Source: Wikipedia
For thousands of years now, vinegar has enjoyed a great reputation, thanks to its multitudinous healing properties. Somewhere along the line, the pungent, tangy taste of vinegar made it a welcome component in kitchens around the world. Today, vinegar enjoys the best of both worlds and is loved both for its health properties as well as its taste. It is a welcome ingredient in many diet plans.
To learn about the right way to use vinegar to improve your health, read this entire article through.
Apple cider vinegar has been traditionally used to cure illnesses. These days, even red wine vinegars are being used for their health benefits. It has been so beneficial to people that it has often been credited with all sorts of curing capabilities. In fact, if folk cures are to be believed, vinegar is perhaps one of the most prolific medicines there is. Although the effectiveness of vinegar in many areas is still to be proved, science has found that the basis for a number of these claims is indeed valid.
Vinegar serves as an important ingredient in many dishes in traditional cooking of many countries across the world. It can be made from a variety of sources including wine, rice, fruit, malt, cane, palm, coconut, and more.
Health benefits of Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is rich in potassium. Potassium helps to thin blood and thus brings down blood pressure levels. Therefore, many people mix apple cider vinegar with water and drink the mixture to control blood pressure levels.
Vinegar contains pectin which attaches itself to cholesterol and eliminates it. This alleviates the risk of heart diseases. Since potassium reduces blood pressure, it is beneficial to the health of the heart.
Apple cider vinegar regulates blood sugar levels. This helps diabetic patients and keeps diseases such as diabetic neuropathy at bay. As a result, many other diseases that accompany diabetes are also automatically deterred. More importantly, a recent study showed that vinegar can control the spike in blood sugar levels experienced by diabetics after meals.
It is believed that drinking a mixture of vinegar and honey may help dissolve arthritic crystals formed in the body and thus alleviate arthritic pain.
Vinegar is good for the skin. The acetic acid contained in vinegar helps destroy warts and thus restores clean skin.
Vinegar is antibacterial in nature. Thus, gargling with a mixture of vinegar and water destroys bacteria and germs within the mouth. This could also help reduce symptoms of sore throat.
Vinegar made from red wine has the antioxidant capabilities found in wine. These antioxidants have a host of benefits. They strengthen the immune system, keep the heart healthy and fight various kinds of cancers. Vinegar extracted from red wine also has no cholesterol, fat or calories. This makes it one of the best substances to use as toppings and dressings for salads and sandwiches. Thus, vinegar can replace fatty foods like mayonnaise which is great for weight loss.
Vinegar also has anti-inflammatory properties. So, a dab of vinegar may be applied on sunburn to reduce redness and pain.
Some people are said to use organic vinegar helps fight dandruff in the hair. It also adds a shine to hair, making it naturally glossy and silky.
How to use Vinegar in your cooking
- Many people mix vinegar with warm water and drink this mixture twice a day.
- Some people mix vinegar with honey which can create a double-beneficial food. For more read: Health Benefits of Raw Honey
- Vinegar may be used to dress salads and sandwich stuffing.
- Traditionally, vinegar is used to add flavor to fish and chips.
As you can see, this tasty food can be used in a variety of ways.
In conclusion
Did you know that South Dakota extols the health benefits of vinegar by celebrating the annual Vinegar Festival? Such is the popularity of vinegar. Studies are still under way to assess the health benefits of vinegar. However, one thing is for sure: natural, organic vinegar is tasty and healthy. So, the next time you want to add flavor to your foods, why go for artificial flavors? Just use natural vinegar.
