Red wine vinegar has been listed in the category of "old wives tales" as far as the health benefits associated with its consumption. Claims ranging from lowering blood pressure to improving digestive health have been attributed to red wine vinegar. Now, scientific studies show some of these tales to be true.
Diabetes
Studies have shown a correlation between the consumption of red wine vinegar and reduction of glycemic levels in type II diabetic patients. According to researchers at Arizona State University, patients who consumed vinegar as part of a complex carbohydrate rich meal experienced a 20 percent reduction in postprandial glycemia, compared with the same meal prepared without the added vinegar. Researchers also noted a 6 percent drop in waking glucose levels for patients who ingested vinegar prior to bedtime.
Fat Reduction
According to findings published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers from the Central Research Institute of the Mizkan Group Corp. found a 10 percent reduction in fat production when animals were fed a high-fat diet, supplemented with acetic acid. Red wine vinegar is generally made up of about 5 percent acetic acid. Researchers also noted that the genes responsible for the oxidation of fatty acids are activated when acetic acid is ingested.
Calcium Absorption
Calcium absorption has also been linked to the consumption of red wine vinegar, according to scientists in Japan and reported on Thirdage.com. Researchers found that feeding animals a 1.6 percent solution of vinegar for 32 days increased the rate of calcium absorption. Researchers also found a 40 percent rise in the calcium levels of chicken broth when vinegar was added to the solution.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is the combination of saturated fats and too much sodium in the blood. Researchers have shown a reduction in fat through the use of vinegar consumption, but vinegar has also been shown to reduce the threshold people have for the taste of salt in their foods, according to a study published in the Journal of Science and Food. The combination of fat and sodium reduction reduces the level of cholesterol in the bloodstream.
Antimicrobial
Researchers in Seville, Spain, found that adding a 5 percent solution of acetic acid, found in red wine vinegar, produced bactericidal activity and was effective against strains of Salmonella, Yersinia and monocytogenes. According to the research done at Instituto de la Grasa, CSIC, adding red wine vinegar to foods inhibits the growth of these bacterias.
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