Weight-Loss Myths and Truths: Do Apple Cider Vinegar, Green Tea, and Coconut Oil Really Promote Weight Loss? Here's the Deal

By Lexi Petronis
Photo by Mike Lorrig

You hear about so many things that supposedly promote weight loss (remember yacon syrup? Who knew?)--it can be hard to separate the fact from the fiction. That's why we put together a few of the latest things people are considering for weight loss--because it's always good to know what's real and what isn't. 

Apple cider vinegar: Research has suggested that sipping a bit of this vinegar before a meal just might help you feel full--leading to less overeating and possible weight loss. In a study published in the Journal of Functional Foods, the results showed that a little apple cider vinegar helps slow the release of sugar into the blood, improving insulin sensitivity. The vinegar might help slow the absorption of sugar from your meal into your bloodstream, helping sugar levels from shooting sky high. But there's also the possibility that drinking the vinegar--which is super-acidic--could irritate your throat and break down tooth enamel. 

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Green tea: A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that participants who drank tea--which was fortified with green tea extract--daily for three months lost more body fat than those who drank oolong tea that had no green tea extract in it. Why? Green tea is filled with catechins, which are anti-inflammatory and may help fight cancer, and recent research has also suggested that the compounds may affect body fat levels. In other words, catechins may help your body burn extra calories while burning body fat as well.

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Coconut oil: Coconut oil has been touted for its weight-loss potential (several studies suggested that 30 milliliters consumed over the course of one to four months helped reduce the waist circumference of participants), but there isn't much research supporting the idea of actual weight loss. Coconut oil is filled with saturated fatty acids (which may be healthier than the saturated fatty acids found in dairy and meat), but it's also way high in calories--about 115 calories per tablespoon.

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