As we all know, vinegar is a mild acid commonly used for in some cooking recipes (cabbage salad) or for cleaning tough stains. In fact, due to its rather low cost and satisfactory results, vinegar represents itself as a universal product that benefits our health and keeps the environment safe at the same time. On the other hand, few people are actually aware of the potential its mild acidic properties have. Let’s explore the versatility of this amazing substance.
1. Helps control cholesterol levels
The ability of vinegar to keep the cholesterol at optimal levels has not been tested on humans yet. Nonetheless, the numerous results obtained on animals foresee future medication based on acetic acid. To summarize, rabbits and rats that were constantly fed acetic acid over a given period of time had significantly lower harmful cholesterol levels, reduced blood pressure and enjoyed many health benefits compared to the control group.
2. It reduces high glycemia
Several studies carried between the 1990s and 2000s indicate that adding a small amount of vinegar into your dishes can help reduce the glycemia caused by foods rich in carbohydrates. In other words, vinegar may have a role to play in helping diabetics keep their condition under control. While some researchers are convinced that vinegar helps control glycemia and can reduce the amount of medication required, it is highly advisable to discuss this issue with your physician before you try it on yourself.
3. The oldest treatment for infections
While the Greeks used vinegar both internally and externally to treat infections in the 4th century BC, in reality they only discovered half of the truth. However excellent of a disinfectant the substance is, vinegar is essentially contraindicated for internal use, particularly in large quantities. Nonetheless, in some parts of the world a mixture of one tablespoon of vinegar and one-quarter warm water is still being used to fight off yeast infection and maintain the normal pH balance of the female reproductive organs.
4. Helps you create an optimal soil for a flower garden
As any gardener will tell you, some flowers thrive in a more acidic soil. Therefore, if you are thinking of growing azaleas or similar plants in your garden you too can create the perfect environment for them with the help of vinegar. Simply add two tablespoons of the substance for each 250 milliliters of water in the mixture you use to water azaleas, sit back and watch them grow. The benefits of vinegar for a flower garden are two-folded, since pouring undiluted vinegar onto weeds will destroy them immediately without affecting the environment.
5. Vinegar keeps unwanted pests out of the garden
If rabbits have given you a hard time and they are constantly coming for lunch in your vegetable garden, then vinegar can help you create a natural and safe repellant. All you have to do is soak common cotton balls in vinegar, arrange them in film containers with small holes and place them in your garden. As a side note, depending on the size of the vegetable garden, it is probable that you will need more than one of these natural repellants.
Vinegar is also helpful for those of you who are experiencing problems with ants. Essentially, you can keep the ants away from your garden by simply spraying the substance onto the fence and prevent them from crossing.
6. Lends a helpful hand at training your cat
Are you tired of finding cat hair all over your sofa or beds? Does it bother you to spend over an hour cleaning the couch before your friends arrive? Then here is an efficient solution for your problem: since cats are not overly fond of the smell of vinegar, you can spray a small amount on the sofa, armchairs and bed to keep them off. Once they realize that all the furniture pieces smell like vinegar, the cat will reflexively avoid them and can stop spraying it.
7. It is the best glass cleaning product
The acidity of the vinegar makes it an ideal glass and porcelain cleaner. The substance can cleanse everything starting with the hard calcium deposits of your fish tank to those annoying fingerprints on your glassware. However, in order to make sure the glass will not be damaged by the vinegar as well as ensure the absence of the lasting unpleasant scent, it is advisable to dilute it in water.
8. Prevents frost on windshields during winter
If you live in a cold climate with harsh winters and you grew tired of waking up an hour earlier each morning just to clean the windows of your car, then it is time to learn about the potential of vinegar in keeping the windshields frost-free. Create a mixture of three parts vinegar and one part water, spread it all across the surface of the car windows the night before and you will never have to be worried about ice and frost ruining your mornings ever again.
9. Maintains the bright colors of your clothes
Perhaps many homeowners are reluctant to use vinegar to maintain the bright colors of their clothing accessories out of fright of the stingy aroma. However, soaking brightly colored clothes in water combined with vinegar for ten minutes is highly effective in preventing the tones from fading. And, because you will be washing the clothes with detergent (you can even add conditioner if you want) afterwards, you can be certain you will not have to deal with the smell of vinegar.
10. Dry hair treatment and conditioner
Vinegar is even now used in some rural parts of the world as conditioner for people with darker complexions. The acidity of the substance makes it an ideal conditioner that not only adds highlights to darker colored hair, but it is also known to treat dandruff and excess sebum oil secretions. However, in order to avoid hurting your hair follicles and the scalp, it is advisable to combine one cup of the substance with two cups of warm water. Don’t forget to rinse thoroughly afterwards.
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