Apple cider vinegar and cinnamon: what the research covers separately

Apple cider vinegar and cinnamon, mixed into a drink with water or honey, is a popular home combination — but no trial has tested the two together. What exists is separate research on each ingredient, at doses well above what a home recipe's teaspoon or splash typically provides.

What each ingredient's own research looked at

For apple cider vinegar, the research is mostly single-meal trials measuring the after-meal blood sugar response, not sustained daily combination use. See apple cider vinegar and diabetes: what the research does and doesn't show for what those trials found.

For cinnamon, research on blood sugar markers has mostly studied adults with an existing blood sugar condition, at doses of 1 to 6 grams of ground cinnamon bark a day, or 500 mg a day of a concentrated water-soluble extract. See cinnamon benefits: what the research does and doesn't show for what those trials found and where reviews disagree.

Why a home recipe doesn't match either dose

A typical "apple cider vinegar and cinnamon" drink recipe calls for a tablespoon or two of vinegar and a pinch or half-teaspoon of ground cinnamon in a glass of water. That's roughly in the range of vinegar amounts some trials have used, but well under the 1-6 grams of cinnamon the blood-sugar research above tested — a half-teaspoon of ground cinnamon is closer to 1-1.5 grams, at the low end of that range at best, and most home recipes use less. Mixing two ingredients doesn't create a combined effect that's been measured; it's two separate, partially-dosed ingredients in the same glass.

What we sell, and what we don't

Our apple cider vinegar capsules provide 1,000 mg of organic apple cider vinegar powder per two-capsule serving, alongside inulin, a digestive enzyme blend and a probiotic strain — no cinnamon. We don't have a cinnamon product to add to the comparison, and nothing here is a recommendation to combine the two for any outcome.

Questions people ask

What are the benefits of apple cider vinegar and cinnamon together?

No trial has tested the combination, so there's no research-backed answer specific to taking them together. Each ingredient's separate research is summarized above.

Is apple cider vinegar and cinnamon good for blood sugar?

Both have separate research touching on blood sugar markers, at doses higher than most home recipes use, and in specific populations rather than a general one. Neither is a substitute for a doctor-directed blood sugar plan. See blood sugar supplements: what the evidence supports for a fuller comparison across several ingredients.

Can I take apple cider vinegar and cinnamon with honey and lemon?

We haven't found research on that four-ingredient combination either. Honey and lemon are food additions with their own nutrition facts, not something this article's research citations cover.

Related reading: cinnamon benefits: what the research does and doesn't show, cinnamon dosage, and apple cider vinegar benefits: what the research does and doesn't show.