Balsamic vinegar is a popular ingredient in salad dressings, marinades, and many other foods. It has a distinctive flavor that is often described as bold, tart, and complex. Some studies suggest that balsamic vinegar has additional health benefits, ranging from improving a person’s complexion to lowering cholesterol and weight loss. In this article, we look at the potential health benefits of balsamic vinegar and the scientific research that might back them up.
The ten health benefits of balsamic vinegar
The health benefits of balsamic vinegar may include the following:
1. Improve skin health
Balsamic vinegar contains antimicrobial compounds, acetic acid and antioxidants. These components can help improve a person’s complexion over time. Other clear vinegars have been applied topically to the skin to help clear up acne. However, balsamic vinegar can cause staining and should therefore not be applied directly to the skin.
2. Reduce Blood Sugar
Studies suggest that this popular salad dressing ingredient has a number of health benefits. Balsamic vinegar helps regulate blood sugar when consumed as part of a meal. A review that looked at the scientific effects of vinegar found that balsamic vinegar has an antiglycemic impact when consumed, meaning a person’s blood sugar will spike less drastically after a meal. The review stated that vinegar may help plateau blood sugar levels for up to 5 hours after a meal.
3. Promote Healthy Digestion
Acetic acid is the active compound in balsamic vinegar. This acid contains strains of probiotics that aid digestion. The probiotics found in acetic acid may help promote good gut health and digestion while supporting overall immune function.
4. Reduce cholesterol
Balsamic vinegar can help lower cholesterol levels. The antioxidants in balsamic vinegar help block toxic cells in the body that can raise cholesterol levels. According to one study, in rabbits with high cholesterol, it’s possible that consuming balsamic vinegar may help reduce or maintain already low cholesterol levels.
5. Weight loss
The probiotics in balsamic vinegar can also help a person feel full longer. Some research indicates that people may consume fewer calories throughout the day when they add vinegar to their morning meal.
6. Treat wounds
Balsamic vinegar has been used for many years to help treat wounds. It is suggested that balsamic vinegar has antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties. These claims, however, have not been well researched.
7. Reduce hypertension
Consuming balsamic vinegar can help a person feel full longer. One study, though again involving rats, determined that balsamic vinegar can help lower blood pressure. This research suggested that regularly adding balsamic vinegar to foods could help reduce high blood pressure over time. This may be true if a person replaces fatty foods, such as butter and oil, with vinegar, thereby decreasing the total amount of fat they consume.
8. Relieve Congestion
Some people use balsamic vinegar to help treat congestion. To do this, a person can add a few drops of vinegar to steaming water and breathe in the steam.
9. Reduce Acid Reflux
People can try using balsamic vinegar to help reduce acid reflux or heartburn. This remedy may not work for everyone, so it’s a good idea to try it in small amounts and wait several hours to see if it improves or worsens symptoms.
10. Promote blood circulation
Balsamic vinegar is derived from grapes. Studies have found that grapes can help prevent heart disease by preventing platelets from building up in blood vessels. Balsamic vinegar also contains polyphenols. Researchers are studying how polyphenols help with blood circulation, but the evidence so far is inconclusive.
Consuming too much balsamic vinegar can cause stomach upset.
There are few risks in using balsamic vinegar, as it is generally safe to consume unless a person has an allergy. The possible risks are:
upset stomach due to excessive consumption
throat inflammation
damage to the food pipe in case of excessive consumption
One should limit its intake to about 2 tablespoons or less, as excessive consumption can cause stomach upset and other problems. You have to pay attention to the label of the balsamic vinegar you buy. True balsamic vinegar can be expensive, but it has no added sugars. Other brands may contain additional sugars to help match the taste of real balsamic vinegar.
Summary
Balsamic vinegar is generally safe to add to foods. It is very low in calories, low in sugar and fat free. Additionally, there are several potential health benefits associated with balsamic vinegar. Although more research is still needed to understand these benefits, a person may feel good about incorporating balsamic vinegar into a healthy diet. People can find balsamic vinegar at most grocery stores or health food stores.
