Is Red Wine Vinegar Paleo? (Yes, Here’s Why)


Is Red Wine Vinegar Paleo

Vinegar is a popular ingredient in a variety of dishes and condiments. It has a unique tart taste and helps add flavor to meals. Vinegar can even be used in homemade cleaners in place of chemical-laden cleaners, among many other uses. Since the first known documentation of vinegar in 3000 BC, several different types of vinegar have been made. Since vinegar has been around for such a long time, then does that make it Paleo?

Wine is considered Paleo-friendly, so red wine vinegar is Paleo. The only types of vinegar that are not Paleo are those made from non-Paleo ingredients like rice vinegar. Other paleo-friendly vinegar alternatives to red wine vinegar include Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Vinegar, Thrive Market Apple Cider Vinegar, and Primal Kitchen Organic Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.

Things like vinegar can be tricky because it falls in some grey areas of Paleo. To learn more about the pros, cons, and different uses for vinegar, you’re in the right place!

Refresher course – what’s a Paleo diet?

The Paleolithic diet is otherwise known as “Paleo” or “the caveman diet. The primary goal of the Paleo diet is to eat foods that our caveman ancestors ate thousands of years ago through hunting and gathering. The Paleo diet includes foods like meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. It avoids foods that became popular once farming began, such as dairy, legumes, grains, and refined sugars.

Potential Benefits of the Paleo Diet

Low in refined sugars

The Paleo diet is low in refined sugars compared to the typical Western diet. The majority of sugar-sweetened foods are sweetened with refined sugars like cane sugar and corn syrup. This means that your added sugar intake would likely decrease if you adopted a Paleo diet.

Avoids refined carbohydrates

Many of the grains consumed in a Western diet are refined grains such as white bread, white pasta, and others. Refined grains are lower in fiber and other nutrients. Because the Paleo diet is free of these grains, there is more room for more nutrient-dense foods like sweet potatoes, nuts, seeds, and vegetables.

Might help symptoms of certain autoimmune disorders

Some people find some relief from symptoms of their autoimmune disorders while following a paleo diet, such as those suffering from Crohn’s disease. The “Autoimmune Protocol”, an extension of the Paleo diet, has been scientifically proven to reduce symptoms in inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

What is vinegar?

Vinegar is made by fermenting a carbohydrate like apples or wine. Bacteria then feed off the alcohol, converting it to acetic acid.

Plain white vinegar is considered “regular” vinegar, but there are many other types of vinegar. The different types of vinegar are made by fermenting their main ingredient. For example, balsamic vinegar is made from fermenting grapes and apple cider vinegar is made from fermenting apples or apple juice.

What are the most common types of vinegar?

  1. White vinegar
    White vinegar is the most common type of vinegar. It’s used as a more natural household cleaning project and is likely the type of vinegar you’ve combined with baking soda to make a volcano.
    White vinegar is made by fermenting ethanol (grain alcohol) and has a neutral flavor profile.
  2. Apple cider vinegar
    Apple cider vinegar is made from fermenting apples or apple juice. Apple cider vinegar is versatile and used by many for skincare and managing health conditions like diabetes, to name just a couple of its uses.
  3. Balsamic vinegar
    Balsamic vinegar is a great salad dressing and can also be used to dip bread. It’s made from fermenting crushed grapes, including the juice, stems, skin, and seeds.
  4. White wine vinegar
    White wine vinegar is made by fermenting white wine. It’s a versatile vinegar used to make sauces, marinades, and to top salads, fish, and meat.
  5. Rice vinegar
    Rice vinegar is made by fermenting different types of rice. It’s a popular ingredient in foods like sushi, sauces, marinades, and salad dressings. It adds a mildly sweet flavor to dishes, particularly Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese dishes.
  6. Malt vinegar
    Malt vinegar is made from malted barley, the preferred grain for making beer. Malt vinegar is popular for pickling foods and is used in dressings.

Are most kinds of vinegar Paleo?

Technically vinegar of any kind isn’t considered Paleo. The strictest Paleo followers argue that vinegar wasn’t introduced until after the Paleolithic era because it’s technically processed.

However, the majority of Paleo followers include vinegar made from Paleo-friendly foods in their diets, such as apple cider vinegar and red or white wine vinegar.

What are the benefits of vinegar?

Might help improve blood sugar levels

In an animal study, vinegar was found to improve blood sugar levels in diabetic rats. It helped improve blood sugar by reducing insulin resistance, the main cause of type 2 diabetes. Vinegar also helped reduce fatty buildup in the liver of diabetic rats.

Lowering cholesterol levels

According to animal studies, the acetic acid in the vinegar helps reduce cholesterol levels. The only studies on this topic are on animal subjects, so it’s unclear how much vinegar might help reduce cholesterol in humans.

May help aid weight loss

Some studies suggest that the acetic acid in vinegar might be beneficial for weight loss. Some people claim that taking shots of apple cider vinegar helps reduce sugar cravings, which can help promote weight loss as well. However, there aren’t studies backing the claims that vinegar can reduce sugar cravings.

