Can vinegar help you live longer? Discover the surprising benefits
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When it comes to improving or maintaining both your physical and mental well-being, oftentimes, it's the small changes that can make the most difference.
When trying to stay healthy, we usually emphasise the basics; drink lots of water, get enough sleep and eat the right food.
What would come as a surprise to many, however, is that a tiny dash of vinegar can also have big effects too.
According to Biochemist Jessie Inchausepé, vinegar has remarkable health benefits. Ms Inchauspé also said that whenever she feels the urge for a slice of dessert at a restaurant, she’ll first ask the staff if they have any vinegar in the kitchen.
It doesn’t matter if it’s wine vinegar, balsamic, or rice vinegar – whatever the restaurant has at that specific moment, she’ll pour a spoonful into a glass of water and drink it while waiting for dessert to arrive.
The biochemist also shared that she’ll slip a glass of diluted vinegar solution in her backpack in the morning or pour some into the water bottle she always carries in her bag.
Based on research, vinegar contains acetic acid that slows down the rate at which digestive enzymes break down sugar and starch into glucose.
What this means is that glucose molecules will be released into the bloodstream more slowly.
Vinegar also has a second benefit: once acetic acid gets into the bloodstream, it penetrates the muscles and encourages them to soak up glucose molecules and store them away.
These two factors mean that after taking in vinegar, you’ll end up with less free-flowing glucose in your bloodstream – this leads to a smaller glucose spike. Ms Inchauspé also stated that vinegar could help burn more fat and improve focus, mood and energy.
What are glucose spikes?
Too much of a good thing isn’t good, and the same is true when we eat sugary or starchy food. ‘They end up as glucose in the blood, where it is delivered around the body to cells and then used for energy,’ Ms Inchauspé shared.
‘This affects most of us, not just diabetics, and carries consequences that can harm both our physical and mental health,’ she continued.
Studies have shown that one tablespoon of vinegar before any meal can reduce the glucose spike of that meal by up to 30 per cent. This reduces inflammation, slows down the ageing process, increases energy, balances hormones, and improves brain capacity.
‘The body’s natural response to a glucose spike is to release the hormone insulin, which takes that glucose out of the blood and stores some of it as fat for possible future use,’ Ms Inchauspé explained.
She continued: ‘It is a carefully calibrated system that works well when blood glucose levels are relatively stable. But eating too many highly processed and sweet foods can cause dramatic spikes, triggering too much insulin; this is bad for our cells and ultimately leads to alarming drops in glucose levels.’
That said, vinegar appears to have an impact on insulin and reduces its levels in the blood. According to studies, a tablespoon of vinegar can reduce blood insulin levels after a meal by 20 per cent.
‘This means there’s less chance that any excess glucose in the blood is being added to your fat reserves,’ Ms Inchauspé stated.
The biochemist also shared that vinegar has been shown to have a ‘remarkable effect’ on DNA by ‘reprogramming it slightly so that the cells burn more fat’.
Additionally, consuming one or two tablespoons of vinegar before a meal for three months helps reduce the amount of harmful ‘visceral’ fat which gathers around the organs. This helps lower levels of blood fats that lead to heart disease.
According to Ms Inchauspé, the easiest way to take your vinegar is to drink one tablespoon each day in a tall glass (300ml) of still or sparkling water.
‘But the most powerful moment to have vinegar is ten minutes before eating something sweet or starchy (such as pasta, bread, potatoes or rice), which will rapidly break down into glucose during the digestive process,’ she added.
However, she also warned that although vinegar reduces blood sugar spikes, it does not erase them. Additionally, while there are a lot of benefits to incorporating vinegar into your meals, it is acidic enough to erode tooth enamel, inflame the oesophagus and stomach, and trigger nausea and acid reflux.
This is why vinegar should always be diluted with water. To err on the side of caution, consult your doctor first to see if this advice is safe for you.
