Vinegar is an everyday ingredient used in everything from pickles to salad dressings. The tart-tasting liquid can be used as a condiment, a disinfectant and a preservative among other things. Let’s get to know the health benefits and nutritional facts of white vinegar a little better.
What is white vinegar?
Vinegar is a broad term applied to a solution made of ascetic acid and water solution. The name is derived from the French words for “sour” (aigre) and “wine” (vin).
It can be made from fermenting any food that has carbohydrates. Common foods include wine, sorghum, dates, pears, grapes, berries, pomegranate, maple syrup, malt, grains, whey, honey, coconut, berries, melons, beets, potatoes, molasses, apples, rice, etc.
Yeasts help in fermenting the sugars in the food and turn them into alcohol. Acetic acid bacteria then converts the alcohol into acetic acid or vinegar. Standard white vinegar is made of fermenting grain alcohol or ethanol.
Vinegar should contain 4%-7% of acidity to be called so.
Also Read: Health benefits of balsamic vinegar
Vinegar nutritional facts
A 100 ml of white vinegar contains the following nutrients:
| Nutrient | Measure (Daily Value) |
| Calories | 18 |
| Total fat | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 0% |
| Sodium | 2 mg (0%) |
| Potassium | 2 mg (0%) |
| Total carbohydrates | 0 gm (0%) |
| Dietary fibre | 0 gm (0%) |
| Sugar | 0 gm |
| Protein | 0 gm |
| Vitamin C | 0% |
| Calcium | 0% |
| Iron | 0% |
| Vitamin D | 0% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0% |
| Cobalamin | 0% |
| Magnesium | 0% |
Health benefits of white vinegar
Vinegar contains vitamins, minerals salts, amino acids, and polyphenols like galic acid, catechin, ferulic acid and caffeic acid.
Other constituents include nonvolatile organic acids like tartaric, citric acid, malic acid and lactic acid.
Moderate amounts of white vinegar offer an array of health benefits. Here is a list of potential health benefits.
- Anti-microbial
- Improves heart health
- May fight cancer cells and tumor formation
- Brings blood glucose levels under control
- Improves heart health: Vinegar can bring about a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure, enhance the absorption of calcium that benefits heart health and lower triglycerides, according to findings of certain studies.
- Could lower blood sugar levels: Vinegar consumption can have a positive impact on blood sugar levels. It could potentially reduce the blood sugar spikes seen in diabetics after a meal. It could also lower the amount of insulin in the blood.
- Could fight cancer: Vinegar could be effective against tumor formation and could trigger the death of cancer cells. Vinegar is also a source of polyphenols that reduces oxidative stress. This could reduce the risk of cancer.
References:
1. Mitrou, P., Petsiou, E., Papakonstantinou, E., Maratou, E., Lambadiari, V., Dimitriadis, P., Spanoudi, F., Raptis, S. A., & Dimitriadis, G. (2015). Vinegar Consumption Increases Insulin-Stimulated Glucose Uptake by the Forearm Muscle in Humans with Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of diabetes research, 2015, 175204. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/175204
2. US Department of Agriculture
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