Are people who like to add vinegar to their meals healthier than those who don’t? Here’s the secret…

Expert of this article: Pa Lize, Chief Physician of Nutrition, Science Popularization Committee Member of Chinese Nutrition Society

Vinegar is a condiment that is deeply loved by people. Some people eat vinegar at every meal, and some people even choose to drink it directly.

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In addition, I believe many friends have heard about the various advantages of drinking vinegar: it can soften blood vessels, fight cancer... and they also use vinegar to disinfect their homes from time to time.

Is vinegar really so magical? Is it okay to eat too much? Let me reveal the secret.

How is vinegar made?

Our ancestors discovered that plant juices contain fermentable acetic acid, which led to the production of vinegar and wine. People in all regions of the world have the traditional custom of making vinegar from various fruit wines, tropical fruits, palm tree sap, etc., and also use vinegar to pickle pickles and marinate raw fish, meat and vegetable dishes.

The vinegar that Chinese people eat is mostly made from glutinous rice, sorghum, millet, wheat bran, corn and dried sweet potatoes. For thousands of years, the method of making vinegar has been to fill a container half full of fruit wine or other alcoholic liquids and let it stand for a long time to ferment, but the results are difficult to predict.

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In the 18th century, Dutch scientist Herman Bohaave pioneered a time-saving vinegar brewing system. Then in the 19th century, Pasteur confirmed that microorganisms and oxidation were essential elements of the vinegar production process, which led to the current method of making vinegar using one or more materials containing starch, sugar, etc. through a series of biochemical changes. The process is to use the fermentation of edible alcohol to decompose starch and saccharify it into ethanol, and then under the action of a specially selected strain of bacteria, acetic acid bacteria, the ethanol is converted into acetic acid, etc., thus obtaining this liquid acidic condiment with a complex flavor.

Why do some people cannot live without vinegar when eating?

The reason why vinegar has a lasting reputation is that it contains acetic acid, amino acids and other flavoring substances with multiple properties.

Characteristics of acetic acid:

1. The dissociated acetate and hydrogen ions make the tongue feel sour and remove the fishy smell;

2. Retaining some volatile and intact acetic acid molecules has a special aroma, which can increase appetite, stimulate the appetite and refresh the mind;

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3. Its unique lipophilicity can dissolve aroma compounds such as onion, ginger, garlic, aniseed, and cloves, making food and seasonings volatilize and fragrant, increasing the freshness, sweetness, and aroma of dishes;

4. It can inhibit the growth of various microorganisms, has the function of a preservative, and improves the safety of eating cold dishes.

In addition, glutamate and glutamate-sodium salt are the main flavor substances that form the pleasant umami taste of vinegar.

Can vinegar soften blood vessels, lower blood lipids, and fight cancer?

The food ingredients of vinegar are usually acetic acid, calcium, potassium, amino acids, succinic acid, gluconic acid, malic acid, lactic acid, B vitamins, etc., and their content varies depending on the raw materials used and the production method.

Although it contains a variety of nutrients, its supply as a major nutrient in the diet and its direct health benefits can be ignored because of its small consumption. Therefore, the important role of vinegar is still seasoning.

However, in recent decades, there have been many papers reporting on the functional properties of vinegar through animal experiments and small sample population clinical observation studies. Several studies have also found that in addition to changing the choice and proportion of ingredients, using vinegar as a condiment can help prevent and control diabetes, but it is limited to choosing larger food particles, reducing the water content in the food, and adding an appropriate amount of organic acid (acetic acid), which is beneficial to lowering the glycemic index GI value to affect the postprandial blood sugar response.

However, there is no direct scientific experimental data so far on the claim that “eating more vinegar can soften blood vessels, lower blood lipids, and fight cancer.”

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Is it true that “fumigation vinegar can kill bacteria”?

Vinegar contains more than 3.5% acetic acid, which plays a role in inhibiting bacterial growth in food seasoning. However, the boiling point of acetic acid is as high as 118°C. During the fumigation process for air disinfection, the vinegar can only be concentrated. The acetic acid content in the water evaporated after boiling is extremely low, and the sterilization effect cannot be achieved at all.

Is it bad to drink too much vinegar?

Some people even regard vinegar as a health product that can be drunk directly. However, drinking vinegar directly or eating food containing a large amount of vinegar will have a certain impact on the oral mucosa and esophagus, causing inflammation and ulcers. It will also change the pH value of gastric juice and damage the gastric mucosa, causing stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and even acute gastritis. If patients who restrict high-sodium diets consume a large amount of vinegar for health purposes, they will consume too much sodium, which is very unfavorable for controlling blood pressure.

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A lot of sugar is added to fruit vinegar or other vinegar drinks on the market that are labeled as having health functions. Drinking too much is not good for blood sugar control, and it will also increase weight and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

It can be seen from this that being too jealous or having every meal full of vinegar is indeed harmful to physical and mental health.

So, faced with the numerous varieties of vinegar nowadays, eating vinegar has gradually become a technical job. Let’s talk about how to eat vinegar.

How to be jealous correctly?

Whether you are choosing by regional brand or by taste preference based on ingredients, the first thing to do is to read the food label to check for acidity, sodium, sugar and other ingredients.

According to the provisions of GB2719-2018 "National Food Safety Standard for Edible Vinegar", edible vinegar is a liquid acidic condiment with or without sugar, brewed by microbial fermentation using various materials containing starch, sugar, and edible alcohol, either alone or in combination. The total acid content of vinegar is required to be ≥3.5 g/100 ml.

The higher the acidity value of vinegar, the stronger the acidity. You can choose according to your taste and cooking purpose.

Generally speaking, vinegar with an acidity of 5 degrees or less is suitable for cooking, and 5 to 6 degrees is suitable for dipping:

Aged vinegar has a strong sour taste and is generally suitable for making hot and sour soup, vinegar-braised fish, etc.

Balsamic vinegar has moderate acidity and a mellow flavor, making it a good dipping sauce for crabs and shrimps.

Rice vinegar has a relatively light taste, slightly sweet and sour, and is often used to stir-fry sweet and sour delicacies;

White vinegar is usually fermented from edible alcohol. Its main ingredients are acetic acid and water. It is very suitable for cold dishes and Western dishes.

If it is marked with 9~16 degrees, it is generally a specially made vinegar with specific health functions. The price will be higher, but it must have a health function approval number, so pay attention when purchasing.

The acidity of vinegar can not only be used as a reference for seasoning, but the appropriate concentration of acetic acid can also improve the nutritional value and sensory effect of cooked food. For example, it can protect the vitamin C in the ingredients from being lost, and vegetables rich in anthocyanins can appear beautiful red, avoiding blue and black.

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So, whether you like vinegar or not, you can add some vinegar when cooking dishes rich in vitamin C such as shredded potatoes and bean sprouts, or vegetables such as purple cabbage, amaranth, and red radish.

In addition, vinegar contains sodium, so when cooking food with vinegar, you must reduce the amount of salt. Some vinegars also contain sugar, which also needs attention.

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