Balsamic Vinegar

The (faux) Italian in me loves balsamic. It’s made by a grape reduction, which is then fermented in wooden barrels for a few years to produce the sweet stuff. As it comes from nutrient packed grapes, balsamic vinegar offers a lot of health benefits as well. I like using tangy, sweet balsamic in salad dressings, marinades, and reduced as a thick sauce for vegetables and even some desserts.

  • An animal study published in Medscape General Medicine, showed that balsamic vinegar reduced the hardening of arteries as well as stabilizing and lowering blood pressure levels.
  • Due to the polyphenol antioxidant content in grapes, balsamic vinegar can also help reduce the level of oxidation of LDL cholesterol (preventing damage to our cells from harmful cholesterol).
  • Like ACV, balsamic vinegar contains acetic acid, which may aid in weight loss.
  • Balsamic Vinegar has been shown help normal digestion, due to its unique polyphenols. These polyphenols trigger the release of pepsins, which are digestive enzymes that break proteins down into amino acids – thereby supporting in our body’s digestion.

Vegukate Tips:

Store balsamic vinegar in a cool, dark place.