Every time I think the ACV craze has finally settled down, another magazine article, website, or new product line proves me wrong! Apple cider vinegar does have a few things going for it but, as you might have suspected, its powers have been vastly over-estimated in the popular imagination.
Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. Here are a few things that ACV probably won’t do for you:
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
ACV won’t magically melt the fat from your body
As I talked about in a podcast from way back in 2009, the acetic acid in vinegar has been shown to boost metabolism and cause you to burn an extra calorie or two. (That’s true of any vinegar, by the way, not just ACV.) But this is another example of the fact that something can be true without being particularly meaningful. The effect of vinegar on your metabolism is so modest that it is unlikely to result in noticeable weight loss unless it is combined with other strategies, such as eating less.
Great science journalism requires human expertise, time, effort and creativity. And it costs money. That’s why I and the journalists here at Scientific American hope you’ll join our community.
When you subscribe, you are supporting staff and freelance journalists who are passionate about telling science stories that are true, important and compelling. Our editors and reporters are often experts in their fields, which means they understand the nuances of big discoveries and can untangle the breakthroughs from the hype. With a subscription, you are also supporting rigorous fact-checking to ensure the words we publish are precise and accurate. And you’re supporting original illustrations, graphics and photos that bring you closer to an advanced laboratory, an ice sheet in Antarctica or a space mission in orbit. You’re helping us craft other types of high-quality journalism as well: Our newsletters are carefully written, edited and curated by staffers you have or will come to know and love. Our Science Quickly podcast is based on original reporting, collaboration with editors and scientists and exacting production.
Subscriptions keep this engine running so we can continue to deliver thoughtful, rigorous and independent science journalism to you. In an era of viral misinformation, this work is crucial. If you value what we do, I hope you’ll consider joining us as a subscriber
Thank you,
Jeanna Bryner, Editor in Chief, Scientific American
