Rapidly digested and absorbed carbohydrates results in spikes in your blood sugar levels, followed by a crash, which leaves you feeling tired, irritable and hungry. This is why slowing down your carbohydrate digestion is a good way to ensure your energy levels are even throughout the day and to prevent cravings. A smaller blood sugar elevation after your meals, which is the result of a slower carbohydrate digestion, can help you reach a healthy weight, better manage your blood sugar levels, especially if you have diabetes and even improve your blood cholesterol levels.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrate is the nutrient that provides the most calories on a standard American diet, accounting for over half of the calories, the rest of the calories being provided by smaller amounts of protein, fat and alcohol. Carbohydrates are found in grains, such as bread, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals and baked goods; starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash and corn; legumes; sugar, whether you add it to your food yourself or whether it is found in muffins, soft drinks, candies, cookies or granola bars; fruits; milk and yogurt. When carbohydrates are digested, they are broken down into sugar, which causes your blood sugar levels to rise after their absorption.
Vinegar and Blood Glucose Response
The acetic acid of vinegar, or the compound that gives the acidity of the vinegar, can reduce your blood glucose response after a meal. In other words, the acidity can delay the gastric emptying of your meal, resulting in a slower digestion of the carbohydrates you ate. A group of 12 healthy volunteers were given a serving of white bread alone or with 1 tbsp to 2 tbsp. of white vinegar containing 6 percent acetic acid, as published in the June 2005 issue of the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition." The results of this study showed that adding vinegar to the meal resulted in lower blood sugar levels after 30 minutes, indicating that the carbohydrates of the bread where digested at a slower pace.
Vinegar, Insulin Levels and Satiety
The more vinegar you add to your meals, the lower your insulin levels, especially in the first 30 minutes of the post-prandial period, which corresponds to the 2-hour period following your meal, according to a study published in June 2005 in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition." The larger dose of vinegar used in this study corresponds to approximately 2 tbsp., which was given with 50 g of available carbohydrates or a bit more than three slices of white bread. Interestingly, adding vinegar to the meal resulted in higher levels of satiety 30 minutes, 90 minutes and 120 minutes after the meal. Adding vinegar could not only slow down the digestion of the carbohydrates in your meal, but could also help you prevent hunger.
Using Vinegar
You can slow the digestion of the carbohydrates to some extent by adding 1 to 2 tbsp. of vinegar to your meals. You can either use the vinegar to dip your bread or add it to a sauce. For example, balsamic vinegar is a good match for whole-grain sourdough bread, while red wine vinegar works well in a tomato-based sauce. You can also prepare a homemade vinaigrette with equal parts of olive oil and a vinegar of your choice to drizzle over your vegetables or salad.
References
- The Glycemic Index Foundation: The Glycemic Index
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; International Table of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values; Kaye Foster-Powell, et al.; 2002
- GI News: Just a Spoonful of Dressing
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Vinegar Supplementation Lowers Glucose and Insulin Responses and Increases Satiety After a Bread Meal in Healthy Subjects; E. Ostman, et al.; June 2005
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