Health Tips

SOUR CLAIMS There's something mythic about vinegar. Made from apples, grains, potatoes, molasses, or wine, this ancient and versatile liquid is handy not only for salads, but for many household tasks. Thanks to its acidity, vinegar kills bacteria in foods, so it's an excellent preservative and is used for pickling. As a cleanser, it dissolves soap stains in clothing; it cleans coffee makers, refrigerators, and counter tops.
Vinegar's health claims? There's no scientific evidence for many of them, but it is believed to clear your sinuses, combat colds and arthritis, help you lose weight, lower cholesterol, aid your liver, improve digestion, treat dandruff and dry skin, remove warts, cure hiccups, "detoxify" the body etc. etc. However some very small studies suggest that vinegar may help lower blood sugar a little. And it can clean out wax from your ears.
Besides water, vinegar's main ingredient is acetic acid; it contains no vitamins and just a minuscule amount of minerals. At the least it's harmless and inexpensive.