by Margaret S Garrett - Published 6 months ago

Balance Blood Sugar After Meals: Easy Drink

There are many ways to manage blood sugar levels, such as prioritizing sleep, walking after dinner, and taking a cold shower before meals.

Not everyone succeeds with the same approach, so we will share new methods when we find them.

Today's tip is a refreshing vinegar tonic recipe from health and science journalist and New York Times bestselling author Max Lugavere. He drinks this easy-to-make spritzer after meals to stabilize his glucose response.

Vinegar's benefits for blood sugar control and digestion

Functional Nutrition Training

Lugavere is a strong advocate for vinegar due to its numerous health benefits, including its metabolic effects. He explains, "Vinegar disrupts enzymes that break down starches and certain sugars into their sugar molecules." He continues, "Acetic acid, the active ingredient in vinegar, inhibits these enzymes so that consuming it with a high starch meal, like pasta or white rice, results in a much lower postprandial glucose spike."

Essentially, consuming vinegar after a meal slows down the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream, preventing a significant glucose spike and subsequent crash.

A study demonstrated that daily vinegar intake (around 2 to 6 tablespoons) improved the glycemic response to carbohydrate-rich meals1. Another study showed that consuming apple cider vinegar (ACV) reduced post-meal blood sugar levels by approximately half in healthy participants. Besides blood sugar regulation, vinegar, particularly ACV, is often praised for easing constipation and reducing bloating.

A simple and refreshing tonic to balance blood sugar

Lugavere's recipe, featured in his new book, Genius Kitchen, includes ACV and ginger, another digestive aid. He clarifies, "It won't impact your fasting blood sugar—what's measured during a checkup—but if you wear a continuous glucose monitor, you'll see a lower area under the curve for glucose after consuming vinegar with a high starch meal." This simple spritzer recipe offers significant benefits.

Ingredients:

1 cup sparkling or flat water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon ground or fresh ginger
Optional: stevia to taste

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients in a large glass or pitcher.
According to Lugavere, this simple, refreshing vinegar-based tonic can significantly help manage post-meal blood sugar.