Vinegar, Vinegar, Vinegar Is Not a Rose

Apparently, the makers of apple cider vinegar are increasing their pressure to push the topic of vinegar into the news and increase their sales. Prior to this, it seemed to happen only once a year, but it is only 7 months since the last barrage of vinegar articles and blogs. My guess is they did not sell enough from last fall's crop and that is the reason for the early push.

At least 54 percent of physicians who answered the survey say they will not promote vinegar to diabetes patients. Only 9 percent are claiming to promote vinegar and the rest are considering mentioning it. As more complete the survey, the numbers may change.

When you read the article here, please click on the references to see that Carol Johnston, PhD from Arizona State University, Department of Nutrition is the primary source of information. After you have read this article, you may want to read my tongue-in-cheek blog about this in June of last year.

What surprises me is the number of studies listed that were done with healthy subjects that did not have diabetes and they expect us to believe that people with type 2 diabetes will have long-term benefits from vinegar.

The more I see published about vinegar, the less I enjoy reading the drivel they want us to believe. Now getting Medscape to publish an article about it shows the desperation these people have to promote vinegar. The Obama economy is hurting everyone.

Sorry folks, it just the way I see this issue.

Why Does Everyone Go Crazy Over Small Studies?

This small study (actually two very small studies) seems to have a life of its own. Every year, it seems to be resurrected and trotted out as a larger authority on the issue. In addition, every year, more and more worshipers are encouraged to join the church according to Carol Johnston, PhD from Arizona State University, Department of Nutrition.

Vinegar does aid some people to manage blood glucose levels. Since there is no funds for additional studies, no one knows how long this works and why it does not work for others. Everyone believes the studies as the gospel according to Carol Johnston on vinegar.

Because some people do have some benefits from vinegar, this is constantly brought back annually to introduce it to potential new believers. After a couple of months, the hoopla begins to wane and more people realize that it no longer works for them. So approximately once every year, the believers present it for new converts.

I am no longer a convert as vinegar worked for about two months and then no more. Therefore, I believe that there was something in vinegar that my body needed and once it had been supplied, I received no more benefits. I will not tell you that it won't work for you, but only to not be disappointed if the benefits do not last long. If you get benefits for a longer period, enjoy them.

Do I use vinegar? Yes, on salads and any food that calls for it. I use any variety that works for me and allows me to avoid the sugar-sweetened salad dressings and other foods that are over sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. Other than for a few weeks when I took vinegar by itself to see if the effects worked, once the needs of my body were met, vinegar no longer had any effect on my blood glucose readings.

You can expect to see the push for vinegar about once a year as they try to win new converts, but for those of us that it no longer works for will continue to remind people that what works for one person may not work for others. Yes, if your body needs some of the chemicals found in vinegar, expect to see temporary improvements in blood glucose readings and some people may actually have some long-term improvements.

Read about other articles promoting the use of vinegar here and here. I refer you to my previous blog here. Although most refuse now to put a date on Carol Johnston's studies, at least this one does list two other studies in 2005 and 2006 which were a few years after her studies.