The dangers of the vinegar diet

Information about a diet designed to lose weight quickly has been circulating on the network for some time, whose main food is the Apple vinager. A restrictive eating plan that they have called vinegar diet that combines fasting with this product. The theory is that it helps reduce appetite and also eliminates toxins, but the reality is a different one. Between the dangers of the vinegar diet there are the gastric problems that it can cause.

A few days ago the story of Lindsay Bone, a 20-year-old girl who died after undergoing this regime, was made public. As reported by the British newspaper Daily Mail, the diet that followed consisted of fasting and taking apple cider vinegar supplements to control appetite. He died five years ago, but it has been now when his mother has decided to share the case to raise awareness of the danger of extreme diets and is specifically, which has become popular in recent months. In part, due to the influence of celebrities like Jennifer Aniston or Miranda Kerr, who confessed to take this vinegar to keep fit.

“From the point of view of nutrition it is important to highlight that miracle diets, which ensure that certain foods have unique properties, have never been linked to rigorous studies, this type of diets are nothing more than fashions”, Says Pilar Pastor, senior technician in dietetics.

It was Lindsey's roommates who found his body and alerted the authorities. After performing the autopsy, doctors found high levels of acid in their blood, as a result of vinegar intake. And although his death has been defined as a "mystery," it is believed that bad eating habits influenced. In a newspaper in her room, the young woman had written instructions such as "not eating more than 1,200 calories a day", "only take carbohydrates once a day", "stay in the library to eat nothing" or "take the damn apple cider vinegar. "

“The danger of these miracle diets is that they are very restrictive in terms of energy. So, of course there is a loss of weight in a short time, but what is lost is muscle mass, this is a danger because it reduces basal metabolic rate, that is, it slows down our metabolism because you will get used to your body to live with less energy, then when you return to a normal diet it will bounce back, ”adds Pastor.

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Lindsay's mother has explained that she used to take a tablespoon of vinegar before meals three times a day, but then replaced them with supplements of the same product. He also underwent intermittent fasting.

The specialist is sharp. There is no product that serves to detoxify. “The body has two important organs that clean and detoxify the kidneys and liver, only they can eliminate contaminants, ”says Pastor.

Therefore, it is important that it is clear that no food does the work of these organs.

The dangers of abusing apple cider vinegar

In small quantities there is no risk, since it is an excellent dressing for certain dishes such as salads. But there is no evidence that it helps to lose weight, control sugar levels or improve digestion, as celebrities said, who confessed that they mixed it with water when they took it.

"The level of acid in Linsday's blood was not alarmingly high, but much more than usual," explained the doctor who took the case to the British newspaper. “The body has a natural way of balancing acid and alkali, but it could be altered with diets of this type, high in protein, low in fat or fasting. And when people abuse vinegar ».

The young woman also drank antidepressants and anxiolytics, for what they considered that they could have influenced his death. In any case, experts advise against following extreme diets of this type.

“The most important thing is that people should be informed and educated. You must learn that miracle diets are harmful and dangerous. The only thing it does helps us to be healthy and have an ideal weight are good practices, that is: exercise, eat a balanced diet, sleep well”, Explains Pastor.