Why vinegar could be the key to losing weight

We all know about the perils of sugar. 90 per cent of us suffer from glucose (blood sugar) spikes every day. You may have even contended with the symptoms without recognising the cause: fatigue, cravings, mood swings, poor energy, bad sleep, acne and, crucially, weight gain. But what if you could mitigate the effects of glucose without forgoing sugar and carbohydrates completely?

Starchy and sugary foods turn to glucose as we digest them. The resulting glucose then enters our blood stream. If too much glucose arrives too quickly in the bloodstream it causes a glucose spike. These spikes bring with them consequences: inflammation, premature ageing and fat storage.

Many diets suggest cutting out sugar and carbohydrates completely. But, looking at the science, there could be another equally effective and less punitive approach to shifting those excess pounds.

Here are my top three tips to curb glucose spikes and prevent the ensuing weight gain:

Eat your food in the right order

A lot of attention is given to what we eat without much guidance on how to eat it. It turns out a meal can have a very different impact on the body's glucose depending on the order in which its constituents are consumed. The right order for our glucose levels is: vegetables first, proteins and fats second, starches and sugars last. In a meal consisting of chicken, bread, green beans, and an apple, this means: green beans first, chicken second, bread, and apple last. My research found that eating your food in this order reduces the glucose spike by up to 75 per cent – and diminishes the side effects. Eating this way will make you feel fuller and more energised.

Introduce vinegar into your diet

Mix yourself this glucose-steady cocktail: one tablespoon of vinegar (any kind of vinegar, except balsamic as it contains extra sugar) in a tall glass of water before, and drink it up to 30 minutes before your meals. This will curb the glucose spike of what you eat afterwards. This is thanks to vinegar’s effect on our muscles: vinegar tells our muscles to soak up the glucose arriving in the bloodstream post-digestion.

Put clothes on your carbs

Don't let your carbs walk around naked… Here’s what I mean: anytime you’re eating starches (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes….) or sugars (fruit, dessert, pastry, or anything sweet…) add some protein, fats, or fiber into the mix. So put some avocado on your bread, some spinach in your pasta, some cream cheese on your bagel… Doing this will slow down the breakdown of starches and sugars into glucose in your digestive system, and flatten the glucose curve of that food.

Thousands of people in my online community have already seen tremendous changes in their physical and mental health by applying these hacks. I hope you will too. Whether you're looking to lose weight or simply have more energy, steadying your glucose levels is a good place to start.