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 Can Vinegar Help Lower Blood Sugar Levels The holidays marks the start of a season that poses particular hazards for people with diabetes and others who are sensitive to the blood-sugar spikes that can follow big meals.
But several studies have revealed a possible way to reduce the impact of a high carbohydrate dish: add a little vinegar. Doing so seems to help slow the absorption of sugar from a meal into the bloodstream, apparently because vinegar helps block digestive enzymes that convert carbohydrates into sugar.
One study by Italian researchers showed, for example, that when healthy subjects consumed about 4 teaspoons (20 milliliters) of white vinegar as a salad dressing with a meal that included white bread with a little less than 2 ounces (50 grams) of carbohydrates, there was a 30 percent reduction in their glycemic response, or rise in blood sugar, compared with subjects who had salad with a dressing made from neutralized vinegar.
Nothing replaces increased physical activity and portion control, said a spokeswoman for the diabetes association. But people with diabetes might find it worth a try, she said, to consume two similar meals — one with vinegar, and another without — and compare their effect on blood sugar.
The bottom line? Studies suggest that adding vinegar to a meal may reduce its impact on blood sugar.
Sources: The New York Times, Anahad O’Connor, November 24th 2009
Here is another home remedy that is proving to be a beneficial practice. Old school naturopaths and folk medicine doctors from centuries ago utilized vinegar and lemon juice as methods of stimulating digestion. These were prior to the days of supplements packed with enzymes, hydrochloric acid and bile salts. Prior to being able to pop a pill our ancestors would actually encourage digestion by ingesting digestive aperitifs. These would be primarily foods that are sour and bitter or pungent.
Our tongue has taste buds that identify sweet, salty, sour, and bitter with the additions of pungent and astringent. We utilize sweet and salty often since we eat a lot of foods that are high in sugar and salt. We do not utilize the taste buds of sour and bitter often nor do we use pungent or astringent. These less often used taste buds have a feedback mechanism to the digestive system. When we eat sour and bitter or pungent foods the gut will increase production of digestive fluids like hydrochloric acid, bile and pancreatic enzymes.
By incorporating more foods like apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, bitter herbs like dandelion, gentian, black walnut and other bitter herbs and aromatic pungent herbs like fennel, anise, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, peppermint, and rosemary among others we improve digestion naturally.
Happy digesting!
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