Jeera Water, Apple Cider Vinegar and Green Tea for Weight Loss: What the Trials Say

Do jeera water, ACV and green tea really help weight loss?

Cumin, apple cider vinegar and green tea each have at least one randomised trial behind them, and in each case the measured effect is small: a kilo or two over two to three months, in trials of a few dozen to a few hundred people. None of them replaces eating a little less energy than you use. Below is what each trial actually tested (often a capsule or powder, not the home drink), the effect in kg, the calories per glass and the safety limits. Food figures come from the ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT) and USDA FoodData Central. For the food you eat alongside, see calories in Indian food.

Does jeera water help with weight loss?

Cumin has two small Iranian trials showing modest weight loss, but neither tested jeera water: one used capsules and the other cumin powder stirred into yoghurt. So the honest answer is that cumin itself may help slightly, and jeera water has not been tested at all.

The better-known trial (Taghizadeh et al., Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2015) randomised 78 overweight adults into three groups of 26: cumin capsules, the weight-loss drug orlistat 120 mg, or a placebo, each three times a day for 8 weeks. The cumin group lost 1.1 kg (± 1.2) and the placebo group gained 0.2 kg (± 1.5), a difference of about 1.3 kg by our arithmetic. The orlistat group lost 0.9 kg. Note that in 2023 the journal published an expression of concern about this paper, which is listed on its PubMed record, so treat its figures with extra caution.

The second trial (Zare et al., Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2014) gave 88 overweight or obese women weight-loss nutrition counselling for 3 months. Half also took 3 g of cumin powder a day in yoghurt at two meals; the other half had the same yoghurt without cumin. The authors report that weight, BMI, waist, fat mass and body-fat percentage fell significantly more with cumin. The published abstract does not give the difference in kg, and we could not open the full paper, so we have not quoted a figure.

Jeera water itself adds almost nothing. IFCT 2017 gives cumin seeds 1,274 kJ per 100 g, about 304 kcal, or roughly 3 kcal per gram, and most of the seeds are strained out. It is a pleasant way to drink more water, not a measured dose of cumin.

Does jeera water reduce belly fat?

No trial has tested jeera water on belly fat. The cumin powder trial reported a smaller waist alongside overall weight loss, which is what you would expect when total body fat falls. No drink or food removes fat from one area. Belly fat comes down as part of overall fat loss, which is why our belly fat training guide focuses on the whole-body deficit and strength work rather than spot exercises.

Does apple cider vinegar help you lose weight?

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) produced a small weight loss in two controlled trials, about 1 to 2 kg over 12 weeks in the larger one, and that loss came back within 4 weeks of stopping. It is a modest add-on at best, and the one trial that reported large losses has since been retracted.

In the Japanese trial (Kondo et al., Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 2009), 175 obese adults with a BMI of 25 to 30 were enrolled and 155 completed it. They drank 500 ml a day of a drink containing 15 ml or 30 ml of apple vinegar, or a placebo, for 12 weeks, and their food intake and daily steps did not differ between groups. The authors report that body weight and BMI fell by 1 to 2 kg and about 0.4 to 0.7 points, with the 30 ml group losing more. They also report that weight, BMI and waist-hip ratio returned to their initial values in the 4 weeks after the drinks stopped. The researchers worked at the research institute of Mizkan, a Japanese vinegar maker, which is listed in the paper.

In an Iranian trial (Khezri et al., Journal of Functional Foods, 2018), 39 overweight or obese adults all followed a diet with a 250 kcal a day deficit for 12 weeks, and half also took 30 ml of ACV a day. The authors report that the ACV group had significantly greater falls in body weight, BMI, hip circumference and appetite score. The abstract does not give the size of the difference in kg, so we have not quoted one.

What happened to the 2024 Lebanon apple cider vinegar study?

A 2024 trial in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, testing 5, 10 or 15 ml of ACV a day in 120 Lebanese adolescents and young adults, was widely shared. The journal retracted it on 23 September 2025. Its notice says concerns included implausible values, the approach to statistical analysis and the absence of prospective trial registration, and that the paper was retracted because the authors' analyses could not be replicated and multiple errors were found. If an article or reel quotes large ACV weight losses, check whether it relies on this study.

Is green tea good for weight loss?

Green tea's effect on weight is too small to matter, according to the Cochrane review on the question (Jurgens et al., 2012). It concluded that green tea preparations appear to cause a small, statistically non-significant weight loss in overweight or obese adults that is not likely to be clinically important.

The review included randomised trials of at least 12 weeks, most of them testing green tea extracts or concentrated drinks rather than a cup from a tea bag. In six trials outside Japan (532 people), the average difference was 0.04 kg (95% confidence interval 0.5 kg more loss to 0.4 kg less). Eight trials in Japan (1,030 people) were too different to pool and showed differences of 0.2 to 3.5 kg in favour of green tea. Green tea had no significant effect on keeping weight off after a diet.

