There are a number of vinegar mother benefits that you can enjoy if you use this specialized ingredient properly!
What is a Vinegar Mother?
Although usually filtered out of commercial brands of vinegar, a vinegar mother, or mother of vinegar, is a bacterial compound that can be found in bottles of unpasteurized vinegar. It is made up of cellulose and acetic acid bacteria and can resemble a dirty-looking film suspended in the liquid. It is added to alcoholic beverages, like wine and cider, and then converts the alcohol, with the help of oxygen, into acetic acid according to a study published by Dr. Budak, Ph.D. from the Suleyman Demirel University, Turkey. [1]
Traditional vinegar makers may hold onto the same mother of vinegar for many years, sometimes for over a century! The same mother can be used to make an unlimited amount of batches. Vinegar traditionalists claim that an artisanal vinegar’s distinct taste is due to the character of its mother.
Vinegar mother is developed by fermenting alcoholic liquids. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Vinegar Mother Benefits
Advocates of natural foods claim that leaving the mother in vinegar provides many different health benefits.
Prebiotics
Vinegar’s mother is rich prebiotic food. It provides nutrients that are beneficial to healthy gut bacteria. Prebiotics may reduce allergies, and alleviate gastric distress, and when used in conjunction with probiotics, they are believed to support healthy immune system function and digestion.
Diabetes
Some research, such as this study published in the Medscape General Medicine journal, claims that regular use of vinegar, including the mother of vinegar, can help to manage the symptoms of diabetes, namely controlling fluctuations in your blood sugar more effectively. [2]
Iron
A vinegar mother is an excellent source of iron. Iron is needed by the body to produce hemoglobin, a substance in your blood that helps distribute oxygen to the body and produce energy.
Phenolic Compounds
A subgroup of the potent antioxidant phytochemicals produced by plants, phenolic compounds can protect against multiple diseases and slow down the appearance of the signs of aging. Vinegar mothers are good sources of these compounds, especially gallic acid, which has anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. [3]
B Vitamins
B vitamins are needed by your body to produce cellular energy. Vitamin B12, found especially in unpasteurized apple cider vinegar, is one of the world’s most common vitamin deficiencies and can cause fatigue and moodiness.
