Craving vinegar! Are you alone who craves vinegar? No, millions of people are hooked on vinegar and vinegar products. Not only vinegar but also people have strange cravings. For instance, many people crave sweet-salty things, like coal, toothpaste, etc.
Some people crave things that aren’t even considered food. Such as kids crave soil, papers, or even plastic. Indeed, weird types of cravings arise every day. Craving occurs due to hormonal imbalance or a disturbed sleep cycle. Also, many other factors can trigger your unusual hankering.
But why do we crave vinegar? Here I will dispel all its facts.
Table of Content
Craving Vinegar: What Does It Mean?
Vinegar craving is the strong desire to eat something acidic or vinegary. As for pickles, vinegary chips, sauerkraut, and pickle juice are common obsessions among people.
Also, these folks crave anything with a vinegary flavor, such as beets, chili peppers, etc. Moreover, many people love to drink a splash of vinegar in plain water.
Craving vinegar usually indicates low acidic content in the stomach. Your body asks you to eat something sour, which triggers the stomach to produce more acid. Moreover, lack of nutrition may result in unusual cravings.
Types of Vinegar People Are Usually Obsessed With!
The following are some vinegar types that people are crazy over.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Red wine vinegar
- Flavored vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Rice wine vinegar
Related: Apple Cider Vinegar While Breastfeeding – Worth it or Not
Is It Okay To Crave Vinegar?
Craving pickles juice, or vinegar water, is not necessary to be worried about. Certainly, you enjoy vinegary products, or your stomach can crave acids. Also, pregnant ladies have a strong urge for pickles.
Indeed, vinegar consumption is healthy, owing to its health benefits. Since the centuries, vinegar (ACV) has been used as a cure for many ailments. It treats stomach issues, heart disorders, manages blood sugar levels, and many more.
Since this vinegar craving is fine, feel free to fill it with pickles or anything you choose!
On the whole, acidic food is not bad. Yet, you should not be overused. No doubt, vinegar is okay for one-off cravings. But, it is not recommended to fill your stomach bag.
Why Do We Crave Vinegar?
Let’s start by asking why your body craves vinegar? Could it be because of some physiological need?
A taste of food we savor makes our brain crave it every day, whether it’s at work or while we watch a web series! Also, the nutritional content of your body makes you crave some unusual foods.
Here are a few factors that may influence your desire for vinegar.
Taste
Consider salt and vinegar chips, one of your stereotypically ‘bad’ vinegar foods. Aren’t you usually tired of regular chips and crave the salt and vinegar ones?
Vinegar cravings are usually triggered by taste. As a balance between sweets and salts, the body is often attracted to sour flavors. For example, many people add vinegar to fish and chips for a tart taste. Others add vinegar to ketchup or mayonnaise before making burgers.
Related: Craving Mustard – 9 Extraordinary Health Benefits
It has been used as an ingredient in cooking for centuries. Vinegar can add a distinctive taste to food. Thus, when you crave these flavors, you’re likely to crave vinegar.
In short, when one desires to add something, it is usually for taste and nothing more!
Nutritional Deficiency
A person’s dietary cravings relate to what deficiencies they have in their body.
Indeed, you’re suffering from potassium deficiency when you crave something vinegary or acidic. This may lead to a craving for greasy, fried, and fatty foods.
To treat such weird cravings, you should ask your dietician to plan a nutritious diet for you.
Candida and Stomach Bacteria
The fungus Candida albicans is responsible for gut and skin infections. The fungi stimulate cravings for sweets and acids. Also, bacteria in the gut contribute to unusual cravings as well.
This microbe’s growth accelerates due to stress and less variety of food. Thus, stress has an impact on your food cravings, direct or indirect. This stress may be positive or negative.
Related: Can the miracles of oregano oil also kill good bacteria?
Low Stomach Acid
A low stomach acid level is another major factor contributing to vinegar cravings. The low acid content makes it difficult to break down nutrients. Thus, our brain will draw to food that triggers acid production.
