Often called a superfood, apple cider vinegar has numerous purported health benefits, from its antioxidant effects and metabolic wonders to combating dandruff.
In the social media “health” space, it is hailed as an effective tool for curbing blood sugar spikes and weight loss. It has even been transformed into gummy sweets (to hide its sour taste) and marketed as a weight loss mechanism by supplement companies. However, experts are still debating whether this is scientifically true or just another cog in the trillion-dollar wellness industry wheel.
A new study in Lebanon has weighed in on the continuing discussion. Published in the BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health journal, it investigates “the effects of apple cider vinegar consumption on weight, blood glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol levels in a sample of the Lebanese population”.
Researchers recruited 120 overweight and obese participants who were randomly assigned to four groups. The first three groups received five, 10 or 15ml of apple cider vinegar, diluted in 250ml of water, which they had to take every morning before eating. The last group was given a placebo drink that tasted and looked the same as the vinegar.
About 98.3 per cent of the participants were not vegetarians, while 89 per cent reported eating more than four meals per day. Most of them had no family or childhood history of obesity and no regular exercise routine.
After 12 weeks, researchers found that daily consumption of the three doses showed “significant reductions” in weight, body mass index, waist and hip circumferences, body fat ratio as well as blood glucose and lipid levels. The researchers noted no side effects whatsoever.
So does this close the case on apple cider vinegar's health benefits? More definitive studies still need to be done, says Dr Shafneed Narangoli, a general practitioner at Aster Clinic Ras Al Khaimah, who is not connected to the study.
Dr Narangoli explains: “Apple cider vinegar is made through the fermentation of crushed apples, resulting in acetic acid as its primary component. This acetic acid is believed to be responsible for some of the purported health benefits of apple cider vinegar, including its potential impact on weight loss.”
Anyone who wants to try apple cider vinegar should dilute it first, he advises. “Undiluted apple cider vinegar is highly acidic and can cause irritation or damage to the throat and stomach lining.” He suggests mixing one to two tablespoons in a large glass of water before consuming, matching the method of participants in the recent study.
It must also be consumed in moderation, the doctor warns. “While apple cider vinegar is generally safe for most people when consumed in moderation, excessive intake can lead to adverse effects such as tooth enamel erosion and digestive issues. Stick to recommended doses and monitor your body's response.”
Ruba Elhourani, a senior clinical dietitian and head of the nutrition department at RAK Hospital, says consuming apple cider vinegar for weight loss should go hand-in-hand with a calorie-controlled diet.
“It is important to consider that apple cider vinegar may interact with certain supplements or drugs, including diuretics and insulin,” she adds. “This may contribute to low potassium levels and lead to adverse health problems and it is better to be taken in caution.”
Because apple cider vinegar is naturally acidic, consuming it on an empty stomach could “damage the stomach lining”, reiterates Elhourani.
“Timing for consumption remains unclear in most of the studies. However, it is always good to consume it before or with the largest meal of the day.”
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Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
