You Learn Something New Every Day

I found this interesting. Just as I'm frequently amazed by some of the discoveries in ethnobotany, I'm regularly surprised that some things, very simple things, haven't been discovered accidentally. This article notes some research that shows vinegar can control the glycemic response (the rise of bood sugar after eating a meal) in diabetics.

Nothing replaces increased physical activity and portion control, said Sue McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the diabetes association. But people with diabetes might find it worth a try, she said, to consume two similar meals — one with vinegar, and another without — and compare their effect on blood sugar.

THE BOTTOM LINE Studies suggest that adding vinegar to a meal may reduce its impact on blood sugar.

The glycemic response among one group of subjects was reduced by 30%- which seems to me a surprisingly large effect. Since in my, admittedly non-academic, reading about diabetes, a commonly mentioned culprit is widely (and wildly) varying blood sugar levels (guilty: I still fight the feast-and-fast impulse), wider knowledge of this fact might actually offer some degree of preventative help. Not sayin' it does, just saying it seems logical that it might.

Anyone for vinegar Kool-Aid?