Amazing Benefits of Date Vinegar

The Amazing Date Vinegar

Despite being the oldest recorded vinegar, not many people have heard of date vinegar or its health benefits.

Did you know date vinegar can ease labor pain, help people with menstrual problems, and increase cardiac health? We will explore all the date vinegar benefits in this article and also explain why date vinegar is better than apple cider vinegar.

But before we go into more detail, let's first recap the uses of vinegar in general. In this article, we'll cover:

• Uses of Vinegar in Daily Life
• Date Vinegar Nutrition Facts
• Apple Cider Vinegar vs Date Vinegar
• Health Benefits of Date Vinegar
• Where to Buy Date Vinegar
• How to Use Date Vinegar
• Date Vinegar Recipes
• Give Date Vinegar a Try
• Scientific References and Further Reading

Uses of Vinegar in Daily Life

Vinegar is one of the most versatile items that any household must have. You can use it in your food, use it as a medicine, as a preserving agent, and as a cleaning agent. Despite its many uses, using it in food is the most common.

Common Types of Vinegar

Examples of the most common and popular kinds of vinegar are balsamic, apple, white distilled rice, rice wine vinegar, malt vinegar, red wine vinegar, and specialty vinegar.

Specialty Vinegar

Specialty vinegar may be new to certain markets but has been in use for years in its home market. Examples of specialty vinegar are pomegranate, persimmon, and date vinegar, which are very popular in the Middle East. Other examples are coconut vinegar and cane vinegar, which are common in Indonesia, the Philippines, and India.

Date Vinegar Nutrition Facts

Based on the study by Gökhan Akarca et al. of Afyon Kocatepe University, Turkey, and published in Academia Journal of Biotechnology, date vinegar contains several vitamins and minerals, pantothenic acid, carotenoids, flavonoids, and procyanidins with high levels of antioxidant activity. Detailed nutritional values are tabulated below.

Date Vinegar vs Apple Cider Vinegar

From the study by Mohammad Hashim Matloob, University of Babylon, Iraq, the mineral contents of date vinegar (made from Iraq’s Albadawi Date) are significantly higher compared to apple cider vinegar (from Turkey). See table below.

Phosphorus is also higher so, people who cannot take seafood and dairy products (strong source of phosphorus) can take date vinegar as an alternative source. As reported in several studies, phosphorus, antioxidants, and other phytochemicals are useful components to lower bad cholesterol, prevent cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

Minor and Major Element Composition in Date and Apple Cider Vinegar

As reported in the same study by Gökhan Akarca et al. of Afyon Kocatepe University, Turkey, and published in Academia Journal of Biotechnology:

• Alcohol: No alcohol was detected in date vinegar but in apple cider vinegar, alcohol was below 0.5%.
• Acidity level: The acidity value of date vinegar was 11.88 g/L, and in the apple cider vinegar it was 6.45 g/L, i.e. date vinegar is more acidic with a higher amount of acetic acid.
• Antioxidant and Total Phenolic Values: The antioxidant and total phenolic values of date vinegar were 10300.00 Teq (ml/L) and 3310.37 ga (uL/mL), respectively. In apple cider vinegar it was 1087 Teq (ml/L) and 459 ga (uL/mL), respectively. This is due to the fact that date vinegar is rich in carotenoids, phytosterols, and bioactive components, and hence, total antioxidant and total phenolic values are higher. Furthermore, the date fruit is rich in carotenoids, phytosterols, and group B vitamins.
• pH: The pH level in date vinegar was 2.96 and in apple cider vinegar was 2.71.
• Total sugar: The total sugar (% w/v) in date vinegar was 0.29 and in apple cider vinegar 1.48.

From the above reports, it is therefore obvious that date vinegar is more nutritionally potent and has more benefits compared to apple cider vinegar.

However, it should be noted that different quality and grades of date fruits and apples will give different nutrition facts as compared to those above. So, if you buy high-priced apple cider vinegar made from good grade apples, you will enjoy better benefits compared to cheap date vinegar made from low-priced date fruits.

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Typically, if vinegar made from apple and date fruit is of similar quality and grade, date vinegar is more potent and gives more health benefits.

Organic Dates Vinegar

The best quality date vinegar is made from Saudi Arabia’s Ajwa date fruit variety. So, if you are looking for the best quality, buy Ajwa date vinegar and some are organic.

