Vinegar, an indispensable seasoning on the table of Chinese, not only has the effect of sterilization and disinfection, but also can effectively boost appetite. When tasting noodles or dumplings, add vinegar in moderation to not only appetize but also dissolve the oiliness. Historically, vinegar was originally born for medicinal purposes, and then its use gradually expanded to food preservation, household disinfection and other fields. However, with the increasing number of studies on vinegar in recent years, the veracity of these studies has become difficult to discern. One has to wonder if these studies are credible. Some people even claim that vinegar has the effect of softening blood vessels, but is this claim really reliable?
Is it true that vinegar works wonders?
1. Does drinking vinegar soften blood vessels?
Softening blood vessels usually refers to relieving atherosclerosis, a non-inflammatory lesion of arterial blood vessels that thickens, hardens, and loses elasticity in the arterial walls, causing the lumen to narrow. However, once a blood vessel is hardened, it cannot be reversed or restored to its normal state, so the concept of "softening blood vessels" itself is unscientific. Liu Jianlong, director of the vascular surgery department at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, said it was unrealistic to expect to soften blood vessels by drinking vinegar. Although the calcifications in the blood vessels are mainly composed of calcium and fat, soaking in vinegar can indeed dissolve calcium to a certain extent, but in the human body, drinking vinegar does not directly act on the calcium in the blood vessels. In addition, the human body has a complex acid-base balance adjustment mechanism, and drinking vinegar does not change the pH level in the body. On the contrary, an imbalance in the pH level in the body can pose a health threat.
2. Does drinking vinegar help nourish the liver and protect the liver?
In April 2020, researchers from Tianjin University of Science and Technology published a study in an authoritative journal stating that the extract of Shanxi aged vinegar can protect against liver damage caused by alcohol by improving intestinal microbiota and intestinal barrier function. However, this study was conducted on animals, and the results cannot be directly applied to humans. At the same time, the extract of vinegar was used in the study, which is fundamentally different from drinking vinegar directly. Therefore, we cannot blindly follow this practice.
3. Can drinking vinegar fight tumors?
It has been suggested that the polyphenols in vinegar have strong antioxidant properties and can protect cells from oxidative stress, which is a factor in promoting tumor growth. However, current research on vinegar anti-cancer is based on cell-based or mouse experiments, and these results cannot be directly applied to humans. More research is needed to confirm the anti-cancer effects of vinegar in humans.
4. Can drinking vinegar lower blood sugar?
One study conducted an 8-week survey of 74 patients with type 2 diabetes and found that those who drank 20 ml of apple cider vinegar per day had a decrease in fasting blood sugar. Researchers believe this may be related to vinegar's ability to delay gastric emptying, inhibit amylase and disaccharidase activity, and increase insulin sensitivity. However, the sample size of this study was small and the methodology was not rigorous. Therefore, diabetics cannot rely solely on drinking vinegar to control their blood sugar and ignore normal medications. Doing so may cause blood sugar instability, with greater health implications.
5. Does drinking vinegar kill parasites?
Many people like to add vinegar, mustard and other seasonings when eating raw fish and shrimp, believing that this will kill the parasites. But in reality, this practice is not effective. One study showed that Anisakis can survive in vinegar for up to 105 hours. Therefore, it is not practical to rely on these spices to kill parasites or bacteria. Cooking at high temperatures is the most effective way to kill bacteria and parasites.
Adding a little vinegar to the dish has many benefits
Although vinegar does not have these magical effects, there are still some benefits to eating vinegar in moderation.
1. The maintenance effect of vinegar on food nutrition
Vinegar has good vitamin protection. This is mainly due to the fact that B vitamins and vitamin C remain stable and less susceptible to damage in an acidic environment. In addition, the intake of vinegar can also promote the absorption of iron by the body. Under the influence of stomach acid, some of the iron in plant foods is reduced to ferric ions, which are then absorbed in the small intestine. Proper intake of vinegar can enhance the effect of gastric acid, thereby improving the efficiency of iron absorption.
2. The regulatory effect of vinegar on blood sugar levels after meals
Studies by scientists in United States have shown that moderate consumption of vinegar can effectively reduce blood sugar after meals, especially for prediabetic patients. This is mainly due to the acetic acid component in vinegar, which can not only inhibit the activity of amylase, slow down the conversion of starch to glucose, but also prolong the gastric emptying time, thereby reducing the reaction rate of blood sugar. However, it is worth noting that this auxiliary hypoglycemic effect of vinegar is mainly obvious when eaten with high GI foods (such as white steamed bread, white bread, white rice, etc.), but the effect is not significant for low GI foods (such as oats, coarse grains, etc.). In addition, the timing and amount of vinegar also have a significant effect on blood sugar, and the effect of drinking it before or during a meal is the best, while the effect of drinking it on an empty stomach or after a meal is limited. The effective amount of vinegar is about 30ml and the acidity should be 6%.
What are the hidden dangers of being jealous?
Although vinegar has certain benefits for the human body, it should not be consumed in excess. Long-term high intake of vinegar may trigger the following three potential hazards:
1. Erosion of teeth: Since vinegar has a pH of less than 3, it is a highly acidic food. Frequent ingestion of vinegar can erode the teeth, causing irreparable damage to tooth enamel and dentin.
2. Exacerbate gastric ulcer symptoms: Excessive intake of vinegar can cause adverse irritation to the gastric mucosa. For those who already suffer from stomach ulcers or excessive stomach acid production, this irritation may aggravate their uncomfortable symptoms.
3. Damage to the esophagus: The acidic nature of vinegar may also cause adverse irritation to the esophagus, especially if there is a wound in the esophagus. In this case, vinegar can easily exacerbate the pain and even lead to ulcers. Therefore, in everyday life, if you get stuck in a fish bone, never try to drink vinegar to dissolve it.