Vinegars have been used as folk remedies and natural medicines for thousands of years, and vinegar is effective in lowering blood pressure. According to the National Institute of Health, you can prevent and control hypertension by changing your lifestyle, specifically by losing weight and eating less sodium.
Red wine vinegar, specifically, can help reduce hypertension because it contains polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants. Acetic acid, the active ingredient in vinegar, also promotes heart health and reduces blood pressure. Vinegar has been shown to be helpful in helping patients maintain a healthy weight.
Polyphenols
Polyphenols are antioxidants found in plants that can benefit health. The main polyphenol found in grapes--and grape products such as red wine--is called resveratrol. Resveratrol is an anti-inflammatory that also has anti-cancer properties. The anti-inflammatory effect promotes healthy blood vessels.
Red grapes are also rich in anthocyanins, which give grapes their red and purple color. Anthocyanins are currently being studied as remedies to a wide variety of health problems, including inflammation, cancer and diabetes.
A study from the University of California-Davis School of Medicine found that grape seed extract, which is rich in polyphenols, reduced blood pressure in patients.
Acetic Acid
The tang of vinegar comes from acetic acid. Acetic acid has been shown to increase the health of blood vessels and the cardiovascular system by reducing cholesterol so that blood can flow more freely. A National Institute of Health study has shown that acetic acid reduces hypertension.
The acid in vinegar also makes calcium in animal foods more available, by dissolving bones and shells. A study conducted by Harvard Medical School has shown that increased calcium reduced blood pressure in women.
Salt Reduction
Reducing sodium intake from table salt is a key factor in controlling hypertension. The DASH diet, which emphasizes a low-salt approach and is used by patients to reduce hypertension, specifically recommends jazzing up food with spices and vinegars instead of using salt. The official diet also gives patients a recipe for red wine vinaigrette.
Another study, published in the Journal of Food Science, found that vinegar actually made food taste saltier, reducing the amount of salt needed to season foods.
Weight Loss
Losing weight is an important method of controlling high blood pressure. Vinegar appears to help patients maintain weight and promotes weight loss. A study in Sweden has found that vinegar helps patients feel full sooner and curbs appetite. Vinegar helped stabilize insulin and blood-sugar levels after a high carbohydrate meal. Japanese research has reached similar conclusions.
The Swedish study noted that most people couldn't eat enough pickles and salad dressing to get the appetite-reducing effect, and mentioned drinking vinegar-based drinks.
Combining With Food
Several more Japanese studies have found that combining vinegar with other foods can be particularly effective in reducing blood pressure. Vinegar and bonito, a kind of fish, as well as a vinegar drink made from grape juice and red wine vinegar have shown promise in reducing hypertension
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