Antimicrobial effects

The acid in the vinegar helps kill bacteria. Vinegar is mainly recommended to prevent infections during food preparation and isn’t recommended for topical use. Some people use white vinegar as a natural household disinfectant, though researchers recommend household cleaning disinfectants because they’re more effective.

Downsides of vinegar

Vinegar is acidic, which can cause damage to tooth enamel. Try to avoid brushing your teeth shortly after consuming vinegar, which can hasten enamel damage.

Acidic foods can aggravate symptoms of certain digestive conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD), commonly referred to as heartburn.

What is red wine vinegar?

Red wine vinegar is made by fermenting red wine. Red wine is combined with a “mother”, or live vinegar containing bacteria. The bacteria feed off the alcohol in the red wine which changes the alcohol into acetic acid. Acetic acid is what makes vinegar acidic and gives it its pungent taste and aroma.

How do you use red wine vinegar?

Red wine vinegar can be used as a salad dressing. Simply drizzle red wine vinegar over your salad or combine it with olive oil for a healthy homemade dressing.

Red wine vinegar pairs well with proteins like beef and pork as well as vegetables. You can use it in marinades, sauces, and other dressings.

Bottom line – is red wine vinegar considered Paleo?

The strictest Paleo dieters will argue that vinegar of any kind isn’t Paleo-friendly. However, most people consider vinegar made from Paleo-approved ingredients okay, including red wine vinegar.

Red Wine Vinegar Nutritional Information

Madhava Organic Red Wine Vinegar

Ingredients:

  • Organic Red Wine Vinegar

Nutrition Facts (per 1 tbsp.):

  • Calories: 3
  • Total Fat: 0 g
  • Sodium: 0 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 0 g
  • Total Sugars: o g
  • Added Sugar: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g

Pompeian Organic Red Wine Vinegar

Ingredients:

  • Organic Red Wine Vinegar with “Mother” Diluted With Water to 5% Acid Strength

Nutrition Facts (per 1 tbsp.):

  • Calories: 0
  • Total Fat: 0 g
  • Sodium: 0 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 0 g
  • Total Sugars: o g
  • Added Sugar: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g

Napa Valley Organic Red Wine Vinegar

Ingredients:

  • Organic Red Wine Vinegar

Nutrition Facts (per 1 tbsp.):

  • Calories: 5
  • Total Fat: 0 g
  • Sodium: 0 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 0 g
  • Total Sugars: o g
  • Added Sugar: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g

Other Paleo-Friendly Vinegar

Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Vinegar

Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Vinegar - 12.7 fl oz - Rich in Vitamins & Amino Acids - Organic, Vegan, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Kosher - Keto, Paleo, Whole 30 - 24 Servings Coconut products are common go-to Paleo alternatives. This vinegar has a neutral taste, meaning it doesn’t taste like coconuts. It’s made from coconut tree sap, which according to the product description is “a natural source of amino acids, minerals, vitamin C, broad-spectrum B vitamins, and has a nearly neutral pH.

Ingredients:

  • Organic Coconut Sap (naturally aged for 8 months to one year)

Nutrition Facts (per 1 tbsp.):

  • Calories: 0
  • Total Fat: 0 g
  • Sodium: 0 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 0 g
  • Total Sugars: o g
  • Added Sugar: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g

Thrive Market Apple Cider Vinegar

Ingredients:

  • Unfiltered Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Water. Acidity: 5%

Nutrition Facts (per 1 tbsp.):

  • Calories: 0
  • Sodium: 0 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g

Primal Kitchen Organic Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

Primal Kitchen Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, Whole 30 Approved, 250 ML 2 Pack Ingredients:

  • Organic Balsamic Vinegar (Organic Cooked Grape Must, Organic Wine Vinegar)

Nutrition Facts (per 1 tbsp.):

  • Calories: 30
  • Total Fat: 0 g
  • Sodium: 0 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 8 g
  • Total Sugars: 6 g
  • Added Sugar: 4 g
  • Protein: 0 g

Related Questions

Is red wine vinegar gluten-free?

Red wine is naturally gluten-free, so red wine vinegar doesn’t contain gluten.

Is red wine vinegar keto?

Red wine vinegar is keto-friendly because it doesn’t contain any carbohydrates. Most vinegar is keto-friendly with the exception of some types of balsamic vinegars.

Is red wine vinegar high in sodium?

Red wine vinegar doesn’t contain any sodium. If you’re watching your sodium intake, opt for red wine vinegar and other vinegar in place of high-sodium salad dressings.

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Diana Gariglio-Clelland

Diana Gariglio-Clelland is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. She obtained her Bachelor's in Nutrition from the University of Idaho in 2012 and has worked in clinical, community, and primary care nutrition settings. She currently works as a freelancer on various health- and nutrition-related projects.

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