Vinegar: An Ancient healing Remedy for today
Vinegar has been a staple of the human diet for millennia. Two thousand years ago, the Roman soldiers offered Jesus a taste of vinegar while he was in agony on the cross (Matthew 27:34). The medicinal properties of vinegar have been well known since ancient times. Now we understand the science behind it.
Vinegar is produced by fermenting various types of food. The fermentation process is powered by microbes, the most important of which are called lactic acid bacteria (LAB). LAB are a group of health-promoting microbes that produce organic acid when exposed to foods such as plants, milk, and honey. Humans have been tapping into the power of these microbes for thousands of years. The microbes use raw materials (like fruit or grain) to produce organic acids which preserve the food. This is fermentation.
There are three main types of vinegar (depending on which raw materials are used)
Fruit vinegar: apple cider vinegar, balsamic, red wine
Cereal vinegar: rice, malt
Alcohol vinegar: white vinegar
The fermentation process to create vinegar has three stages:
Early (days 0-4)
Medium (days 5 – 21)
Later (days 22-26)
After about a month, the fermentation process is complete, and the finished product of vinegar is ready for consumption, filled with health benefits.
Prebiotics vs probiotics vs postbiotics
Many products advertise using words like “prebiotic” and “contains probiotics” so it is important for health-conscious consumers to understand the meaning of these terms. The raw materials of fermentation (generally plant fibers and plant sugars) are called prebiotics; they are used as fuel for microbes. Beneficial bacteria and yeasts are called probiotics. These microbes directly benefit the human body, creating a healthy microbiome. Postbiotics are the byproducts of the activity of probiotic microbes. I spend two chapters in my book discussing the importance of prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics. Vinegar is a postbiotic because it is largely composed of health-promoting substances that are produced by microbes. Raw unfiltered natural vinegars may contain all three: prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics.
Microbiome of vinegar
The microbial community within vinegar evolves during the fermentation process. Naturally- produced vinegars can contain up to 26 species of LAB as well as beneficial yeasts. The complex interaction between the LAB and yeast creates fermentation. The predominant probiotic microbe is called Lactobacillus (mainly Acetobacter species). Acetobacter is an acetic acid producing bacteria (AAB) used in large scale manufacturing of vinegar.
There are other microbes present in lesser amounts. These may include Pediococcus (the 2nd most common microbe after Lactobacillus), Oenococcus (in apple cider vinegar), and yeast like Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Postbiotic compounds
The three most common postbiotic compounds in vinegar are organic acids, polyphenols, and melanoidins.
Organic acids
There are two types of organic acids produced during fermentation:
Volatile acids: predominantly acetic acid.Nonvolatile acids: predominately lactic acid. Also, citric acid is present in certain fruit vinegars like apple and grape.
During the initial stage of fermentation, LAB produces lactic acid which lowers pH making the environment hostile for bad bacteria and mold (preventing spoilage). In addition to probiotic bacteria, beneficial yeasts are present in many vinegars producing additional molecules including acetaldehyde, organic acid, glycerol, and, most importantly, ethanol. AAB like Acetobacter feeds on lactic acid and ethanol to produce different organic acids. The predominate organic acid in vinegar is called acetic acid, the essential component of vinegar.
Most commercial vinegar is produced at large scale using ethanol (prebiotic) and Lactobacillus Acetobacter (probiotic) to produce acetic acid (postbiotic).
The acidic environment of the ferment is ideal for the creation of antioxidant anti-inflammatory substances such as polyphenols and melanoidin as well as flavor enhancers such as esters and aldehydes.
Polyphenols
The specific type of polyphenols (beneficial plant compounds) contained in fruit or grain vinegars are a group of compounds called phenolic acids. These substances act as:
Antioxidants: neutralize free radicals
Chelators: combine with metals and potentially detoxing heavy metals
The specific phenolic acid within a vinegar depends on the raw material and manufacturing processes used to make it. The most common phenolic acid in fruit vinegars is called gallic acid, a potent antioxidant with many known health benefits. Pomegranate vinegar may have largest number of anti-inflammatory phenolic acids.
Melanoidins
Melanoidin are brown molecules that are found in vinegar, especially those exposed to heat or allowed to age. They are potent antioxidants reducing oxidative stress on the body.
Health benefits of vinegar
Antibacterial, especially against E Coli, MRSA, and Pseudomonas
Antioxidant, eliminating free radicals
Prevents kidney stones
Improves digestion by lowering GI pH, improving absorption of minerals and slowing gastric emptying
Protects the liver
Improves depression
Metabolic benefits include:
Lowers glucose (promotes conversion to glycogen, improves insulin sensitivity)
Lowers triglyceride and cholesterol levels
Lower blood pressure (inhibits renin-angiotensin system)
Weight loss (reduce lipid synthesis, excretion of lipids in bile, postprandial satiety)
As with all substances taken in excess, too much vinegar can cause:
GI side effects: burping, gas (more than 4 tablespoons a day of apple cider)
Low blood sugar (if taken in excess)
Tooth demineralization (drinking undiluted for long periods of time)
These impacts can be mitigated by:
Limiting intake to 1 to 2 tablespoons per day diluted with 1 to 2 cups of water
Avoiding drinking undiluted vinegar
Drinking water to rinse teeth after consuming vinegar containing food and drinks.
References
Hosseini, Elahesadat et al. “Lactic Acid Bacteria in Vinegar Fermentation: Diversity, Functionality and Health Benefits.” Foods (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 14,4 698. 18 Feb. 2025, doi:10.3390/foods14040698
Hadidi, Milad et al. “The Potential Health Benefits of Gallic Acid: Therapeutic and Food Applications.” Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 13,8 1001. 18 Aug. 2024, doi:10.3390/antiox13081001
Kharchoufi S., Gomez J., Lasanta C., Castro R., Sainz F., Hamdi M. Benchmarking laboratory-scale pomegranate vinegar against commercial wine vinegars: Antioxidant activity and chemical composition. J. Sci. Food Agric. 2018;98:4749–4758. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.9011.
Barrong, Haley et al. “Daily Vinegar Ingestion Improves Depression and Enhances Niacin Metabolism in Overweight Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Nutrients vol. 16,14 2305. 18 Jul. 2024, doi:10.3390/nu16142305
Johnston, Carol S et al. “A preliminary evaluation of the safety and tolerance of medicinally ingested vinegar in individuals with type 2 diabetes.” Journal of medicinal food vol. 11,1 (2008): 179-83. doi:10.1089/jmf.2007.574
Maladkar, Shivani Ramesh et al. “Erosive Effect of Acidic Beverages and Dietary Preservatives on Extracted Human Teeth-An In Vitro Analysis.” European journal of dentistry vol. 16,4 (2022): 919-929. doi:10.1055/s-0041-1742131