I’ve been using apple cider vinegar consistently for a few months now, but the reason I started taking it in the first place was actually Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

I’d read about Fiennes using a combination of apple cider vinegar and honey, often known as Honeygar, and his own claims about the difference it had made to his arthritic pain. Given the incredible physical demands he’s put his body through over the years, it caught my attention.

I’ve got osteoarthritis in several areas myself, so I thought I’d give it a proper trial rather than take it for a week or two and make my mind up.

A few months down the line, I’ve been really impressed. My joints don’t feel anywhere near as stiff and achy and generally feel a lot looser. Can I prove that’s down to the apple cider vinegar? No. And importantly, we don’t currently have good human research showing that ACV treats osteoarthritis. But the difference I’ve personally noticed has been enough for me to keep taking it.

There is also some early research suggesting vinegar may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, although the human evidence isn’t strong enough yet for me to claim that’s the reason my joints are feeling better.

There is also some decent research behind ACV in other areas, particularly its potential effects on blood glucose and certain cardiometabolic health markers.

My own routine is simple. I have a large tablespoon in the morning with breakfast and another with dinner or supper, always diluted. I add a squirt of concentrated cordial and a little local honey.

And there’s a practical reason for that – it can taste foul!

The cordial and honey make it considerably more palatable and therefore much easier to use consistently.

It’s inexpensive, simple and has earned a permanent place in my daily routine.

Steve’s Directions:

Shake the bottle to disturb ‘The Mother’. Boil water in your kettle.

Add just over a tablespoon of ACV to your cup, with a squirt of concentrated cordial and a teaspoon of local honey, dilute with boiling water.

Allow this to cool, and drink when lukewarm.

Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic, so I would always recommend diluting it rather than drinking it neat.

The Science:

Vinegar consumption can attenuate postprandial glucose and insulin responses: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials

Study: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined controlled human trials investigating the effect of vinegar consumption with meals on post-meal glucose and insulin responses.

Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 2017

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28292654/

Across the included trials, vinegar consumption significantly reduced both post-meal glucose and insulin responses compared with control conditions. This provides human evidence for one of the better-supported potential benefits of vinegar consumption – helping moderate the glycaemic response to meals. 

The effect of apple cider vinegar on lipid profiles and glycemic parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials

Study: This meta-analysis specifically investigated apple cider vinegar, rather than vinegar generally, examining clinical trials measuring blood glucose and lipid markers.

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 2021

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34187442/

Across nine studies, ACV consumption was associated with significant reductions in fasting blood glucose, HbA1c and total cholesterol. The researchers did not find significant improvements across every marker measured, including LDL, HDL, fasting insulin and insulin resistance, so the evidence supports some potential metabolic benefits rather than the sweeping health claims sometimes made about ACV.