- With Mayo Clinic nutritionist
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
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Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.
A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in pediatrics at Mayo Clinic Rochester and nutrition education related to the physiology and recommended intakes for premature infants.
Other areas of interest include breast milk and formula safety, neonatal feeding, and nutrition for breast-feeding mothers.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Question
Apple cider vinegar for weight loss: Does it work?
I've read that a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar taken before meals increases metabolism. Is this true?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
There is no evidence that taking apple cider vinegar for weight loss is effective.
Proponents of the apple cider vinegar diet claim that drinking a tablespoon (or more) of apple cider vinegar before meals or taking an apple cider vinegar supplement will help curb your appetite, reduce cravings and burn more fat. However, none of these claims has been proved.
In fact, apple cider vinegar has a very high acid content that may be irritating to your throat when consumed frequently or in large quantities. Apple cider vinegar also may interact with certain drugs, including diuretics, increasing your risk of potassium loss.
Fad diets, such as drinking apple cider vinegar for weight loss, may promise quick or easy results — but there's no "magic diet" that will peel off the pounds. When it comes to losing weight, your best bet is still a healthy, low-calorie diet combined with regular exercise.
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