Health Benefits of Vinegar

Used by cultures worldwide ranging from Ancient Egyptians all the way up to today, vinegar is one of the most enduring culinary items in human history. Chemically, vinegar is a highly acidic substance that arises naturally from the fermentation of alcohol. In a more practical sense, vinegar’s most common use is to impart flavor into the food we eat. Condiment-style food items from salad dressings to pickling juice all contain it.

Aside from its flavorful versatility, recent medical studies have made at least a few indications that vinegar has some impressive health benefits for specific groups of people. Why they might exist isn’t yet very clear – some suspect that certain phytochemicals, or molecules that are found in certain plants, are the root cause. But either way, the following health benefits of vinegar are gaining ideological ground among those who adhere to natural medicine, as well as some in the medical community.

Vinegar and Diabetes

Perhaps the most immediately impressive application of vinegar as a health supplement is for those with Type 2 Diabetes. Often developing over a several decade span of a person’s lifetime, this type of Diabetes is characterized by improper response to insulin in the body. Those who suffer from it are often overweight, and are at high risk for nerve damage and immune system compromise. To avoid these complications, Diabetes sufferers must keep close track of their blood sugar levels. Vinegar, as a 2007 medical study involving 11 subjects seemed to demonstrate, may help Diabetes patients in that effort.

Vinegar