Health Benefits of Date Vinegar

Dates vinegar is not new and has been in use since Babylonia (5,000 years ago) as food and medicine. In another study carried out at the University of Otago, New Zealand, it was confirmed that date vinegar has antioxidant activity that is comparable to wine vinegar but higher than apple cider vinegar and white wine vinegar. Hence, the reasons why it has medicinal value. Some of the health benefits of date vinegar are:

• Weight loss: Drinking it will help suppress your appetite and reduce hunger. If taken before a meal, it reduces blood sugar spikes that usually occur after eating your meal. This happens because the vinegar's acetic acid will block the enzyme responsible for breaking down starches for digestion from being absorbed into the bloodstream.
• Cancer prevention: Just like the healing powers of apricot seeds, regular intake of vinegar with its many antioxidant properties will help prevent abdominal cancer.
• Heart strength: The vinegar drink is an excellent remedy for a weak heart. The antioxidant chlorogenic acid helps prevent the oxidization of the LDL cholesterol particles, hence it protects your weak heart and prevents heart disease.
• Eases childbirth: If you drink the vinegar on a regular basis, it can ease the pain of childbirth. It is known to contain hormones that strengthen the uterus, help produce milk for nursing mothers and also prevent blood loss after childbirth. It also helps build strength during convalescing. While there are no scientific studies to prove these claims, traditional medicine and its regular use since ancient times must give enough credibility for its popularity in treating these ailments.
• Menstrual disorders: The vinegar helps regulate clotting and reduces the menstrual period and the amount of blood loss. Its high levels of potassium and calcium reduce cramps by easing the muscles in the uterus. Hence, helps with menstrual disorders.
• Strengthens the immune system: The regular cleansing of the system will remove toxins from the body. This will help strengthen the immunity system. It will also help in gastric inflammation and relieve constipation.
• Type 2 Diabetes: Based on this study, after ten weeks of daily dosage of 20 mL date vinegar given to Type-2 diabetic patients, their blood sugar level (HbA1c) dropped from 6.8 to 6.14. The fasting blood sugar level also dropped from 171 to 147 mg/dL. https://plantmedicines.org/date-vinegar-benefits-heart-blood-sugar.
• High in iron & potassium: Nutritional deficiencies, especially iron and potassium deficiency can lead to anemia. When this happened, there are not enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to your body's tissue. So, you feel tired and weak. Date vinegar is a good source of iron and potassium and therefore good to prevent anemia.
• Fatigue: The vinegar burns and consumes the pyroracemic and lactic acids that are responsible for fatigue. Hence, consuming date vinegar can eliminate fatigue.
• Relieves coughs: Helps to relieve a sore throat, persistent cough, and remove phlegm.
• Relieves headaches: The high level of potassium in the vinegar helps relieve headaches.
• Heals burns & skin inflammation: Used in traditional medicine by Middle Eastern people, date vinegar was applied to burns and skin inflammation. Scientific studies show that date vinegar contains acetic acid that helps relieve inflammation on a burn. Acetic acid also has antiseptic and astringent properties, hence keeping the burns from becoming infected.

Where to Buy Date Vinegar

Since it is not so popular outside the Middle Eastern countries, your best bet is to find it at your nearest Middle Eastern grocery store.

Lately, I saw one or two listings for date vinegar on Amazon.com. I have not tried this "Made in America" brand but from its product description, it has won the silver medal in 2017 at the Vinavin International Vinegar Competition in Spain.

The brand that I used is shown in the photograph below and bought at the local Arab sundry shop. It is made from processed natural date syrup and has 4% acidity, the minimum legal acidity level for vinegar. This brand retails for only US $3.50 and unfortunately, is not available online.

Buy Date Vinegar Online

Way back when I first wrote this article in December 2011, searching for date vinegar online will not return any results. However, as of 2021, there are now several date vinegar listings on Amazon, eBay, and other marketplaces.

Date vinegar is made from the syrup of pressed and processed dates. Sometimes they also use the sap of the palms, but this produces a lower level of ethanol making it less effective for medicinal use. Hence, buy date vinegar made only from date fruits.

