Vinegar has recently come to our attention for its ability to promote a normal blood sugar level. This is of great interest to those with type 2 diabetes or a pre diabetes condition.

Vinegar appears to stop some digestive enzymes from breaking down carbohydrates into sugar. This would slow the absorption of sugar into the blood and provide your body more time to process it. The result would be blood sugar content closer to normal levels.

Why is this Important?

Controlling blood sugar levels can help delay or in some cases even prevent many complications such as blindness, impotence and amputation of extremities.

Also, because diabetics have an increased risk for serious health issues such as heart disease, controlling your blood sugar levels will lesson the chances of suffering from some other very serious health condition.

What Happens?

If you have type2 diabetes the cells in your body will become resistant to the effects of insulin. As a result sugar builds up in your blood at the same time as your cells are starving for it. There will also be a corresponding build up of insulin because your body will be attempting to deliver the excess sugar to the cells.

Not a good situation! In fact, one of the biggest goals in diabetes treatment is to normalize blood sugar levels.

So What Will Vinegar do for You?

I am not a doctor and I sure don’t have any experience treating Diabetes patients so I prefer not to get too deep into this kind of a discussion however ….

• If there is no reason to believe you are at any risk of diabetes I recommend you still increase your dietary consumption of vinegar because you may be surprised to experience other health benefits (Studies have shown beneficial effects on control groups due to a reduction in insulin levels as well as normal blood sugar readings)
  
  
• If you have not been diagnosed but have a history of diabetes in your family, I strongly recommend you try increasing your dietary intake of vinegar
  
  
• If you have been diagnosed or are pre-diabetic, it may be advisable to discuss increasing your consumption of vinegar with your doctor or dietician.

Having said all that, there have been some very positive reports:

• Diabetic patients who drank a small amount of apple cider vinegar before bed experienced improved blood glucose levels the next morning. Diabetes Care - November 2007 issue
  
  
• Consumption of apple cider vinegar prior to eating a high-carbohydrate meal has shown an improvement in blood glucose levels compared with drinking water prior to the meal
  Diabetes Care - January 2004 issue
  
  
• Vinegar reduces postprandial hyperglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes, according to a recent study
  Renal and Urology News - April 1 2010 issue

What are Your Blood Sugar Readings?

God Bless and Good Health,