Drinking a regular basis of apple cider vinegar could help manage type 2 diabetes, a US study has shown.
The distinctive vinegar, often used for home cooking and homeopathic medicine, has been linked to weight loss in the past.
Now, a trial has found that consuming the ingredient at bedtime can affect awake glucose concentrations in type 2 diabetes favorably.
The authors wrote: “Given the importance of accepting acceptable blood glucose concentrations, there is a lot of interest in identifying foods and dietary patterns that will help people with diabetes manage their condition.
“Using a random crossover design with a washout period of three to five days between treatments, participants followed a standardized meal plan for two days, and consumed two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar as water at bedtime with one ounce of cheese.”
Avoiding refined carbohydrates and sugar is by far the most effective and healthy way to regulate blood sugar levels, but enjoying apple cider vinegar can also be beneficial.
The researchers said it works because “anti-glycemic effect of acetic acid found in apple cider vinegar was attributed to reduced digestion and / or delayed gastric emptying”.
The study involved a total of 29 people, which included 10 participants with type 2 diabetes, 11 with insulin resistance, and eight people without diabetes as insulin resistance.
Each volunteer was given random apple cider vinegar as a placebo drink and was then asked to eat a meal consisting of a white bagel, butter and orange cake.
The research team discovered that those who consumed the vinegar increased their insulin sensitivity and significantly reduced their blood sugar and insulin levels after meals.
The findings are published in the journal Diabetes Care.
