Just about the most Magic of all Magic Foods is ACETIC ACID. This is the sour-tasting compound that gives the characteristic tang to VINEGAR, and to Pickles, and Sourdough bread. The effect of a little acetic acid is quite dramatic. Adding a tablespoon of vinegar to a high-carb meal can reduce the post-meal blood sugar spike by approximately 50%.
The reason for this Magic is not totally clear but is thought to be threefold – (1) the acetic acid apparently interferes with the enzymes in your system that break down the chemical bonds in starches and sugars – (2) the acid seems to keep the foods in the stomach longer so they aren’t digested as quickly – (3) the acid may speed the rate at which the finished product of carb digestion, glucose, is moved out of the blood stream and into the muscle cells. Additionally, Vinegar also seems to have a satiating effect, helping you feel full for longer; and it fights bacteria and fungus.
And don’t be limited to just plain old white vinegar – try red or white wine vinegar; rice vinegar; apple cider vinegar; some of the many flavoured vinegars currently available in the market place. And for the greatest of them all, invest in some rich and delicious Balsamic Vinegar.
Menu Magic with Vinegar – No, it’s not just for pouring on heavily breaded fish sticks with a side of fries Start your dinner with a spinach (or other) salad dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil (don’t forget that’s our Magic oil). Add red wine vinegar to a Magic Lentil Soup. Marinate vegetables, fish, chicken in crushed garlic and herbs mixed in your vinegar of choice. Try fresh (and also Magical) strawberries splashed with balsamic vinegar and just a pinch of sweetener. Serve good, old-fashioned dill PICKLES with your lunch or dinner (but watch out for high sodium levels in some brands).
Even SOURDOUGH BREADS with an average GI of 48 and GL of 8 get into the GL range considered to be low rather than the medium range which is where most other breads (even the good grainy kind) tend to fall. It gets it’s tangy taste from the LACTIC ACID that is produced by the bacteria used to ferment the dough. You can use sourdough bread just about anywhere you’d use other breads and it’s especially good if you just don’t want to chew all those grainy bits for a change.
The CITRIC ACID in LEMONS and LIMES gives them the same kind of pucker power, and only to a slightly less miraculous level than Vinegar. They are also very high in Vitamin C and have a natural disease-fighting compound called limonene that can lower cholesterol. That same citric acid can stave off kidney stones because it reduces the amount of calcium excreted in the urine; and it is noted for strengthening the walls of arteries and veins.
Soooooo . . . the next time life gives you lemons . . . use them in salad dressings; serve lots alongside your fish; add it to tuna; use it in marinades; squeeze it on vegetables; add it to your Magic Tea (of any colour) and, of course . . . make lemonade – either hot or cold – but try to use as little sugar as possible, or a substitute, just because.
Tomorrow – Putting it all together – TIPS FOR MAGIC MEALS