Are you willing to try this out (with your GPs permission)? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
When trying to stay healthy, we usually emphasise the basics; drink lots of water, get enough sleep and eat the right food.
What would come as a surprise to many, however, is that a tiny dash of vinegar can also have big effects too.
According to Biochemist Jessie Inchausepé, vinegar has remarkable health benefits. Ms Inchauspé also said that whenever she feels the urge for a slice of dessert at a restaurant, she’ll first ask the staff if they have any vinegar in the kitchen.
It doesn’t matter if it’s wine vinegar, balsamic, or rice vinegar – whatever the restaurant has at that specific moment, she’ll pour a spoonful into a glass of water and drink it while waiting for dessert to arrive.
The biochemist also shared that she’ll slip a glass of diluted vinegar solution in her backpack in the morning or pour some into the water bottle she always carries in her bag.
French Biochemist Jessie Inchauspé revealed how vinegar could protect against erratic blood sugar fluctuations. Credit: Ksenia Chernaya/Pexels
Based on research, vinegar contains acetic acid that slows down the rate at which digestive enzymes break down sugar and starch into glucose.
What this means is that glucose molecules will be released into the bloodstream more slowly.
Vinegar also has a second benefit: once acetic acid gets into the bloodstream, it penetrates the muscles and encourages them to soak up glucose molecules and store them away.
These two factors mean that after taking in vinegar, you’ll end up with less free-flowing glucose in your bloodstream – this leads to a smaller glucose spike. Ms Inchauspé also stated that vinegar could help burn more fat and improve focus, mood and energy.
What are glucose spikes?
Too much of a good thing isn’t good, and the same is true when we eat sugary or starchy food. ‘They end up as glucose in the blood, where it is delivered around the body to cells and then used for energy,’ Ms Inchauspé shared.
‘This affects most of us, not just diabetics, and carries consequences that can harm both our physical and mental health,’ she continued.
Vinegar is said to help you lose weight as well. Credit: olia danilevich/Pexels
Studies have shown that one tablespoon of vinegar before any meal can reduce the glucose spike of that meal by up to 30 per cent. This reduces inflammation, slows down the ageing process, increases energy, balances hormones, and improves brain capacity.
‘The body’s natural response to a glucose spike is to release the hormone insulin, which takes that glucose out of the blood and stores some of it as fat for possible future use,’ Ms Inchauspé explained.
She continued: ‘It is a carefully calibrated system that works well when blood glucose levels are relatively stable. But eating too many highly processed and sweet foods can cause dramatic spikes, triggering too much insulin; this is bad for our cells and ultimately leads to alarming drops in glucose levels.’
That said, vinegar appears to have an impact on insulin and reduces its levels in the blood. According to studies, a tablespoon of vinegar can reduce blood insulin levels after a meal by 20 per cent.
‘This means there’s less chance that any excess glucose in the blood is being added to your fat reserves,’ Ms Inchauspé stated.
The biochemist also shared that vinegar has been shown to have a ‘remarkable effect’ on DNA by ‘reprogramming it slightly so that the cells burn more fat’.
Additionally, consuming one or two tablespoons of vinegar before a meal for three months helps reduce the amount of harmful ‘visceral’ fat which gathers around the organs. This helps lower levels of blood fats that lead to heart disease.
According to Ms Inchauspé, the easiest way to take your vinegar is to drink one tablespoon each day in a tall glass (300ml) of still or sparkling water.
‘But the most powerful moment to have vinegar is ten minutes before eating something sweet or starchy (such as pasta, bread, potatoes or rice), which will rapidly break down into glucose during the digestive process,’ she added.
However, she also warned that although vinegar reduces blood sugar spikes, it does not erase them. Additionally, while there are a lot of benefits to incorporating vinegar into your meals, it is acidic enough to erode tooth enamel, inflame the oesophagus and stomach, and trigger nausea and acid reflux.
This is why vinegar should always be diluted with water. To err on the side of caution, consult your doctor first to see if this advice is safe for you.
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