Is Coconut Vinegar Even More Powerful Than Apple Cider Vinegar?

If you’ve read our past articles, you know that we’re firm believers in the coconut craze. Coconuts and all their derivative products (such as coconut water, coconut milk, coconut oil) are some of the most powerful and versatile healing foods on the planet.

Mounting evidence demonstrates that coconut products provide the body with a healthy and efficient fuel source (healthy saturated fats called medium chain triglycerides, or MCT’s), supercharge the body’s natural detoxification system, serve as a powerful antibiotic and anti-viral agent (without harming your microbiome), combat Alzheimer’s and general cognitive degeneration, improve teeth and gum health, and much more. Coconut oil even acts as a fantastic base for natural skin moisturizers, deodorants, and other body care products.

Just when it seemed like there couldn’t possibly be any new coconut applications yet to discover, raw coconut vinegar entered the spotlight.

We’ve written before about the wonders of fermented foods. These probiotic-rich, nutrient-dense, living foods and beverages boost the immune system, increase energy levels, and target a huge array of diseases and conditions by strengthening and balancing your body’s beneficial bacteria. Much is still unknown about the vastly complex workings of this bacterial community, but almost all medical scientists now agree that it’s absolutely essential for maintaining optimal health.

Among all the choices of living, probiotic foods available to you—including yogurt, kombucha, sauerkraut, and kimchi—vinegar is perhaps the simplest. Any sugar-containing liquid, when exposed to bacteria and yeast, will ferment and become alcoholic. If left unsealed, the bacteria from the surrounding air will then migrate into the liquid, transforming it into vinegar. You’ve probably experienced this process firsthand if you’ve ever left out an open bottle of wine for too long.

Vinegars have used as medicine for centuries, and throughout their long history, apple cider vinegar has almost always been the most popular. This is certainly the case today—many researchers have set out to demonstrate the functional benefits of apple cider vinegar, in order to prove its surrounding folklore correct.

Its popularity is well-founded. Researchers were not disappointed when they put this ancient elixir to the test—they found that it effectively lowers glucose levels, [1] lowers bad cholesterol and blood pressure, [2] acts as a natural antibiotic, [3] and alleviates joint pain and stiffness. [4]  It even balances the pH of the entire body, and boosts immune function.

These properties certainly qualify apple cider vinegar as a first-rate natural medicine—but it seems that coconut vinegar has even more to offer. Let’s take a look at some of its incredible benefits.

Raw Coconut Vinegar: Ultimate vinegar for radiant health?

Raw coconut vinegar, which is made from coconut blossom nectar, is considered the “champagne of vinegars,” due to its mild, sophisticated flavor. It turns out that this exotic creation provides all the benefits of apple cider vinegar…and it doesn’t stop there.

Many health enthusiasts attribute the benefits of apple cider vinegar to compounds like potassium, pectin, amino acids, and other nutrients. The fact of the matter, though, is that studies have failed to find any significant quantities of these compounds in apple cider vinegar (this doesn’t mean that it isn’t amazing for your health, but only that we aren’t yet sure why it’s so amazing). Coconut vinegar, on the hand, is packed to the gills with nutrients.

Vitamins. Coconut vinegar is high in vitamin C, an amazing and underrated compound that is implicated in over 300 different metabolic processes, ranging from disease resistance to tissue growth and repair. The full gamut of B vitamins can also be found in coconut vinegar—these essential vitamins are centrally important for nervous system function, and also play a huge role in metabolic processes. It’s especially important to find a good source a B vitamins if you’re a vegetarian.

Minerals. Mineral deficiency is a huge problem in the United States, and coconut vinegar is a wonderful solution. Because coconut trees are grown in mineral-rich volcanic soil, coconut vinegar contains high levels of magnesium (arguably the most pronounced of our deficiencies), iron, sulfur, boron, manganese, zinc, phosphorous, and potassium (of which it contains an impressive 192 milligrams per serving).

Amino acids. Protein sources get a lot of attention in the health world, but the huge importance of amino acids—the building blocks of protein—is often overlooked. They also help the body produce hemoglobin, repair tissue, and support detoxification. Coconut vinegar contains seventeen different amino acids—all nine essential amino acids, plus eight more.

Enzymes. Coconut vinegar also contains a healthy dose of beneficial enzymes, which aid digestion, alleviate stomach issues, balance immune function, and ensure the absorption of vital nutrients by the body. Because enzymes are intimately tied to the health of our microbiome, there’s still much that we don’t understand about them; what we do know is that they help keep every aspect of our physical and psychological health in balance.

Prebiotics. An increasing number of natural health advocates are touting the importance of prebiotics, which are essentially food for probiotics. Without them, the argument goes, probiotics can never take hold and thrive. Coconut vinegar contains fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), one of the most promising prebiotics. This makes coconut vinegar one of the rare healing foods that is both prebiotic and probiotic.

Tips for getting started

While coconut vinegar is a bit less mainstream than apple cider vinegar, it’s still relatively easy to find. Just make sure that you buy truly raw coconut vinegar without any additives. Knock-offs are made from coconut water instead of nectar—a process that significantly reduces the nutritional content of the resulting vinegar.

Use it as a tonic for fighting illness by combining a tablespoon or two with warm water and honey (use Manuka honey for an extra antibiotic boost). For general wellness maintenance, use a bit of coconut vinegar in sauces, salad dressings, and other uncooked dishes (cooking vinegar destroys most of its nutrients and bacteria).

Taking advantage of this simple and powerful remedy will remind you that healing through natural foods and substances is the real path to balanced and optimized health.

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