Apple cider vinegar is a type of vinegar made by the fermentation of apple cider. During this process, sugar in the apple cider is broken down by bacteria and yeast into alcohol and then into vinegar. Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid (like other types of vinegar) and some lactic, citric and malic acids.

Unlike white vinegar, apple cider vinegar is a light yellow-brown color. Unfiltered and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar is sold in health food stores, online and in some grocery stores.

Although other types of vinegar -- such as white vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar and rice wine vinegar - are used mainly in cooking, apple cider vinegar is used primarily for health purposes. Hippocrates was said to have used it as a health tonic and American soldiers are said to have used it to combat indigestion, pneumonia and scurvy.

Mixing the apple cider vinegar with honey, enhances the healing power of the vinegar. Apple cider vinegar can also destroy harmful bacteria in the digestive tract and is recommended as a digestive tonic to be consumed with meals.

Apple cider vinegar has long been used as a health aid for weight loss and circulatory health. It is a very safe supplement, even for children. There are no known side effects resulting from using it. It is obtained from the fermentation of apple juice.

Apple cider vinegar is quite rich in minerals, vitamins and other substances. It contains vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin, A, vitamin P, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and vitamin B6. Also a lot of beneficial minerals like manganese, iron, calcium, sodium, magnesium, sulpher, copper, phosphorus, silicon, chlorine and fluorine.

Apple cider vinegar provides enzymes, amino acids, aldehydes, potash, alcoholic acids, propionic acid, and apple pectin. Apple pectin is a dietary fiber that is an essential component of a healthy diet. With more than ninety substances and a great deal of minerals and vitamins, apple cider vinegar can be one of the most important ingredients in a healthy diet.

Apple cider vinegar and weight loss

Apple cider vinegar has become popular as a “fat-burner” and as a natural appetite suppressant. In fact, there’s even an apple cider vinegar diet, which involves taking one to three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar or apple cider vinegar pills before each meal.

To lose weight just take 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar, mixed in water, before every meal.

Whichever way you take it, don't expect a rapid weight loss, the weight will be lost gradually, as it should be to allow the body's fat cells to adjust to their new size.

The resulting loss of weight will be gradual but permanent. As a general rule, from numerous observations, D.C. Jarvis, M.D. found that a woman of average height weighing 210 pounds will weigh 180 pounds after 2 years if she takes 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water at each meal. That's 15 pounds weight loss a year, with no change in daily food intake, except avoiding excessively fatty foods.

The earliest proponent of apple cider vinegar for weight loss was Jarvis, who wrote that people who consumed apple cider vinegar regularly would burn fat instead of store it.

Apple cider vinegar can help people lose weight by speeding metabolism and burning fat at a faster rate. It helps to detoxify the liver which plays an important role in weight loss.

Some claim Apple cider vinegar speeds up the metabolism while some claim it burns the calories to reduce appetite.

One small study in 2005 found that those who ate a piece of bread with a small amount of white vinegar felt more full and satisfied than those who ate the bread alone. It’s possible that vinegar may affect satiety by lowering the glycemic index of carbohydrates eaten at a meal. More research is needed.

It is generally believed that the nutrients, enzymes, and organic acids in apple cider vinegar cause weight reduction by acting as an appetite suppressant, by increasing your body's metabolic rate, by reducing water retention, and by helping you maintain a feeling of well being.

Some people don't like the taste of apple cider vinegar in water. You can improve the taste of this drink dramatically by using fruit or vegetable juice instead of plain water.

Apple cider vinegar is also available in tablets and capsules. According to some nutritionists the combination of apple cider with kelp, vitamin B6 and lecithin is much more effective for weight loss than Apple cider vinegar alone.