You may have heard about the new darling in the wellness industry that combines the benefits of apple cider vinegar and the beloved coconut. This new wellness food item is none other than coconut vinegar.
Coconut gives an array of eatable and usable items like coconut sugar, coconut butter, coconut oil, etc. Nowadays, it’s gaining much popularity because of its low glycemic index.
Studies have confirmed that consuming low glycemic index food can be much beneficial for your health. But is this coconut condiment worth the hype? To know the answer, read the below article.
Table of Contents
What Is Coconut Vinegar?
Coconut vinegar is the new apple cider vinegar in the food industry. It is similar to fermented vinegar like ACV and balsamic vinegar. It is made from coconut water or from the sap of the coconut tree.
The process of production involves fermentation of coconut sap and the oxidation of ethanol into acetic acid. Nevertheless, the production process takes a lot of aging time.
Coconut vinegar is a staple condiment in Southeast Asia, particularly in the Philippines and in some regions of India. People in the Philippines generally call is it as suka ng niyog. and is also used in some regions of India.
Coconut vinegar has a white colour. It is cloudy with a very pungent acidic taste and a hint of yeast. It also has microorganisms that cause fermentation.
Since it is fermented it acts as a natural source of probiotics that keeps the gut healthy. You can add it to any of your dishes like you add apple cider vinegar. However, you should add only a tiny amount as it has a pungent smell.
Health Benefits of Coconut Vinegar
Studies suggest Coconut vinegar has an array of health benefits and has high potential to prevent your body against various diseases. A few of the prime benefits of coconut vinegar are as follows:
1.Gives You The Essential Minerals
The coconut trees grow in volcanic soil rich in minerals. The fertile soil gives the sap a variety of minerals like potassium, iron, boron, copper, manganese, sulfur, phosphorus, and magnesium. A tablespoon of coconut vinegar has 193 mg of potassium.
Potassium is an important mineral required by your body as it balances the electrolytes, controls your blood pressure, and metabolizes sugar. Calcium in it can build your bones and teeth.
Iron is essential for the formation of red blood cells and in the production of cellular energy. Magnesium is essential for nerve and muscle functioning. On the whole, the coconut vinegar will provide you all the essential minerals.
2.Cure Diabetes
Coconut Vinegar is low on the glycemic index so it won’t spike your blood sugar levels. Studies suggest diabetic people if kept on a low-glycemic index diet can keep a control on their blood sugar levels.
3.Boosts Immune System
Coconut vinegar contains all the nine essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. It has 9 essential amino acids and 8 non-essential amino acids.
The amino acids and protein play a role oxygenating the blood and thereby keeping your immune system healthy and strong.
As per The Nutrition Supplement Education Centre, amino acids help in the formation of haemoglobin, which carries oxygen, and antibodies. This thereby helps your immune system to fight infection.
Not only this, a few of the amino acids play a part in repairing tissue, acting as neurotransmitters to transmit the messages within the brain, detoxification of the body, and enhancing the metabolic functions.
4.Gives Shiny Hairs
Coconut vinegar has loads of iron. Iron is extremely beneficial for hair growth. More off, it has copper too that helps to absorb iron easily. The essential minerals present in coconut vinegar makes the hair root and follicles strong giving tremendous growth and shine to your hair.
5.Makes Bones Strong And Healthy
Coconut trees have almost all the essential minerals required by your body. Out of them calcium and magnesium in it help to maintain the bone health.
6.Aids In Digestion
Coconut vinegar has several nutrients that cast a positive effect on the functioning of your body. It has substances that act as prebiotics and probiotics.
Probiotics are healthy gut bacterias that create a healthy environment to ease up the digestion process. More off, it also eliminates the unhealthy gut bacterias to fasten the ingestion and absorption of the food.
7.Helps In Weight Loss
Coconut vinegar has very less amount of calories and is fat-free. Consuming this low calories beverage would keep you fuller for longer times. If you feel full than automatically you will end up consuming lesser calories which will further reduce or maintain your weight.
How To Consume Coconut Vinegar?
Coconut vinegar is consumed in the same way as apple cider vinegar. If you are using it as a beauty treatment, you can apply it topically.
Apply one to two tablespoon of coconut vinegar with the help of a cotton directly on the affected area. It is extremely safe for sunburn, pimples, acne or suntan.
When you are using coconut vinegar orally, you can not enjoy it straight. Coconut vinegar is too acidic to be taken orally as it might damage the oesophagus.
You have to mix with a little mustard oil or in your salad dressing or dilute it with water and honey. You can consume it in any of the ways mentioned. Drink it daily especially during the morning to cleanse your entire body system.
The recommended amounts of Coconut vinegar are 1 to 2 teaspoons and up to 1 to 2 tablespoons daily so as to avoid any potential side effects.
However, always read the instructions on the product label carefully before consuming it. To enjoy the full benefits buy coconut vinegar prepared from the coconut sap rather than coconut water.
Coconut Vinegar Sap Vs Coconut Vinegar Water
Coconut Vinegar is made from coconut sap or coconut water. Both of them can give you coconut vinegar. However, there is a nutritional value difference between the two.
The coconut vinegar prepared from the sap is dramatically healthier than the one prepared from coconut water. The sap one uses fresh mature coconut blossoms.
The blossoms are rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, probiotics, and beneficial enzymes. The coconut sap vinegar is aged for more than eight months before being packed.
On the other hand, the coconut vinegar prepared from coconut water has fewer nutritional value. More off, this form is not high in purity as it has added ingredients like cane sugar or apple cider vinegar.
The additives fasten the fermentation process. The coconut water vinegar is aged for around 3 weeks before packing it up.
Coconut Vinegar Vs Apple Cider Vinegar
Coconut vinegar is a highly potent and beneficial form of vinegar. However, there is a distinct lack of studies on coconut vinegar which makes it difficult to choose between the two.
The amino acid content of coconut vinegar is much more than that of apple cider vinegar. In coconut vinegar, there are almost 1-3% of all the essential and non-essential amino acids.
On the other hands, the apple cider vinegar has a trace amount of amino acids ranging from 0.1-0.8%. Same applies to the vitamin and mineral content.
The coconut vinegar has a high amount of vitamins and minerals like thiamin, riboflavin, Vitamin B5, B12, B4, B8, potassium, calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, sodium, etc.
Apple cider vinegar also has some of these vitamins and mineral but in a lesser amount than the coconut vinegar. So, as per the nutritional values, coconut vinegar has certainly high nutritional value than apple cider vinegar.
When comparing the research studies done between the both, it is difficult to get a clear assessment picture. It is because on coconut vinegar relatively fewer studies have been done but, many studies have proved the advantages of apple cider vinegar.
A study done on apple cider vinegar focuses on the acetic acid content. It suggests apple cider vinegar has positive health benefits due to its acidic content. The coconut vinegar also has the same acetic acid, so we consider it in the same positive range as considered for ACV.
Coconut vinegar is new to the medical industry which makes a valid reason for lesser studies. Slowly and gradually its gaining popularity which will surely attract many researchers and in future we could have better scientific claims about the same.
Final Talk
Overall, coconut vinegar seems to be a nutritious condiment providing an array of health benefits. You can consume it as per your liking with plain water or with any of your favourite salad.
However, don’t consume it more as the acidic content is very high. Anybody can use it, to enjoy its benefits. Nevertheless, if you suffer from any chronic illness ask the doctor before consumption.
Studies and the consumers will now have not faced any side-effects and regard coconut water as an extremely safe healthy condiment.
