Nutrition

Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar Before Bed: 2025’s Benefits

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There’s a reason that apple cider vinegar (ACV) is among the world’s most-used types of vinegar—read on to learn how you might be able to lose weight, lower your blood sugar, and even prevent bad breath by drinking ACV before bed at night.

Should You Drink Apple Cider Vinegar Before Bed?

Apple cider vinegar is prized throughout the culinary world for being tangy, nutritious, and practical for a number of things[1], including marinating meat, preserving vegetables, and curdling fresh cheese.

It’s also used as a health supplement when mixed into warm water, often taken at night before retiring officially for the evening.

Whether you prefer to drink apple cider vinegar in the morning or as a part of your nightly ritual, there’s a lot to love about this common and economical addition to your evening imbibement:

  • Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic, containing ample amounts[2] of acetic acid and alpha hydroxy acid
  • It’s also a potent antiseptic and anti-fungal agent, strong enough to use as a household cleaner
  • ACV contains tons of micronutrients, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and other helpful agents
  • You’ll find lots of gut-friendly probiotic bacteria in ACV with the mother—also known as the culture of stuff at the bottom of your bottle of Bragg’s

What health benefits do these physical properties lend to this incredibly versatile fermented juice? A tablespoon of ACV might be able to cure what ails you—big things, as it were, often come in small packages.

The Benefits of Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar at Night

ACV consumption, on its own or as a part of many possible dishes, can do a lot for you as a part of your nightly or morning routine when taken on an empty stomach. A few things that make this natural remedy one of the best things that you can do for yourself at home include

  • ACV’s tendency to help the consumer reduce fat storage and lose weight
  • Blood sugar control is one valuable tool in any blood glucose-conscious lifestyle
  • An ACV mouthwash might be able to help you keep your mouth cleaner and feeling fresher the morning after, preventing bad breath

Let’s take a closer look at all the benefits that drinking ACV might be able to offer you.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Weight Loss

One of the most surprising health benefits[3] of apple cider vinegar: it’s been shown to actually have a significant impact on body weight and fat accumulation, reducing hip circumference and serum triglyceride levels in the obese patients studied in the trial linked here. If weight loss is your goal, drinking water mixed with apple cider vinegar every day might be highly beneficial.

Apple cider vinegar can also be used[4] to suppress appetite, keeping cravings at bay and preventing you from spoiling your daily calorie deficit. The acetate contained therein interacts with the hypothalamic system, suggesting it plays a vital role in satiety and appetite regulation.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Blood Sugar

One of the most celebrated[5] health benefits that you’ll enjoy when you drink ACV is its ability to help one manage one’s own blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity. It compels the stomach to metabolize glucose more effectively, increasing lipolysis and even stimulating the production and secretion of insulin[6].

Type II diabetics may be especially interested in these secondary effects of consuming ACV at bedtime. It may be able to regulate your serum blood glucose concentrations throughout the following day[7].

Apple Cider Vinegar and Oral Hygiene

While one should always be cautious of a vinegar mouthwash that’s too acidic and abrasive in order to protect one’s own tooth enamel, using diluted vinegar to cleanse the mouth before bed might help you prevent[8] the biofilm behind your morning halitosis from forming completely throughout the night.

The participants in this study were instructed to rinse their mouths nightly with a solution of around 5 percent distilled vinegar for 5 seconds, followed by a double-rinse with plain water for 30 seconds. When compared to water rinses alone, the results were astronomical.

Best Way to Drink ACV Before Bed

The simplest possible apple cider drink is just as easy to prepare as it is delicious. Simply dissolve a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar in a cup of boiling water, just like you’re making a cup of tea. You can then sweeten this mixture with honey, stevia, agave, or anything else that you prefer.

Of course, this is far from the only way to get your nightly fix. Here are a few alternative options to try if you’re interested in shaking up your vinegar consumption:

  • Adding extra flavors to your concoction like cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne pepper are all great ways to keep your nightly routine interesting
  • Caffeine-free teas like mint, chamomile, and rooibos may also be great options
  • You may also be interested in using sparkling water to dilute your ACV for a refreshing, cool alternative
  • Adding a slice of cucumber, a few berries, or any other fruit that you like as garnish puts a fun spin on this humble and unassuming treat

Many suggest taking an ACV beverage as you wind down for the evening, just before getting ready for bed. The slow digestion that takes place naturally at night gives it time to get to work in your stomach and digestive tract, and you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and on top of your game.

