Vinegar is a popular condiment, some people eat without vinegar, and some people can even drink it directly.
In addition, I believe many friends have heard of the advantages of drinking vinegar:
Can soften blood vessels, can fight cancer... The home is also disinfected with smoked vinegar from time to time.
Is vinegar really that magical? Is it okay to eat too much? Let's take you to reveal the secret.
1
How is vinegar made?
Human ancestors discovered that the sap of plants contained fermented acetic acid, which made vinegar and wine.
People in all regions of the world have a traditional habit of making vinegar with various ciders, tropical fruits, palm sap, etc., and also use vinegar to marinate pickles and impregnate raw fish, meat and vegetable dishes.
The vinegar Chinese eats is mostly brewed with glutinous rice, sorghum, millet, wheat bran, corn and dried sweet potatoes. For thousands of years, vinegar preparation methods have only used containers to fill half-full cider or other alcoholic liquids, and let them sit for a long time to ferment, but the results are difficult to predict.
In the 18th century, the Dutch scientist Hermann Bohav pioneered the use of time-saving vinegar brewing systems, and then in the 19th century, after Pasteur confirmed that microorganisms and oxidation were indispensable elements of the vinegar-making process, there was now a way to make vinegar from one or more starch-containing, sugar-containing materials through a series of biochemical changes.
The process is to use the fermentation of edible alcohol, so that the starch is decomposed and saccharified and then converted into ethanol, and then under the action of the specially selected bacterium - acetic acid bacteria, the ethanol is converted into acetic acid, etc., so as to obtain this complex flavor of liquid acid condiment.
2
Why do some people eat without vinegar?
Vinegar is so popular because it contains other flavoring substances such as acetic acid and amino acids with a variety of properties.
Properties of acetic acid:
1. Acetate and hydrogen ions that can be dissociated
Make the tongue feel the sour taste and get rid of the fishy smell;
2. Retain the volatile and complete part
Acetic acid molecules smell with a special aroma, which can increase appetite, appetizing and refreshing;
3. Unique lipophilicity, can dissolve onion, ginger garlic, large cloves and other aroma compounds, so that food and seasoning volatilize fragrance, increase the freshness, sweetness, fragrance of dishes, etc.;
4. It can inhibit the growth of a variety of microorganisms, has the function of preservatives, and improves the safety of eating cold dishes.
In addition, glutamic acid and glutamic acid-sodium salts are the main flavoring substances that form a pleasant umami taste of vinegar.
3
Can vinegar soften blood vessels and lower blood lipids? Can it fight cancer?
The food components of vinegar are usually acetic acid, calcium, potassium, amino acids, succinic acid, grape acid, malic acid, lactic acid, B vitamins, etc., and their content varies according to the raw materials used and the production method.
Despite its multiple nutrients, the amount consumed is small, so its supply as the main nutrient in the diet and the direct health benefits to health can be ignored. It can be seen that the main role of vinegar is still seasoning.
However, in recent decades, there have been numerous reports of papers revealing the functional properties of vinegar through animal studies and clinical observational studies in small sample populations. Several studies have also found:
In addition to changing the choice and proportion of ingredients, the use of vinegar as a condiment is helpful for diabetes prevention and control, but it is limited to the addition of an appropriate amount of organic acid (acetic acid) under the condition of selecting larger food particles and reducing the moisture content in food, which is conducive to reducing the GLYCE GI value to affect the postprandial blood glucose response.
And "more vinegar can soften blood vessels, lower blood lipids, can fight cancer" so far there is no direct scientific experimental data.
And is the statement that "smoked vinegar can kill bacteria" correct?
Vinegar contains more than 3.5% acetic acid, in food seasoning to play a role in inhibiting bacterial reproduction, but the boiling point of acetic acid is as high as 118 ° C, in the process of fumigation for air disinfection, only vinegar can be thickened, and the content of acetic acid in the evaporated water after boiling is extremely low, and the effect of sterilization cannot be achieved at all.
4
Is there a disadvantage to drinking too much vinegar?
Some people in life regard vinegar as a health care product that can be directly drunk to pursue, but directly drinking vinegar or food contains a lot of vinegar, which will have a certain impact on the mucous membrane and esophagus of the mouth, causing inflammation and ulcers, and will also change the pH value of gastric juice, causing damage to the gastric mucosa, causing stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and even acute gastritis.
Patients who restrict a high-sodium diet who consume a lot of vinegar for health care purposes will lead to excessive intake of sodium, which is very detrimental to controlling blood pressure.
Fruit vinegar or other vinegar drinks labeled as health care functions on the market will add a lot of sugar, drinking too much is not good for blood sugar control, but also increases weight and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
It can be seen that "overturning the vinegar jar" like eating vinegar or "full of vinegar" is indeed harmful to physical and mental health.
So, in the face of the current variety of vinegar, vinegar has gradually become a technical job, let's talk about how to be jealous?
5
How to be jealous correctly?
Whether it is to choose by regional brand or according to the preference of raw materials according to taste, the first thing to do is to look at the food label and see clearly
Acidity, sodium, sugar and other ingredients.
According to the provisions of the mainland GB2719-2018 "National Standard for Food Safety Vinegar", vinegar is a liquid acid condiment with or without sugar made by microbial fermentation using a variety of starchy and sugary materials and edible alcohol alone or in combination. The total acid content of vinegar is required ≥ 3.5 g/100 ml.
The higher the acidity value of the vinegar, the stronger the acidity. You can take your needs according to your taste and cooking purpose.
In general, vinegar with an acidity scale of less than 5 degrees is suitable for cooking, and 5 to 6 degrees is suitable for dipping and eating:
Aged vinegar color is thick and sour, generally suitable for sour and spicy soup, vinegar grilled fish, etc.;
Balsamic vinegar acidity is moderate, mellow, suitable for when
Dipping sauce when eating crab and shrimp;
The taste of rice vinegar is relatively light, slightly sour and sweet, and it is often used to stir-fry sour and sweet delicacies;
White vinegar is usually fermented with edible alcohol, and the main ingredients are acetic acid and water, which is very suitable for cold mixed foods and Western food.
If it is marked with 9 to 16 degrees, it is generally a special vinegar with specific health care functions, and the price will be higher, but it must have a health function approval number, and it should be paid attention to when purchasing.
The acidity of vinegar can not only be used as a reference for seasoning, but also has the effect of improving the nutritional value and sensory effect of cooking food. For example, to protect the vitamin C in the ingredients from being lost, the vegetables rich in anthocyanins appear beautiful red, and avoid turning blue and black.
So, whether you like vinegar or not, you can add vinegar to the cooking of shredded potatoes, bean sprouts and other vitamin C-rich dishes, or vegetables such as purple cabbage, amaranth, and carrots.
In addition, vinegar contains sodium, and foods with vinegar are cooked, so be sure to reduce the amount of salt. Some vinegars are also sweetened, which also needs to be noted.
Source: Popular Science China (Science_China)
Expert of this article: Li Lize, chief physician of nutrition, member of the science popularization committee of the Chinese Nutrition Society
Producer: Mou Yanqiu Cheng Miao Editor: Zhang Linglin
Proofreader: Yan Hai
Intern: Xing Danju