Vinegar is a food that we assume will benefit us the most and from which we often expect miracles. Vinegar is a sour fruit juice produced by acetic acid bacteria such as Acetobacter-gluconobacter fermenting a sugary fruit juice such as grape or apple in an oxygenated environment. When we look at its areas of use, we can see that it is used to remove hand and mouth odors, digestive problems, sleep problems, hair care, weight loss, cleaning, and removing marks on items. So, are there any scientifically proven benefits?
Is vinegar good for diabetes?
Vinegar is considered the food that regulates blood sugar in humans. When scientific research was examined, it was assumed that this assumption was true and that there were 3 ways that vinegar could improve blood sugar; Inhibition of α-amylase action, increased glucose uptake and mediation by transcription factors 1 . Another study has shown that vinegar may be effective in reducing postprandial glucose and insulin levels, which may be considered a helpful tool in improving glycemic control 2.
Does vinegar make you lose weight?
Acetic acid, the main component of vinegar, has been found to suppress fat accumulation in animal studies. Thereupon, as a result of the experiment conducted on Japanese obese people, body weight, visceral fat area, waist circumference and serum triglyceride levels were significantly lower as a result of regular daily consumption of 15-30 ml of vinegar for 12 weeks compared to those who did not consume vinegar 3. You can also take a look at our articles on metabolic syndrome and obesity .
Can vinegar be used for skin disorders?
Vinegar has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties that provide benefits in wound care as well as bacterial and fungal infections. There is also evidence to support its use in the treatment of itching, head lice relief, and striae gravidarum (stripes that often form on the skin during pregnancy). Although generally safe, improper use may cause skin damage 4.
What else is in vinegar?
Vinegar contains natural bioactive components such as acetic acid, gallic acid, catechin, efikatechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid. Due to these components, it causes antioxidative, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, antitumor, antiobesity, antihypertensive and antihypertensive effects 5.
Conclusion
As can be seen, vinegar is considered as an auxiliary food for the treatment of many metabolic diseases. Consuming 15-30 ml of vinegar per day may have the expected effect. Of course, excessive consumption may damage your tissues, especially the esophagus, tooth enamel and stomach lining, due to the acid it contains, and if applied directly to the skin, it may cause problems such as redness, burning and irritation. As with everything, It is true that less is more beneficial than more.
- Vinegar ( acetic acid ) intake on glucose metabolism: A narrative review. ↩︎
- Vinegar consumption can attenuate postprandial glucose and insulin responses; a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. ↩︎
- Vinegar intake reduces body weight, body fat mass, and serum triglyceride levels in obese Japanese subjects. ↩︎
- Acetic acid and the skin: a review of vinegar in dermatology. ↩︎
- Functional properties of vinegar . ↩︎
Dr. Osman Ertürk
He graduated from Ege University Faculty of Medicine in 2004. After 8 years of emergency medicine, he worked as a flight physician and occupational physician at the Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport Portclinic Health Unit for 12 years. He is currently working as a research assistant at ALKU Training and Research Hospital, Department of Chest Diseases. He founded the website CureAsk.com with the aim of alleviating the anxiety of patients, especially in cases requiring specific treatment, and enabling them to meet with relevant specialist doctors in another city or even another country.