Potential Risks

The simplest possible apple cider drink is just as easy to prepare as it is delicious. Simply dissolving a tablespoon or two ACV helps with a lot of things, but it’s not without its adverse effects under the right circumstances. Weight loss, fat storage, and digestive system aside, here are a few precautions to keep in mind when trying apple cider vinegar and warm water before bed yourself:

  • Because apple cider vinegar is highly acidic, you may worsen acid reflux or cause a sore throat by consuming ACV at the wrong times, or in the wrong quantities or dilution ratios
  • For this same reason, apple cider vinegar may pose a risk[9] in terms of tooth enamel erosion; practicing healthy oral hygiene and brushing after adding ACV to your nightly tea is always the best way to avoid this
  • Apple cider vinegar consumption may cause some digestive issues such as sudden gastric emptying, which may be a problem in diabetic individuals[10] who need to monitor their glycemic control closely
  • While the difference to some may be negligible, it’s definitely worth noting that organic apple cider vinegar has been shown to contain a more diverse microbiota of good bacteria, by a factor of as much as 25 percent

Aside from these provisions, little else makes consuming apple cider vinegar as a lifestyle supplement or tonic controversial, dangerous, or ill-advised. Its use for medicinal purposes is long-standing historically—if you have digestive problems, we recommend giving this awesome homeopathic remedy a try.

Why Apple Cider Vinegar Is Our Favorite Home Remedy

ACV is great in salad dressing, but we invite you to see what this acetic acid-rich miracle worker can do for you. When you consume apple cider vinegar, you treat your stomach, intestines, and digestive system to a deep, all-natural cleanse unlike any other.

If you’re diabetic, have acid reflux, or especially sensitive teeth, we suggest talking to your doctor before incorporating an ACV detox into your nightly routine. As for the rest of us? With the above in mind, you’re clear for take-off. Cheers!

+ 10 Sources

  1. Budak, N.H., Aykin, E., Seydim, A.C., Greene, A.K. and Guzel-Seydim, Z.B. (2014). Functional Properties of Vinegar. Journal of Food Science, [online] 79(5), pp.R757–R764. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24811350/.
  2. Štornik, A., Skok, B. and Trcek, J. (2016). Comparison of Cultivable Acetic Acid Bacterial Microbiota between Organic and Conventional Apple Cider Vinegar. Food Technology and Biotechnology, [online] 54. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC5105631/.
  3. KONDO, T., KISHI, M., FUSHIMI, T., UGAJIN, S. and KAGA, T. (2009). Vinegar Intake Reduces Body Weight, Body Fat Mass, and Serum Triglyceride Levels in Obese Japanese Subjects. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, [online] 73(8), pp.1837–1843. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19661687/.
  4. Frost, G., Sleeth, M.L., Sahuri-Arisoylu, M., Lizarbe, B., Cerdan, S., Brody, L., Anastasovska, J., Ghourab, S., Hankir, M., Zhang, S., Carling, D., Swann, J.R., Gibson, G., Viardot, A., Morrison, D., Louise Thomas, E. and Bell, J.D. (2014). The short-chain fatty acid acetate reduces appetite via a central homeostatic mechanism. Nature Communications, [online] 5(1). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24781306/.
  5. Johnston, C.S., Kim, C.M. and Buller, A.J. (2004). Vinegar Improves Insulin Sensitivity to a High-Carbohydrate Meal in Subjects With Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care, [online] 27(1), pp.281–282. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14694010/.
  6. Petsiou, E.I., Mitrou, P.I., Raptis, S.A. and Dimitriadis, G.D. (2014). Effect and mechanisms of action of vinegar on glucose metabolism, lipid profile, and body weight. Nutrition Reviews, [online] 72(10), pp.651–661. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25168916/.
  7. White, A.M. and Johnston, C.S. (2007). Vinegar Ingestion at Bedtime Moderates Waking Glucose Concentrations in Adults With Well-Controlled Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care, [online] 30(11), pp.2814–2815. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17712024/.
  8. Liu, Y. and Hannig, M. (2020). Vinegar inhibits the formation of oral biofilm in situ. BMC Oral Health, [online] 20(1). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC7275295/.
  9. Anderson, S., Gonzalez, L.A., Jasbi, P. and Johnston, C.S. (2021). Evidence That Daily Vinegar Ingestion May Contribute to Erosive Tooth Wear in Adults. Journal of Medicinal Food, [online] 24(8), pp.894–896. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33297831/.
  10. Hlebowicz, J., Darwiche, G., Björgell, O. and Almér, L.-O. (2007). Effect of apple cider vinegar on delayed gastric emptying in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a pilot study. BMC Gastroenterology, [online] 7(1). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18093343/.