The Magic of Vinegar

Vinegar has been around since the beginning of time and once people began writing things down, we saw evidence of its far ranging uses and benefits. Did you know Hippocrates used vinegar as an antibiotic? Asian Samaurai warriors ingested vinegar, believing it helped their fighting performance. During the Civil War, doctors used vinegar to clean wounds and fight off infections. 

Apple Cider Vinegar is made by the fermentation of apple cider. Sugar is broken down by bacteria and yeast first into alcohol and then vinegar. At health food stores and some grocery stores, you can find organic, unfiltered and unpasteurized ACV and you will notice a dark, cloudy sediment at the bottom of the bottle. This is called the “mother” and consists of acetic acid bacteria. 

Many studies have shown ACV stimulates the body’s metabolic rate, causing the body to burn more fat. Other health experts say drinking ACV can help lower your blood pressure and your cholesterol, and can also stop acid reflux. 

ACV is quite strong, but if you dilute it in a big glass of water, it’s not too bad. Try mixing a teaspoon of ACV with a big glass of ice water—you can also add honey to sweeten things up. Try using it to make salad dressing. Add a splash or two in a bowl of soup—the acid really brightens up the flavors. 

So now you know some of the health benefits of ACV, but what can you use plain old distilled white vinegar for? Besides canning pickles, I use white vinegar as my main household cleaning product. Just buy some plastic spray bottles and fill them ¾ of the way full with white vinegar. Add water to fill the bottle and use to spray on countertops, to clean the bathroom, even to mop tile floors with. When you first make the switch from nice smelling cleaning products, you might not like the strong smell of vinegar. Trust me you will get used to it and pretty soon won’t even notice it. Also, as soon as you wipe the vinegar solution away, no smell lingers. 

When it comes to laundry, white vinegar is great to use instead of fabric softener—just add it in that last rinse cycle. Don’t worry, your clothes will just smell clean, not at all like vinegar. 

Do you use vinegar in other ways? Please share if you do!