Balsamic vinegar can be an excellent addition to a Paleo meal, but not all vinegars are created equal. The good stuff is traditional aged balsamic vinegar and it’s made by reducing grape juice down to a must, which is then fermented for twelve years in various wood barrels. This stuff can get really expensive, but the good news is a little goes a long way. Less than a teaspoon mixed with some olive oil and drizzled on your salad can make those dry, unappetizing vegetables delicious.
Balsamic Vinegar and Sugar
Many cheaper varieties of balsamic vinegar have caramel coloring added to them. Caramel coloring is a type of sugar, and since part of living a Paleo lifestyle involves avoiding sugar as much as possible, that includes caramel coloring.
The Health Benefits of Balsamic Vinegar
If you can’t get your hands on the good stuff though, or if you just can’t afford it, don’t sweat it. All vinegar, no matter the source, has been shown to have significant health benefits, including lowering blood sugar and improving glucose tolerance. Balsamic vinegar in particular has been shown to effectively inhibit LDL oxidation, which is awesome because it is the oxidized LDL that is more likely to latch onto the interior of our arteries, causing inflammation and plaque build-up.
Mark Sisson gave Balsamic vinegar his Primal seal of approval.
