Vinegar is good for more than dressing salads—the sour, fermented liquid has been used for centuries to treat many ailments.
Vinegar’s culinary and healing and culinary history dates back to 5000 B.C. During the fermentation process, alcohol transforms into vinegar. In ancient China, the resulting liquid was known as “bitter wine” and was used as a medicinal remedy for various ailments. Kuo-Pin Wu, the superintendent of Taiwan Xinyitang Heart Clinic, elaborated on the health benefits of vinegar and its diverse applications in daily life in The Epoch Times’ “Health 1+1” program.
Medicinal Uses of Vinegar
Mr. Wu stated that ancient medical texts contain numerous records of vinegar, highlighting its myriad medicinal benefits:
Reduce swelling: Vinegar can be used to treat symptoms of swelling and suppuration (discharge of infection) from the body.
Antimicrobial and antiviral effects: Vinegar can kill some germs. When cold symptoms first appear, it can be used can reduce bacterial and viral infections in the throat by diluting a tablespoon of salt and vinegar in hot water and using it as a mouthwash.