How to Use Date Vinegar

Date vinegar has a rich, fruity flavor and is dark brown in color. It is not as sweet as a good balsamic and tastes more like a mix of malt vinegar and balsamic. You can use date vinegar in your food, as part of your traditional medicine, and just like other common vinegar, as a preserving and cleaning agent. However, it is rich in many nutrients, so it is best to use in your food or as medicine.

To enjoy the many health benefits of date vinegar, you can use it as:

• A drink: Take 1-2 tablespoons of dates vinegar, preferably mixed with a glass of water, first thing in the morning and/or the last thing at night. You may add honey to sweeten the taste.
• As salad dressing: Use it as you would with balsamic vinegar.
• In your cooking: Replace other vinegar that you would normally use in your cooking with date vinegar.
• For pickling: Likewise, replace your normal vinegar for your pickled items with date vinegar.
• As a dip: Mix the vinegar with olive oil and use it as a dip.

Date Vinegar Recipes - Salad Dressing With Blue Cheese

Preparation:

Mix sour cream, yogurt, mayonnaise, date vinegar, and garlic, and whisk until smooth. Then add the crumbled blue cheese. Season it with ground black pepper.

Recipe for Date Vinegar Salad Dressing With Poppy Seed

Preparations:

Whisk together all the ingredients in a medium bowl.

Give Date Vinegar a Try

The health benefit of date vinegar and its rich fruity flavor are good reasons why you must give it a try. You can use it as a drink or as you would a balsamic vinegar. Give it a try and let us know in the comment section below.

Scientific References and Further Reading

• Antiglycemic properties of vinegar - NCBI
• Vinegar supplementation lowers glucose - NCBI
• Otago University - Production of Date Vinegar

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional. Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency.

© 2011 Razlan Awal

Comments

Alia on July 16, 2020:

Hi. Please try dates cider vinegar from Dates Valley. They produce 100% pure, original, rich with probiotics dates vinegar. Made in Malaysia.

Zeshan Ali on April 23, 2018:

Hi guys i am Zehan Ali a PhD scholar, recently working on health benefits of dates vinegar and its possible invivo mechanisms.Dates vinegar is a magical product. Here are my some sci papers you can read online or on journal sites.I am still working on my following project, remember me in your prayers.

Efficacy of new beverage made of dates vinegar and garlic juice in improving serum lipid profile parameters and inflammatory biomarkers of mildly hyperlipidemic adults: A double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study...

April 2018Journal of Food Biochemistry

DOI10.1111/jfbc.12545

Reduction of body weight, body fat mass, and serum leptin levels by addition of new beverage in normal diet of obese subjects

https://doi.org/10.1111/jfbc.12554

If you want full detail how vinegar works on various diseases you can also read my review article

Potential Uses of Vinegar as a Medicine and Related in vivo Mechanisms.

Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2018 Mar 26:1-12. doi: 10.1024/0300-9831/a000440.

Razlan Awal (author) from Malaysia on February 02, 2018:

Hi Karen. Did you buy the date vinegar? I hope you do.

KarenTH on January 30, 2018:

Just the other day I was at a MiddleEastern shop and saw this date vinegar. I asked the shop assistant what is it for. Unfortunately he wasn't sure. Thank God I googled and saw your article.

jamal alnafea on October 11, 2017:

Greetings to all of you. Dates vinegar is the months we have in Iraq as we produce the finest dates in the world where we have more than 450 types of dates. The date palms now found in California have been brought from Iraq with soil. I produce organic and natural date vinegar without any additives or industrial colors. handmade . I want to export it to the United States but I do not know how.

Jenny on April 11, 2017:

With so many benefits, I must try dates vinegar in my salad

Azura on December 23, 2015:

Just bought yusuf taiyoob date vinegar for hubby.seemed this type of vinegar has lot of health benefit.

Razlan Awal (author) from Malaysia on February 01, 2015:

Hi Mohd Nor. Warm water is better, as your body need to 'heat up' the cold water before you can enjoy its benefits.

Yes, you can mix lemon juice to your dates vinegar. It is a terrific concoction for your first-thing -in-the-morning drink.

Mohd Nor on January 30, 2015:

Questions

1-mix it with cold or warm water -which has more advantages ?

