National Vinegar Day

Yesterday was National Vinegar Day. Vinegar is made by fermenting something past the point of an alcoholic drink until it’s acidic. This is why we have different kinds of vinegars, just as we have different kinds of wines and liqueurs. Many times vinegar is made from grapes (white wine vinegar, red wine, or balsamic vinegar). Popular kinds also include apples (apple cider vinegar), rice (rice wine vinegar), grains (white vinegar), and more. 

No need for a sour face though – vinegar has health benefits. Vinegar is no longer reserved just for salads, and has found its way into the arsenals of medicine cabinets. In recent years, apple cider vinegar has been in the spotlight for it’s useful properties. Many people drink a tablespoon full of vinegar in the morning either with water or, for the brave hearted, straight by itself. Apple cider vinegar has various healthful properties, including antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. What’s more, evidence suggests it may offer health benefits, such as aiding weight loss and reducing cholesterol. Vinegar also helps improve the symptoms of diabetes – apple cider vinegar has shown great promise in improving insulin sensitivity and helping lower blood sugar responses after meals. The science is still being contested on whether vinegar supports weight loss, but several promising human studies show that vinegar can increase feelings of fullness. This can lead you to eat fewer calories and lose weight. For example, according to one study, taking vinegar along with a high carb meal led to increased feelings of fullness, causing participants to eat 200–275 fewer calories throughout the rest of the day.

Apple cider vinegar also promotes antioxidant activity. In research studies, apple cider vinegar induced a protective effect against erythrocyte, kidney, and liver oxidative injury and lowered the serum lipid levels in mice fed a high cholesterol diet. The authors of the study suggested that it may scavenge free radicals, inhibit lipid peroxidation, and increase the levels of antioxidant enzymes and vitamins in cells. As we know, antioxidants are vital to health because they fight inflammation, and inflammation is the ultimate cause of all disease. 

Vinegar helps kill pathogens, including bacteria. People have traditionally used vinegar for cleaning and disinfecting, treating nail fungus, lice, warts, and ear infections. In fact, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used vinegar to clean wounds more than 2,000 years ago. Vinegar is also a food preservative, and studies show that it inhibits bacteria like E. coli from growing in and spoiling food. That is good news for salad lovers – even after rinsing, vinegar helps clean produce to make sure there is no bacteria to avoid any food-borne illness. This is also one of the reasons why vinegar is an excellent choice for cleaning. Toxic chemicals like bleach are not healthy to inhale or touch, and vinegar is a natural alternative that does the job just as well. Mix it with lemon for a powerful and natural bath and shower cleaner, or use it straight to brighten coffee cups. It can also be a lifesaver for getting tough stains out of your favorite fabrics.