{"id":54148,"date":"2016-11-22T07:15:55","date_gmt":"2016-11-22T12:15:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=54148"},"modified":"2016-11-28T18:56:07","modified_gmt":"2016-11-28T23:56:07","slug":"coconut-vinegar-probiotic-benefits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/coconut-vinegar-probiotic-benefits\/","title":{"rendered":"Coconut Vinegar: The New Probiotic Superfood?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Coconut
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You may have heard there\u2019s a new darling in the wellness scene that combines the health benefits of apple cider vinegar<\/a> and our love for all things coconut<\/a>. That rising superstar is coconut vinegar. That\u2019s right, the tropical fruit that has given us everything from coconut water and coconut sugar to coconut butter and coconut oil<\/a> has spawned yet another health elixir. Fans tout its gut benefits and low glycemic index.<\/p>\n

But is this coco-loco condiment worth the hype? Here\u2019s what you need to know about coconut vinegar.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Will Apple Cider Vinegar Really Help You Lose Weight?<\/a><\/p>\n

Coconut Vinegar: The New Probiotic<\/h2>\n

You\u2019ll find coconut vinegar in supermarkets or health food stores in the same aisle where balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar<\/a> are sold. A bottle can range from $4-7, depending on whether it\u2019s organic or not.<\/p>\n

But coconut vinegar doesn\u2019t come from the white-flesh tropical fruit we\u2019re all familiar with. It\u2019s actually made from the sap of coconut blossoms (Yes, coconut trees have blossoms!) and aged eight months to a year. During that aging process, the sap naturally ferments, which preserves many of its enzymes, nutrients and minerals.<\/p>\n

You may notice a \u201cmother\u201d \u2014 the cloudy substance made of strands of proteins, enzymes and gut-friendly bacteria \u2014 at the bottom of your bottle of coconut vinegar; it\u2019s similar to what you\u2019d find in apple cider vinegar and kombucha<\/a>. This sweeter-tasting vinegar contains nine essential amino acids<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 the building blocks for protein<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 as well as other vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C<\/a>, potassium and phosphorus, according to registered dietitian Julie Harrington<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cPotassium is important in balancing electrolytes<\/a>, controlling high-blood pressure and metabolizing sugar,\u201d says Harrington. Research has shown that potassium is also a key nutrient for good gut health<\/a> and better sleep<\/a>. As for vitamin C or ascorbic acid: It\u2019s \u201can antioxidant that\u2019s required for metabolic processes in the body, including tissue growth and adrenal gland function,\u201d Harrington says. And then there\u2019s phosphorus, which works with calcium to build bones and facilitate your body\u2019s ability to use other nutrients, she adds.<\/p>\n

Since coconut vinegar is a naturally fermented food, it also contains probiotics<\/a>, which support your gut and healthy digestion, says Ginger Hultin<\/a>, a Seattle-based registered dietitian. (For more all-natural sources of probiotics, head here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The Truth About the New Probiotics Trend<\/a><\/p>\n

The Health Benefits of Coconut Vinegar<\/h3>\n

\u201cLike all natural vinegars, coconut vinegar also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which helps fight illness and infection,\u201d says Harrington. And there\u2019s evidence that it may contain antioxidant<\/a> compounds, too, thanks to the fermentation process.<\/p>\n

Others claim that coconut vinegar helps to stabilize blood pressure<\/a> and blood sugar levels<\/a> following a high-carbohydrate meal. \u201cStudies<\/a> do indicate that the higher the acetic acid in vinegar or other fermented foods, the greater the positive effects on blood sugars,\u201d says Hultin.<\/p>\n

However, Hultin notes that current scientific studies were conducted in animals and most did not specifically look at coconut vinegar. As for controlling blood sugar<\/a> with vinegar? Both Hultin and Harrington say it\u2019s not the only answer. \u201cThere\u2019s not one food that is a cure-all. It\u2019s a combination of an overall healthy diet,\u201d says Harrington. And it\u2019s not going to help you detox<\/a>, according to Hultin.<\/p>\n

Plus, in the grand scheme of things, vinegar isn\u2019t going to be a major contributor to your diet. \u201cWhen you look at the label of vinegar of any type, you\u2019ll see zero in every category as vinegar isn\u2019t a good source of nutrients in general,\u201d says Hultin.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>9 Quick and Easy Salad Dressing Recipes<\/a><\/p>\n

Eating with Coconut Vinegar<\/h3>\n

That said, Hultin and Harrington say that vinegar can be a healthy addition to your diet. If apple cider vinegar is already a staple in your pantry, you can simply swap in coconut vinegar instead. Plus, its slightly sweeter taste may make it more palatable, too.<\/p>\n

Or, try whisking it into dressing<\/a> or add it to marinades and sauces. You can also add some to tea<\/a> or hot water for a morning tonic. Just don\u2019t chug a shot. \u201cDue to its acidity, it can irritate your throat and harm the enamel of your teeth,\u201d says Harrington.<\/p>\n

Hultin says to discontinue coconut vinegar if you notice stomach or digestive discomfort. And since there are some medical reasons to avoid vinegar, she recommends to \u201ccheck with your doctor to ensure there aren\u2019t any medication interactions,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Move over apple cider vinegar! Coconut vinegar is quickly becoming a superfood for its probiotic benefits. But is that all? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":54155,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7],"tags":[432,204,276,59,71,341,388],"class_list":["post-54148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","tag-antioxidant","tag-cooking","tag-detox","tag-healthy-substitutions","tag-nutrition","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2nutrition"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54148"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54148\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}