasting plasma glucose. It also helps raise high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, considered “good cholesterol” because it helps remove bad cholesterol from the bloodstream and lowers the risk of heart disease.
Manages blood sugar
The research referenced above also suggests that apple cider vinegar helps decrease fasting plasma glucose levels when it’s consumed for more than eight weeks. Apple cider vinegar slows down the rate of digestion, slowing the body’s release of glucose, Zumpano says.
Supports gut health
Since apple cider vinegar is a probiotic, it can support a healthy gut, Zumpano says. That means it promotes good bacteria in your gut that can help with bowel regularity, immune function and digestion, and sometimes guard against reflux, she says.
Can be used as a disinfectant
Outside the body, apple cider vinegar can kill certain types of pathogens, but not all germs, Zumpano says. Studies have found that it’s effective in fighting off bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli (E. coli).
Does apple cider vinegar help with weight loss?
There’s not enough scientific evidence to prove apple cider vinegar aids weight loss, but Zumpano notes that the potential is there. A 2024 study conducted over three months found that participants who drank apple cider vinegar daily lost a significant amount of weight, lowered their body mass index (BMI), and lowered their levels of blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol compared with participants given a placebo.
Other studies suggest that apple cider vinegar may act as a short-term appetite suppressant, but there’s no evidence that it works long-term. If your main goal is weight loss, keep this in mind — and check out the best weight loss meal delivery services, as tested by nutritionists.
How much apple cider vinegar do you need daily?
Great news: You don’t have to drink a full glass of apple cider vinegar to reap the benefits. One or two tablespoons is enough, Zumpano says, and even less than that can be helpful. She says you can start with 1 teaspoon and work your way up to 1-2 tablespoons per day.
What’s the best way to consume apple cider vinegar?
More good news: You don’t have to drink it alone (nor would you probably want to). Zumpano recommends mixing it with water to make it easier to stomach. You can either take it before eating or right after to help with digestion. “How you take it depends on how well you tolerate it and what your goal of taking it is,” she says. You can also use apple cider vinegar to make homemade salad dressings or sauces, which is another way to mask the taste.
In any case, apple cider vinegar is potent and should be diluted — it can lead to several risks if taken straight, Zumpano says. Pouring the recommended amount into a full glass of water should help.
What are the risks of consuming apple cider vinegar?
In general, apple cider vinegar is safe to consume, but there are some risks to consider.
As mentioned above, you should always dilute apple cider vinegar before you consume it because it’s highly acidic. If you don’t, it can damage the lining of your esophagus and even erode the enamel of your teeth, Zumpano says. This can also happen if you consume more than the recommended amount. Some people report gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, reflux or upset stomach, Zumpano adds.
Apple cider vinegar can also lower potassium levels, which can interfere with certain medications, including digoxin, insulin and diuretic drugs. Since it lowers blood sugar levels, it can also interfere with diabetes medications.
Again, while apple cider vinegar is safe to consume the right way — diluted, in small amounts — consult with your doctor to make sure it won’t interfere with any medications you’re taking or worsen any health complications you may have.