Brewed green tea without sugar is close to zero calories: USDA lists about 1 kcal per 100 g. Its real use in a fat-loss plan is as a swap for sweetened tea, coffee or juice, where the saving comes from the sugar and milk you no longer drink.

Does lemon and honey water help weight loss?

We found no trial of lemon and honey water for weight loss, so there is no effect size to report. What we can give is its calories, and the honey is most of them.

USDA lists honey at 304 kcal per 100 g, with a tablespoon weighing 21 g, so one tablespoon adds about 64 kcal. IFCT 2017 gives lemon juice 153 kJ per 100 g, about 37 kcal, so 2 tablespoons (about 30 g) add roughly 11 kcal. By our arithmetic, a daily glass with a tablespoon of honey is about 75 kcal, or roughly 525 kcal a week. If you enjoy it, keep it and count it; leaving out the honey saves most of those calories.

Which drink is best for weight loss in the morning?

No morning drink has trial evidence strong enough to call it the best for weight loss. The best choice is the one you like that adds no sugar, and plain water, unsweetened green tea, jeera water and diluted ACV all qualify. The table puts the evidence and the calories side by side.

Are jeera water, ACV and green tea safe to drink every day?

Jeera water and brewed green tea are ordinary drinks for most healthy adults. The two cautions are vinegar's acidity and concentrated green tea extract, which is not the same as a cup of tea.

Vinegar and teeth. In a laboratory study (Willershausen et al., Clinical Laboratory, 2014), slices of human tooth enamel soaked in vinegars lost minerals, with one vinegar removing about 20% of the minerals at a depth of 45 micrometres after 8 hours. The authors note that real mouths differ from the lab, so the result should be applied with caution. It is still a reason not to drink vinegar neat.

Vinegar tablets and the oesophagus. A 2005 report in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association (Hill et al.) followed a case of oesophageal injury from an apple cider vinegar tablet. When the authors tested eight tablet brands, they found wide variation in size, acidity and acid content, and doubted whether the products contained apple cider vinegar at all.

Green tea extract and the liver. The European Food Safety Authority's 2018 opinion found that green tea infusions prepared the traditional way are generally considered safe. EU adults typically get 90 to 300 mg of EGCG a day from the tea they drink. Supplements provide 5 to 1,000 mg a day, and EFSA found trial evidence that 800 mg of EGCG a day or more taken as a supplement significantly raised liver enzymes. It also notes rare cases of liver injury after green tea infusions, most probably an idiosyncratic reaction.

• Dilute vinegar: the Kondo trial mixed 15 or 30 ml into 500 ml of drink. Avoid vinegar tablets.
• Choose brewed green tea over extract capsules. If you take an extract, check the EGCG per dose on the label.
• If you take any regular medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether daily vinegar or green tea extract could interact with it.

What actually moves fat loss

Fat loss comes from a steady calorie deficit, enough protein and strength training to hold on to muscle. A drink fits into that plan; it cannot stand in for it. If you are already in a deficit and the scale has stopped, the usual reasons are covered in not losing weight in a calorie deficit.

1. 1

   Find your numbers

   Estimate your daily energy use with the TDEE calculator, then set a moderate target with the calorie deficit calculator.

2. 2

   Pick a morning drink with no sugar

   Water, unsweetened green tea, jeera water or diluted vinegar all work. Count honey, sugar and milk if you add them.

3. 3

   Set a protein target

   Use the protein intake calculator and put a protein food in each meal so the deficit is easier to hold.

4. 4

   Strength train two or three times a week

   Training helps you keep muscle while you lose fat. Our fat loss approach explains how sessions are built.

5. 5

   Judge by weekly averages

   Weigh yourself a few mornings a week and compare weekly averages, and measure your waist once a month, rather than reading meaning into one morning's number.

Where coaching fits

MakeMyFitness is live one-to-one coaching on video across India, ₹799 a session at your own gym or ₹899 at home, and it suits people who have tried jeera water, ACV or green tea, seen little change, and want someone to check their food log and run their strength sessions instead of selling them another drink. Lead coach Kumar Abhishek is a certified Human Performance Nutritionist as well as a personal trainer.

MakeMyFitness coaches are fitness coaches, not doctors, dietitians or physiotherapists. If you have a medical condition or take regular medicine, your food plan should come from your doctor or a registered dietitian, and a coach follows their limits. Our Rehab & Recovery program is exercise coaching after a clinician has cleared you, not treatment. Read our medical disclaimer for the full position.