Vinegar is an effective remedy for stabilizing stomach linings and reducing acidity. As well as making digestion easier, it promotes gut health.
Other Causes of Craving Vinegar
Besides microbes and nutritional deficiency, some other factors can cause a vinegar craving. Some of them are following:
- Imbalanced emotions (happiness, anxiety, depression)
- Pregnancy
- Addison’s disease
- Hormonal fluctuation
- Stress
- PMS
- Dehydration
- Electrolyte imbalances
- Occupational workload
Besides these, we may crave sour and acid when our liver cleanses itself and takes out toxins.
Why Do I Crave Vinegar Before My Period?
As your period approaches, your body changes inevitably. The most common premenstrual symptom is a change in eating or toileting habits.
Seven to ten days before a flaky flow occurs, it is normal for a girl to crave sweet, salty, and sour foods. Most often, they prefer something viscous, like craving vinegar.
Indeed, this unwelcome craving is caused by hormones. As it turns out, progesterone and estrogen are the main culprits behind craving salt and sour.
Despite these, hormones are not only responsible for making you crave. There are many other factors involved as well. But, it’s okay to listen to your body when it comes to food. Keep an eye on your hunger and replace unhealthy desires with healthy ones.
Though, you are not alone in craving sweet and sour snacks before your period.
However, hankering after your period might indicate an eating disorder or an obsession.
Related: How to Get Periods Immediately in PCOS? Kick-Start Your Periods
Health Benefits Of Vinegar
It is okay if you are craving vinegar because it has many health benefits. Ancient civilizations have trusted vinegar to improve health and heal illness. Besides being antimicrobial, vinegar is anti-inflammatory as well.
Also, its potent antioxidants help to fight free radicals that cause health problems. Apart from that, vinegar has a lot of benefits for skin health.
Here are some of the most potential health benefits of vinegar:
Good Source Of Nutrients
Besides its antioxidant properties, it is also high in other nutrients. These nutrients are essential for average cell growth and function.
Vinegar with a darker color has a more significant anti-oxidizing effect. At the same time, refined vinegar may lack some essential nutrients.
The following is a nutritional profile of 1 tbsp vinegar (15 g):
| Nutrients | Amount |
| Calories | 2.7 |
| Total Fat | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 0 g |
| Sodium | 0.3 mg |
| Potassium | 0.3 mg |
Moreover, vinegar is a good source of the following nutrients:
- Calcium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Magnesium
By drinking vinegar, you will cover up your nutritional deficiencies.
Control Blood Sugar Level
Vinegar helps manage blood sugar levels naturally. After eating high-glycemic food, drinking vinegar-laced water lowers blood glucose levels. Also, it helps to relieve the symptoms of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
If you have diabetes, it is ideal to drink vinegar water after eating a meal. So, craving vinegar can be an excellent option to keep the sugar under control.
Related: Craving Milk Diabetes: What’s The Reason and Is It Normal?
Potential Usefulness In Weight Control
Drinking vinegar has significant effects on weight. As it lowers body mass as well as promotes a healthy weight loss. It improves digestion and gives you a feeling of satiety. Thus, you avoid overeating and lose weight.
Moreover, it increases HDL(good cholesterol) and lowers LDL(bad cholesterol) levels.
Significantly Reduced Blood Pressure And Promoted Heart Health
Vinegar is known for its heart-health benefits and can reduce the risk of heart disease. Indeed, acetic acid helps to lower high blood pressure. In spite, apple cider vinegar and white vinegar help to lower cholesterol levels.
The consumption of vinegar water prevents plaque buildup in arteries. In this manner, your heart becomes healthy and active for years to come.
Improve Digestion and Stomach Health
You can cure many stomach ailments with vinegar. For instance, gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and acid reflux are treatable with ACV. It enhances stomach health through its antioxidant properties and motivates probiotic growth.