2- I like lemon -cld I mix it with dates vinegar to make more potent so called ? Hehe

Razlan Awal (author) from Malaysia on October 19, 2014:

Hi Lorberth. Most of the articles that cite the benefits of dates vinegar are in the religious papers and in the traditional Islamic medicine. The research are also in the Middle Eastern countries, but unfortunately I too have difficulty in finding these links.

There are some articles that had brief mentions and you can find them at

Zahdi Date Vinegar: Production and Characterization published in American Journal of Food Technology at //scialert(dot)net/abstract/?doi=ajft.2014.231.245

Or at Biochemical and Nutritional Characterizations of Date Palm Fruits at academia.edu

www(dot)academia.edu/323840/Biochemical_and_Nutritional_Characterizations_of_Date_Palm_Fruits_Phoenix_dactylifera_L._

Or the research article on Iraqi dates published in ACS Publications at

//pubs.acs.org/action/showMultipleAbstracts

These may not have solved the problems, but I hope it is a start. Let me know if you have more info. Thanks for the visit.

Lorberth on October 17, 2014:

Dear Greatstuff, I am also a date vinegar enthusiast - but I'm still looking for some scientific papers or evidence which could undermine our claims. I can not find anything, not even an analysis of date vinegar. Do you have any links or hints for me?

Best regards,

Adrian

Razlan Awal (author) from Malaysia on July 22, 2014:

Hi Thaifoddin, thanks for sharing your experience and advice in the use of dates vinegar. I prefer to mix 2 tbsp. dates vinegar in a glass of water and then rinse with another half glass of plain water.

Thaifoddin Othman on July 20, 2014:

I used to take apple cider vinegar before this. After trying out the dates vinegar which I bought in Kuala Lumpur, I tend to like it very much. It helps me a great deal in enhancing my immunity system and I don't fall sick easily. Even during flu season, which we have frequently in Singapore(due to weather), I can still carry on with my routine without the slightest effect. My advice to all, always be consistent in consuming this concoction if you want to reap the benefits. Try to mix with a tablespoon of honey to suit your taste.

Razlan Awal (author) from Malaysia on January 18, 2014:

Hi mehr, thanks for dropping by. If you see my comment below to another reader ehsan, I gave the link to my other article that you can follow for dates vinegar recipe. Good luck!

@Supreme Vinegar, thanks for sharing

mehr on January 18, 2014:

how i can made it at home

Supreme Vinegar on November 19, 2013:

Great discussion. Date vinegar can now be bought in the US online! See http://www.datevinegar.com. Available on Amazon as well.

Razlan Awal (author) from Malaysia on September 30, 2013:

Hi Deena, my friends used processed dates imported from Iran for their homemade dates vinegar. Yusof Taiyoob is a good brand and they have several varieties. Use the mid-priced range variety. If you have dates plants in your country and have access to fresh dates, you can use them, but make sure it is fully ripe. Hopes this help and thanks for dropping by.

deena on September 30, 2013:

Hi, just wanna ask for homemade dates cider, which dates should we use? raw dates from the tree or processed dates like Yusof Taiyoob??

thanks

Razlan Awal (author) from Malaysia on February 19, 2013:

@juan20020 I hope it will work out well for you. Date vinegar will at least reduce the acidity level in your body and make it more alkaline, hence a healthier body. Thanks for dropping by.

juan20020 on February 19, 2013:

i luv this article on health benefits of organic ate vinegar. just bought the date vinegar today for weigh loss. look forward to trying it out tonite :)

Razlan Awal (author) from Malaysia on March 15, 2012:

Hi ehsan, thanks for dropping by. If you go to my other hub on Pomegranate Vinegar at https://discover.hubpages.com/health/Health-Benefi... you will find the steps on how to make pomegranate vinegar. Just replace pomegranate with dates, the steps are similar. Good luck and let us know of your progress and success.

ehsan on March 14, 2012:

im very interested in making date vinegar myself but i don't know how to do it...please advise...thanks

Razlan Awal (author) from Malaysia on February 08, 2012:

I am glad you have seen and gain some benefits of taking dates vinegar. Drinking dates Vinegar first thing in the morning, before brushing your teeth, is indeed, the best way. In fact, according to our country 'old wives tale', drinking water before gargling your mouth, hence drinking the water together with the saliva (overnite saliva?..is there a special term/word for this?) helps make you look younger!