Can Drinking Vinegar Aid Weight Loss?

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DATA UPDATE: The key to vinegar's health-promoting properties lies in its high concentration of acetic acid, and not beneficial properties of the culinary condiment. The “mother” in apple cider vinegar is a unique mix of bacteria, yeast and cellulose that forms during fermentation, but the mother does not perform specific weight loss functions. Moreover, acetic acid’s role as a supplement for slowing digestive processes is marginal when compared to the latest compounded weight loss medications. Dietary vinegar does, however, contain nutrients and antioxidants.

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From today’s viral social media feeds to historical texts, vinegar has long been hailed for its potential health benefits. The Ancient Babylonians fermented date palm vinegar to preserved food from the Mesopotamian heat before finding culinary, cleaning and medicinal uses for the condiment. More recently, apple cider vinegar (ACV) has gained attention for its supposed role in weight loss.

If you've ever looked at a bottle of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, you've probably noticed a cloudy, web-like substance floating inside. This is known as "the mother." The mother is a naturally occurring sediment of beneficial bacteria and yeast that forms during the fermentation process. Its presence indicates that the vinegar is raw and unfiltered, and it contains probiotics and enzymes.

Modern research has started to validate some of vinegar's traditional uses, while also debunking a few myths. While many online sources attribute special powers to the mother, most scientific evidence suggests the primary health benefits of ACV come from its main active ingredient, acetic acid, not the sediment itself. When it comes to antioxidants, darker vinegars like balsamic or raw ACV are less refined, which often allows more of these healthy compounds that help prevent cellular damage from free radicals.

BMJ Group Retracts Previous ACV Study

Many online articles and social media posts claim ACV is a magic bullet for weight loss, especially unfiltered varieties. But, a recent clinical study published in March 2024 by BMJ Group gained widespread international attention for its claims about ACV’s potential, but this article was retracted this year due to questionable statistical methods and inaccurate conclusions. In fact, most studies suggesting vinegar’s aid to shedding pounds involved participants who followed calorie-restricted diets and exercised regularly.

A study suggesting apple cider vinegar helps with weight loss has been retracted by BMJ Group, as of September 2025, after experts uncovered major flaws in its data and methodology. BMJ Group advises journalist and others to stop referencing a study that once suggested drinking small amounts of apple cider vinegar each day could support weight loss in people who are overweight or obese.

Dr. Helen Macdonald - Ethics & Content Editor at BMJ Group

While ACV isn't a miracle solution, it might have a modest effect on weight loss by helping to reduce your appetite. Moreover, apple cider vinegar (with or without the mother) does have some legitimate, but much more modest, health benefits. Independent experts did however suggest that these benefits come from acetic acid, which is the primary active ingredient found in all types of vinegar. This is due to the vinegar’s high acidity that can slow how quickly food empties from the stomach into the digestive system.

What the "mother" is and what it’s not...

If you've ever picked up a bottle of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, you've probably noticed something unusual: a cloudy, web-like substance floating inside. This is called "the mother," and it's a naturally occurring collection of beneficial bacteria, yeast, proteins, and enzymes that forms during the fermentation process. This indicates that the vinegar is raw and unfiltered as it has not been subjected to heat or pressure that could destroy living cultures. Nonetheless, while the mother might look odd, it is safe to consume and has benefits.

The truth about the mother’s medicinal benefits are more nuanced than online posts might suggest. While the mother does contain live probiotics and enzymes that can support good gut microbiome, most of ACV’s benefits actually come from acetic acid’s slowing of gastric emptying. But, the active ingredient is also present in all types of vinegar, whether the culinary condiment is filtered, pasteurized, or not. It is worth noting that the mother’s benefits are modest, current findings are not conclusive, and human studies are still needed.

Health Benefits of Dietary Vinegar

Vinegar has graced kitchen shelves for thousands of years, and there's good reason why it has stood the test of time. What started as an invaluable food preservative in Ancient Babylon has proven to be a nutritional culinary condiment that is packed with health-promoting compounds that our ancestors intuitively valued. However, the key to dietary vinegar’s health-promoting properties lie in its high concentration of acetic acid, which is present in apple cider vinegar and all types. It is this high acidity that helps slow gastric emptying to aid digestion.

• Blood Sugar Control: One well-researched benefit of dietary vinegar is its ability to help regulate blood sugar levels. The acetic acid in all vinegars works by slowing the rate at which your stomach empties after eating and this helps to prevent rapid spikes for better blood sugar control.
• Weight Control: Current research suggests that apple cider vinegar and other culinary varieties may support weight management by promoting feelings of fullness. Although this can naturally lead to eating fewer calories throughout the day, the long-term effects are somewhat minimal.
• Antioxidant Effects: During vinegar’s fermentation process, beneficial amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds develop that support various bodily functions like regulating cellular metabolism, boosting immune function, and providing antioxidant protection.
• Heart Health: The heart-protective benefits of vinegar appear to stem from its active compound, acetic acid, which forms during fermentation. This acid may influence how your body processes fats and could even help inhibit cholesterol production by helping to relax blood vessels.
• Digestive Health: The key to apple cider and other dietary vinegar’s health-promoting properties lies in its active ingredient. Acetic acid works by slowing gastric emptying, which helps explain why diluted vinegar can aid food breakdown and support digestive health.

It's worth noting that these benefits are modest, and findings are not entirely conclusive and additional human studies are needed to fully understand apple cider vinegar’s full health impacts. Also keep in mind that other culinary condiments, like balsamic, red wine, rice, or malt vinegars can also provide many, if not all, the health benefits. As a general rule, the darker the vinegar, the more plant-based polyphenols (antioxidants) the vinegar contains. Although acetic acid may slow gastric emptying, its effects are quite modest compared to medications.

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If you prefer a more organic, raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar, there's no harm in consuming the mother. In fact, the mother in any dietary vinegar is safe and may provide modest additional health benefits. However, do not feel pressured to seek out ACV specifically. Instead, select a rich flavor that best suits your dietary needs. Metabolic Research Center has been helping people improve their metabolic health for decades. Take our 2-minute quiz to “Find Your Fit” and you’ll receive an instant download for our FREE Kickstart Guide that includes meal planning, recipes and much more.