QUOTE from Dr Fung (emphasis mine):
Vinegar is also a protective factor. Used in many traditional foods, it may help reduce insulin spikes. Italians often eat bread dipped in oil and vinegar—a prime example of eating a high-carb food with protective factors. Vinegar is added to sushi rice, which reduces its glycemic index by 20 percent to 40 percent. Fish and chips are often eaten with malt vinegar. Apple cider vinegar may be taken diluted in some water. [1]
There are no long-term data on the use of vinegar as a weight loss aid. However, smaller short-term human studies have been done recently. One study published in 2004 was titled “Vinegar improves insulin sensitivity to a high-carbohydrate meal in subjects with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes”. Vinegar was given to insulin resistant as well as normal subjects before a high carbohydrate meal of orange juice and a bagel. The effect of the vinegar is clear. In controls, but more strikingly in pre-diabetic people, vinegar lowers the subsequent glucose high after the bread as much as 34%. Additionally, insulin spikes are significantly reduced. Since insulin is a driver of obesity and diabetes, this effect, similar to fiber may be very beneficial over the long term.[2]
Some foods offer protection from insulin. Just two, actually: vinegar and fiber. So eat more vinegar. Eat more fiber. Dr. Fung recommends two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar before each meal. That alone will cause weight loss, regardless of what you’re eating — a 2010 scientific study proved it (chapter 16, footnote 28). The metabolic mechanism by which vinegar blocks insulin release is currently unknown. That such a mechanism exists is well-proven by numerous studies. Take two teaspoons of vinegar immediately before your meal, and immediately after your meal your insulin level will be 34% lower than if you hadn’t taken the vinegar.[3]
NOTE – What does it say?
Drinking 1-2 tbsp of vinegar at night lowers morning sugars; I need to be sure to dilute it and/or drink water, and rinse my mouth thoroughly; vinegar is an acid that is destructive for tooth enamel.
Or I can drink a teaspoon or two at each meal, diluted in water. Vinegar acts on complex carbohydrates and seems to slow their absorption. Dill pickles are a great, zero calorie source of both fiber and vinegar.
Dr. Fung does not seem to favor apple cider vinegar over any other kind.
MY STRATEGY: I will consume vinegar as a part of diet when possible, as it is a protective factor. Perhaps by adding it to my daily vegetables.
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SOURCE – Footnotes:
[1] Quote from The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss by Dr. Jason Fung; Greystone Books (March 3, 2016). Page 233.
[2] The Benefits of Vinegar – Hormonal Obesity XXVIII, The Fasting Method, https://thefastingmethod.com/the-benefits-of-vinegar-hormonal-obesity-xxviii/
[3] “Mind blown: This secret will eliminate obesity from modern society” by Nathan Cheng from
https://medium.com/@nathancheng/mind-blown-this-secret-will-eliminate-obesity-from-modern-society-ba451eeb7547
Photo Fasting-a-glass-of-water-on-an-empty-plate, via Wikimedia Commons
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Key: Fung-08 Shipped: 05/04/2021. Updated 01/11/2022.