From Cleaning to Weight Loss: Creative Uses of Vinegar You Never Knew About

Vinegar is an indispensable condiment that contains over 60 types of organic acids, including acetic acid, citric acid, and amino acids. It plays a role as a catalyst, helping the body absorb various nutrients. It also has effects such as boosting immunity and aiding fatigue recovery. Recently, the efficacy of vinegar has been re-highlighted, receiving broad attention not only in cooking but also in health and beauty.

 

Vinegar for Cleaning Broccoli

Vinegar is also used when washing vegetables. If you rinse with vinegar water, bacteria and impurities are effectively removed. Especially before cutting broccoli, rinsing it in vinegar water helps preserve Vitamin C. Conversely, if you wash broccoli after cutting it, vitamins and minerals can leak out from the cut surface, resulting in nutrient loss. When washing broccoli, fill a bowl with water and rinse it inside.

 

A Drop When Cooking Chicken

When cooking soup with bone-in chicken, adding a little vinegar can increase the amount of calcium absorbed from the bone into the soup. The calcium absorption rate of chicken boiled in regular water is about 30%, but chicken boiled with vinegar has a calcium absorption rate of about 60%. You should only add a small amount of vinegar during cooking so as not to affect the taste. Season it, and boil for about 30 minutes.

 

When Cleaning Tumblers and Toothbrushes 

Vinegar can also be used when cleaning tumblers. The acidic vinegar coagulates protein and fat components, removing water stains, and also helps with sterilization, preservation, and deodorization during cleaning. Fill the tumbler with water and vinegar at a ratio of about 9:1, and rinse it clean after about 30 minutes. Toothbrushes can also be sterilized with vinegar, which can maintain a clean state and is known to have better cleaning power than mouthwash or baking soda.

 

No Vinegar on Skin

Some people apply vinegar or formic acid to the affected area for the treatment of athlete’s foot, but this is quite dangerous. It may be thought that diluted vinegar becomes weakly acidic and has a skin-cleansing effect. Still, this weak acidity cannot suppress the fungus and, on the contrary, if the concentration of vinegar increases, it can irritate the skin and increase the risk of dermatitis.

 

Rich in Minerals and Organic Acids

In the case of fermented vinegar, various minerals, and organic acids that are good for the body are newly created during the fermentation of vinegar, and all states such as fragrance and taste reach a considerable level. However, this may not be the case for distilled vinegar, which shortens the fermentation process with a substance called spirits. Only natural fermented vinegar, rich in minerals, vitamins, nutrients, and probiotics produced by various microbes during the fermentation process, is popular as a health food and for diet.

 

Helpful in Diet

Did you know that vinegar can also help with dieting? It’s thanks to ‘acetic acid’ in vinegar, inhibiting fat synthesis and promoting fat burning. Eating food with added vinegar reduces the overall calories consumed and there are research results that it reduces neutral fat levels. However, if you are consuming vinegar for a diet, it is better to choose naturally fermented vinegar. Vinegar fermented with spirits has a lower pectin content and is ineffective, and if you consume vinegar on an empty stomach, it can make your stomach upset, so you should always eat it after a meal.

 

Reviving Old Rice and Vegetables with Vinegar

Vinegar also brings life to old ingredients. When you cook with old rice, adding a few drops of vinegar will result in glossy rice as if it was freshly harvested. Not only rice but vinegar is also effective in reviving rotting vegetables. If the freshness of the vegetables in the refrigerator has dropped, you can see them come back to life by soaking them in cold water with vinegar and sugar.

 

Vinegar as a Fabric Softener Substitute, Effective in Removing Various Odors

Vinegar has similar effects to fabric softeners, making clothes soft and effective in stain removal. It also has anti-static properties, making it useful for preventing static cling, especially when washing baby diapers. Additionally, washing hands with vinegar-infused water helps eliminate various unwanted odors, leaving hands refreshed. Using vinegar on kitchen cutting boards also helps remove lingering food smells.

 

Reduces the Amount of Salt

Vinegar has a salting effect, reducing the amount of salt, and the organic acids and amino acids in brewed vinegar are involved in energy metabolism in the body, preventing the accumulation of fatigue substances. Also, vinegar increases the amount of gastric juice secretion, promotes digestion, and also helps improve skin beauty.

 

Clean Instead of Detergent

Vinegar, traditionally recognized as a seasoning in cooking, can also serve as a substitute for cleaning agents. When dealing with ink stains on desks or chairs, or when cleaning glass or aluminum products, a mixture of ammonia and a small amount of vinegar, applied with a sponge or cloth, can effectively remove stains and provide a thorough cleaning.

By. Shin Young Jeon