Being acidic raises the stomach’s acidity. Moreover, it lowers bloating and intestinal gas. Its antimicrobial properties also help kill harmful bacteria in the gut.
As a whole, craving vinegar is helpful for stomach health.
Related: Almond Milk For Gastritis: How Almond Milk Affects Gastritis (In-depth Guide)
Some Other Benefits of Vinegar
Here are a few other uses for vinegar besides those mentioned above:
- Effective against cancer
- Treat skin infection
- Regulate menstrual cycle
- Effective against weight loss
- Regulate lipid metabolism
- Promote blood circulation
Side Effects Of Vinegar
Vinegar appears to be an effective tonic for the human body due to its benefits for the entire body. While vinegar is generally safe to use, it can be detrimental if used in excess.
The following are a few:
- Undiluted vinegar can cause skin irritation and burn if used for a prolonged period.
- Though, vinegar diluted with water can make digestion and gut health better. But undiluted vinegar in large amounts can cause nausea and other digestive issues.
- Although, white vinegar helps manage high blood sugar levels. Yet, it can aggravate gastroparesis symptoms.
- Vinegar contains acetic acid, which weakens dental enamel and destroys minerals.
- Moreover, vinegar contains acetic acid, which causes throat burns when drunk undiluted.
- Also, excessive amounts of vinegar can affect your potassium level.
- Certain medicines, such as digoxin, diuretics, and insulin, may interact with apple cider vinegar.
Craving Vinegar In Pregnancy
There is nothing new about strange cravings during pregnancy. Every expecting mother suffers from various types of odd cravings. Conceived women most often have craved vinegar-soaked-zingers or dill pickles.
However, it is safe to consume vinegary products during pregnancy. Indeed, pregnant ladies can reap many benefits from it. Here are a few examples:
- Reduce morning sickness
- Prevent UTIs in expecting ladies
- Prevent oxidative stress in pregnant women and infants
- Keeping sodium levels in check
- Assists in the growth and development of infants
However, excess use of vinegar may harm a fetus. It can also cause heartburn or indigestion.
FAQ
Is Vinegar A Poison?
There is nothing poisonous about vinegar. It is safe to use for cooking and cleaning in the kitchen. Nevertheless, overuse can lead to indigestion and heartburn.
Why Do I Always Crave Sour?
Low stomach acid causes a craving for sour foods and acidic drinks. When these cravings occur, the stomach produces more acid and sterilizes the stomach lining.
Why Do I Crave Vinegar Pickle Juice?
You can crave vinegar for many reasons. Maybe you love the taste, or you’ve got dehydration, morning sickness, or an electrolyte imbalance. Pregnancy also leads to a hunger for pickle juice.
Why Do I Crave Vinegar And Salt?
Nutritional deficiencies can lead to intense cravings for salt and acid. A lack of sodium and potassium is primarily responsible for salt cravings. Also, indigestion, Addison’s disease, and PMS are the factors that contribute to cravings.
Is Apple Cider Vinegar Cravings Good?
Craving Apple cider vinegar is good for you. Indeed, it can contribute to weight loss and improve general health. Consuming one or two tablespoons of ACV each day with water can benefit the stomach, heart, and skin.
Which Vinegar Is The Healthiest?
It is ideal to consume balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar when it comes to health benefits. Indeed, the majority of the essential nutrients are absent in refined vinegar.
What does vinegar craving deficiency mean?
If you log vinegary products, your gut looks for foods that can trigger the stomach to produce acid. You must listen to your body and fill your desires more healthily.
Is Craving Vinegar an eating disorder?
Eating vinegar is not considered to be an eating disorder. But if you are addicted to it and use it in excess, that’s another matter. You’re likely a binge eater.
Conclusion
In this guide, I’ve explained the facts of craving vinegar with its benefits and drawbacks. On the whole, it is suitable for health. But, you can ask your dietitians for in-depth guidance.
