Vineger: The new elixir of life?
The way we live our life today will have the biggest impact on how we live tomorrow. 70% of modern chronic diseases (heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, obesity, some cancers etc) can be linked to lifestyle. There is now a huge interest in how our lifestyle can affect our health both day-to-day and long term.
The latest nomination for the lifestyle all star team is Vinegar. That’s right, the stuff your grandma used to clean with. Vinegar is able to influence how our body deals with energy. And in terms of chronic disease the way our body deals with is a big deal.
Its all about energy!
Without it we aren’t that attractive and don’t contribute much, other than compost as we decay! As food breaks down, energy is released. Some gets stored, some floats around in our blood. How well the body stores, delivers and uses this energy is a key ingredient in a healthy and disease free life.
Energy that isn’t used is stored (typically as fat). When the storage shed becomes full the energy hits our blood and other organs. It becomes toxic. This leads to blood vessel damage, high blood pressure, heart disease, poor insulin control and ultimately type 2 Diabetes.
So the type of energy (fat or carbs), the amount (spoonful or shovel) and the speed (Glycemic Index) of the energy is important. GI is how quickly energy passes into the blood. High GI foods release energy quickly, low GI foods release energy slowly.
So what is it about vinegar?
A recent study (Diabetes Care Feb. 2010) asked ten men with diabetes to eat a meal of bread, cheese, turkey, juice, a cereal bar. Five minutes before, they either consumed vinegar or water. The men’s blood was monitored after the meal.
30 minutes after the meal the blood glucose in those who had the vinegar was 20% less than those who didn’t. The vinegar helped to slow the release of energy, meaning less time for it to cause problems within the blood vessels.
Is it only Vinegar?
No, its not the only all star on the bench here. Nuts, fruits & veggies will reduce the GI of a meal, the total amount of energy from the meal (due to fibre) and the effects of a bad meal (due to antioxidants). Other foods such as red wine, dark chocolate, garlic can also help reduce the effects of a bad meal in similar ways.
Should I drink half a glass of vinegar a day?
No. What this really means is that lifestyle is the key. Whole foods and meals are part of that key. Drinking vinegar, eating spinach or dark chocolate on their own won’t help. But having a leafy green salad with a vinegar dressing with a sprinkling of pine nuts will help next time you grab some fish and chips for dinner.
Want more info?
Complete Lifestyle Medicine Diet, Activity and Behaviour Questionnaire to identify the top foods and activities that will help you maintain a healthy weight.
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