While drinking apple cider vinegar may have some health benefits, more research is necessary. It’s unlikely that taking a swig of apple cider vinegar in the morning will significantly affect these benefits.
Apple cider vinegar is produced through the fermentation of apples. It contains water and acetic acid as well as small amounts of various nutrients.
Some people believe that drinking apple cider in the morning can be beneficial to health. Read on to learn more about what the evidence says.
Is it better to take apple cider vinegar in the morning?
People have used apple cider vinegar for centuries in food and as a natural remedy for various ailments, and there’s some research suggesting it may be beneficial for health.
That said, research hasn’t provided any evidence to suggest there is a best time of day to drink apple cider vinegar. A 2021 study examining the effect of apple cider vinegar on energy levels during rest and exercise asked participants to drink one apple cider vinegar or placebo drink in the morning and another in the evening.
The results showed that while supplementing with vinegar could lead to weight loss, it doesn’t affect metabolism or how the body uses fuel. The study didn’t look into the effect of apple cider vinegar on any other health factors, and since the participants drank the vinegar two times per day, it’s impossible to say whether the time of day was a factor in the results.
Older research suggests that taking it before bed might be more beneficial for your blood sugar.
Learn more: Should you drink apple cider vinegar before bed?
Is it healthy to drink apple cider vinegar?
The internet is filled with claims about the uses and health benefits of apple cider vinegar. For example, wellness gurus may claim that taking a shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning on an empty stomach helps you lose weight, reduce hunger, and remove toxins from your system.
In reality, while some studies have examined the purported health benefits of apple cider vinegar, these studies do not always involve human subjects, and more research may be necessary to confirm these effects.
Some examples of the potential benefits and available research include:
- May reduce blood sugar: Human studies have shown that consuming apple cider vinegar daily may slightly lower blood glucose levels in people living with type 2 diabetes.
- May lower cholesterol and weight: In a 2018 study on human participants, researchers found that pairing apple cider vinegar with a restricted-calorie diet led to weight loss. It also helped decrease body mass index (BMI), hip circumference, and blood triglyceride levels and reduced appetite while helping increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL or good cholesterol).
- May kill pathogens: Test tube studies suggest that vinegar may be effective against various microorganisms, including different types of bacteria.
- May reduce dental plaque: A 2022 study on 50 children found that applying a solution of 5% apple cider vinegar on the teeth once per day for 6 months was more effective in reducing plaque and gingivitis than brushing manually without toothpaste. That said, the study did not compare the effect to brushing with toothpaste.
What are the risks of drinking apple cider vinegar?
It’s generally safe to drink apple cider vinegar in small amounts so long as you consume the typical store-bought vinegar, which typically contains about 4% to 7% acidity. Any acetic acid at concentrations of 20% or above is considered unsafe.
But even at approved concentrations, drinking apple cider vinegar may cause some side effects. For example, it could potentially erode your tooth enamel and burn your throat.
It may also slow down digestion, which may seem beneficial for weight loss. But in some people, such as people with type 1 diabetes, it can contribute to delayed gastric emptying (gastroparesis).
In addition, some people may be intolerant or allergic to vinegar.
There’s also no evidence that apple cider is effective as a dietary supplement, and when sold as a capsule, tablet, gummy, or powder, it may contain other ingredients with unverified effects.
Read more: 7 side effects of too much apple cider vinegar and how much should you drink per day?
Takeaway
Drinking apple cider vinegar in small amounts can be harmless and may be beneficial to health based on limited research. That said, there’s no evidence that drinking in the morning is better than consuming it at any other time.
To prevent dental erosion, limit your daily dose to 1 to 2 tablespoons diluted in a glass of water and rinse your mouth with water afterward.