Health for All says
In recent years, the theory about whether vinegar can lower blood sugar has been widely circulated on the Internet. Many people have heard that drinking a spoonful of vinegar every day after a meal can lower blood sugar. However, we, as old Chinese medicine practitioners, must treat this issue with a rigorous and scientific attitude. So, can vinegar lower blood sugar?Let's illustrate this issue through the theories of Chinese medicine and ancient and modern prescriptions.
First of all, according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, acetic acid, taste acid, has the effect of strengthening the stomach and eliminating food, regulating qi, and appetizing and rejuvenating. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the main reason why vinegar can lower blood sugar is that it has the function of promoting digestion, thereby improving gastrointestinal function and promoting the balance of blood sugar. At the same time, vinegar also increases the secretion of insulin, improves insulin sensitivity, and helps lower blood sugar levels.
Secondly, let's take a look at the application of vinegar in ancient recipes. In the "Compendium of Materia Medica", there are many ways to apply vinegar, such as "drinking vinegar can brighten the eyes, relieve numbness, and help dampness", indicating that vinegar has an important position in traditional Chinese medicine. There are also related records in "Qianjin Fang" such as "vinegar boiled one or two things, which can relieve pain" and "vinegar is not dry for a long time", indicating that vinegar has a wide range of applications.
In addition, some studies in recent years have also supported the idea that vinegar lowers blood sugar. In a study published in the Journal of Diabetes Research, researchers found that blood sugar levels were lower when vinegar was consumed before meals than when vinegar was not consumed. The results of this study further validated the regulatory effect of vinegar on blood sugar.
However, despite the support of these theories and experimental studies, we still cannot blindly believe in the claim that drinking vinegar after meals every day lowers blood sugar. First of all, everyone's physique and metabolism are different, and the reaction to vinegar will also be different. Secondly, vinegar is a strong acidic substance, and if consumed in excess or used inappropriately, it may cause irritation to the gastric mucosa, leading to digestive disorders such as stomach ulcers. Therefore, when using vinegar, we should use it reasonably according to our own physical condition and the guidance of a doctor.
In summary, the idea that a spoonful of vinegar per day can help lower blood sugar is supported by both theoretical and experimental research, as well as some historical and clinical experience. However, we still need to start from an individual perspective and judge whether it is suitable to drink vinegar after meals every day according to our own situation. The most important thing is that we should maintain a scientific attitude and avoid excessive superstition and indiscriminate use of vinegar as a medicinal dietary product.
Health References:
1. johnston cs, kim cm, buller aj. vinegar improves insulin sensitivity to a high-caronhydrate meal in subjects with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. diabetes care. 2004;27(1):281-282.