Are you wondering when to drink apple cider vinegar to best harness its health benefits?
Used in food and beauty since the time of ancient Greece1, apple cider vinegar is still hugely popular today. These days, apple cider vinegar (often shortened to ACV) is widely used for its health benefits, which are said to include weight loss, better digestion and boosted immunity.
ACV is made from apples which have been fermented with yeast and bacteria which naturally forms during the fermentation process. When the sugars from the apples ferment, acetic acid is created. It’s this substance which is thought to hold health benefits.2
Drinking apple cider vinegar is said to bring better health, so you’ve probably heard people extolling the virtues of a daily shot of ACV.
But when should you drink apple cider vinegar? And is it better to drink apple cider vinegar in the morning or at night?
Morning
Some people recommend you drink apple cider vinegar in the morning when you wake up, before you’ve eaten or drunk anything.
The benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar in the morning are thought to include:
- Fresher breath
- A boost for the digestive system
What’s the evidence?
Drinking apple cider vinegar can be an effective way of neutralising bad breath. It’s anti-microbial and kills the bacteria which thrive in your mouth overnight and cause that nasty morning breath.3
Drinking apple cider vinegar first thing is also thought to have a ‘detoxifying’ effect on the digestive system when the stomach is empty of food.4 Many people attest to a laxative effect after drinking ACV first thing in the morning.
ACV is thought to contain traces of pectin, a type of soluble fibres which apples are rich in.5 Pectin acts as a natural laxative.6 Scientific studies on the laxative effects of ACV are lacking, although anecdotally, people can feel as though knocking back ACV in the morning helps them feel less bloated and sluggish.
What’s our verdict?
If you want to drink a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar first thing, there shouldn’t be any harm in doing so. You could experience better digestion and fresher breath throughout the day.
If you’re wondering how to drink apple cider vinegar in the morning due to the strong taste – it’s easily masked with a squeeze of lemon juice, or even added to warm herbal tea.
Apple cider vinegar is acidic and can cause erosion of tooth enamel and the lining of your oesophagus so always dilute it.
Before meals
Should you be taking apple cider vinegar before meals to reap health benefits?
These benefits are thought to include:
- Reduced hunger
- Lower blood sugar
What’s the evidence?
The acidic taste of apple cider vinegar is thought to work as an appetite suppressant when taken before meals. Specific studies are lacking, but researchers at Imperial College London have found that acetate – a key component in acetic acid – plays a key role in regulating appetite.7
Apple cider vinegar can slow the emptying of your stomach after eating. This has the effect of keeping you fuller for longer as well as minimising blood sugar spikes that usually come with rapid digestion and the quick conversion of food into energy. This link has been confirmed in clinical studies, although further research is needed.8,9
What’s our verdict?
To see if ACV works for you as an appetite suppressant, you can try diluting two tablespoons of ACV in a glass of water and drink 30 minutes before a meal. This could help reduce overeating and contribute to weight loss.10
To help balance blood sugar following high-carbohydrate or sugary meals, an apple cider vinegar drink taken before meals can be beneficial.
After meals
Should you be drinking apple cider vinegar after meals? If so – why?
- To aid digestion
What’s the evidence?
The cloudy substance at the bottom of bottles of unfiltered apple cider vinegar is known as ‘The Mother’. This is a collection of strands of bacteria and enzymes which act as a prebiotic.
Prebiotics encourage the growth of friendly bacteria help you maintain a healthy gut flora (known as a microbiome).11
Our verdict
You could drink diluted apple cider vinegar after a meal, but we think it’s best to drink it before a meal (as above). The reason for this is that there are proven benefits to drinking it before a meal (namely the blood sugar balancing effect) and drinking it before a meal would have no adverse effect on any prebiotic qualities.
To get a mid-meal fix, you could add apple cider vinegar to cooking. It is excellent used in dressings, sauces and marinades just as you’d use white wine vinegar.
Before bed
It’s hardly as soothing as a cup of chamomile tea, but could it be even better for you? Should you drink apple cider vinegar before bed?
- It might help lower blood sugar overnight
- It could help stop leg cramps
What’s the evidence?
Ingesting ACV before you go to sleep might help you wake up with stable blood sugar.
A study published in the Diabetes Care journal found that taking vinegar at bedtime moderates glucose concentration when you wake up, especially in adults with type 2 diabetes.12
Low potassium levels in the body can lead to muscle cramps. Many people suffer from these at night, so drinking potassium-rich apple cider vinegar could help keep cramps at bay.
What’s our verdict?
If you’re concerned about blood sugar levels, or if you experience night-time muscle cramps, you could take two tablespoons of ACV before bed to help balance them overnight.13
However, be aware that due to the acidic nature of ACV, doing so might cause acid reflux in those prone to indigestion, heartburn or GERD, in which cases it should be avoided.
Again, be sure not to drink it straight as it can damage your tooth enamel and the delicate lining of the oesophagus. Why not add your ACV to a cup of calming chamomile tea, being sure to rinse your mouth afterwards.
Last updated: 4 August 2020
Sources
1 https://www.ponti.com/en/in-ancient-times/
2 https://theconversation.com/is-apple-cider-vinegar-really-a-wonder-food-86551
3 https://www.healthline.com/health/home-remedies-for-bad-breath#causes
4 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320930
5 https://theconversation.com/is-apple-cider-vinegar-really-a-wonder-food-86551
6 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/apple-pectin
7 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24781306/
8 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25168916/
9 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14694010/
10 https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/news/20150828/water-weight-meals-obesity
11 https://www.onhealth.com/content/1/remedies_facts_myths_apple_cider_vinegar_benefits
12 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17712024/
13 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/612935
